So it looks like there have been a ton of threads over the years about moving to Boston and living in Boston (e.g. this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this). So, here’s mine!
I got a job in the Boston area, specifically Cambridge, and so oft wears hats and I will be moving there in late summer, probably. What advice do you have about finding housing? The two of us would like to buy a place, preferably not too expensive and in a decent area, though we don’t care about school districts or anything like that.
Also, oft wears hats is going to be looking for a job as an electrical engineer. Have any advice for looking for jobs? What areas would be likely to have EE jobs, since that will probably influence our choice of housing?
We’re from Los Angeles (me) and Northern Virginia (us). So, ridiculously high prices and bad traffic are nothing new. We’re currently living in a two-bedroom townhouse, which about as much space as we need.
We moved to Quincy in August! So far it is awesome and we are very pleased here. The schools aren’t the best in the area but we have a while before that becomes an issue for us. I can recommend the realtor/apartment finder we worked with if you want, she was amazing and well worth her fee.
Then all you have to keep in mind is that all of the properties out here are much older.
Depending on where you will be working in Cambridge, you might not be limited to the Red Line. North Station, into which roughly half the commuter rails run, is a short walk to the Red Line, and South Station, into which the other half run, is on the Red Line. You will, however, never get a seat unless you get on at the beginning of the line.
It’s almost easier to live south of Boston if you work in Cambridge; commuter rail to South Station and hop on the Red Line. (goes to consult T route map on my shower curtain) But, if you’re on the Fitchburg line to the northwest, you can transfer to the Red Line at Porter.
Oh hey, one of those threads was mine! I ended up bouncing between Central Square in Cambridge, Mission Hill at the ass-end of the Green Line, Somerville, and finally way out to Stoughton. Several friends and acquaintances lived in and around Cambridge.
I don’t think there are many affordable houses in or around Cambridge. I knew a few postdoc couples that bought houses (combined income in the $90k ballpark), but they usually lived somewhere relatively far and not in the best neighborhoods. One couple bought a house in East Boston, which placed them at the end of the Blue Line and under the airport flight path.
On the renting side of the equation, there are some nice areas with pretty reasonable rent just outside walking distance to the Red Line. Union Square, Inman Square, Cambridgeport, and Allston are located by good bus lines that will take you to Cambridge. I lived by Sullivan Square, though it has absolutely no virtues aside from cheap rent and easy access to both Cambridge and Charlestown. However, if you live right by the T oft wears hats will have a lot more options for jobs with a reasonable commute. (One transfer is reasonable. Two is barely tolerable. Three or more is just ridiculous.)
If your hubby is working in Cambridge, you might also want to check out Malden. It’s not on the Red Line, but it’s close driving distance.
Traffic-wise, I think the main difference between LA and Boston is that Boston is less of a sprawling megopolis connected by 12 lane mega-highways. It’s an old, dense city surrounded by lots of old, dense communities like Cambridge, Waltham, Alston/Brighton and so on. And these communities are mostly connected by inadequate surface streets like Commonwealth Ave, Storrow Dr, and Rt 9 with lots of traffic lights.
Parking sucks too. Many neighborhoods have mostly resident only parking. In winter, people “save” spots they shovel out with a traffic cone or folding metal chair.
I think you’d get more bang for your buck living in one of the outskirt communities which have easy access to the T (Quincy, for example) than living, say, in Cambridge. The rents there are atrocious just like within the Boston city limits.
One plus about Quincy is that there are three Red Line stations and you’d be in Cambridge in a (relative) flash without having to transfer to another line.
I’d totally be up for a Dopefest, but I would like to request we wait until February. The holidays are busy and January is the busiest time of the year in my office.
I always liked the walk from North Station to Charles. Just long enough to keep up a healthy brisk pace without breaking into a sweat. The walk to MIT is fine in nice weather. Harvard may be a bit far.
How long of a commute are you used to? Driving is awful getting into the city, and parking is abysmal.
Housing prices inside the 128 loop are the highest. If you are willing to live outside the 495 loop you can get some good deals. But you may need to take the Commuter Rail in.
I see some people mentioning Quincy…I don’t know much about Quincy, but I wouldn’t even consider looking in Weymouth (right next to Quincy)
Braintree is nice and also has a Red Line Station.
If you don’t mind walking maybe five minutes from the commuter rail to the Red Line in South Station (in the same building) Canton has a relatively new Commuter Rail station with plenty of parking.
