Somerville, Watertown, JP!

if you can afford it, try a realator. they can help you find a place in the "off" season, as boston leases are based on student schedules for the most part, especially places that are "affordable". they'll have a better idea of what inventory is left over at 10/1, but try not to get suckered into a fee!

Charlestown. The prices are reasonable, there's lots of green space, you are close to the harbor, and a short walk or water taxi ride from downtown.

The center of Boston is very expensive (so is Cambridge). You could probably get twice the square footage for the same rent if you move out from the city center. Public transportation is pretty good, as long as you are heading to or from the center of town. Getting from one place to another on the outskirts usually involves a trip in town and then back out.

A lot of apartments are handled by property managers. Check Craigslist for places you might like and then search on the management company or real estate agency name to see if they are offering lots of apartments at this time. I found a great place in two days by visiting three different agencies/management companies. They can show you several apartments in a morning or afternoon, and you can get a feel for what's out there.

In addition to the towns that amp200 mentioned, you could also try Allston/Brighton (be warned that there are a lot of students living there), Arlington and Brookline.

If you are planning on using public transportation, check out the MBTA website. You can type in an address and find out where all the bus stops and subway stations are. If you already have jobs lined up, you can check to see how long it would take to get there on the T.

Apartments for rent by owner are also an option, but usually they have only one or two apartments for you to look at. It all depends on how much time you have to look.

Hi Alex!
I have lived in Jamaica Plain for all of my twenties and I love it (came here for college and never left) I also recently moved so I know about the horror of finding a place. The one tip I can give you is to make RSS feeds of preferred searches. I did this for my self and set up a google reader account for my boss while he was apartment hunting and he LOVED it. you can easily click through listings and images without clicking links and backtracking. All the realtors, in JP at least, all post to craigslist so you get the for rent by owers and the realtors' listings.

here's a post about how to do it. http://seattlebubble.com/blog/2008/02/25/how-to-use-craigslist-rss-to-find-a-great-rental/

Good. Luck.

The Bostonland rental market remains, in my mind, the least pleasant market I've ever searched in. My partner and I rented a 550 sqft one bed (2nd flr, 4 rms, HW flr, H&HW inc) a 12-min. walk from a train line (and a great neighborhood!) for $1295; your price range is pretty right on if you're willing to sacrifice either size or a bit of location or both.

Bettersaturday above suggests using a real estate agent if you can afford it, and I will caution hard if you do this. Agents we auditioned and whom we could afford (but ultimately didn't use or pay) were ignorant of many, many critical aspects of their properties (square footage, nearest transit, flooring material, who pays utilities...real basics) and seemed okay with giving us truly bad service. They are lazy and complacent because they deal with a lot of students who don't have as much experience renting and whose parents are often the actors/guarantors in the rental. Craigslist for rentals in Bostonland has been hijacked by commercial agencies, so it's harder to use it as a community resource and hard to sort through duplicate and misleading listings ("oh, that pictured one just rented, but we have another that's nearby"). The market is so dominated by students that the rents are too high (captive audience...) and the landlords are absentee in a lot of buildings (though my long-distance landlord was very responsive...then again, he rented his place out himself, no broker).

Transit is a major arbiter of what a place will cost - rents rise dramatically if you're within a 5-7 minute walk of a train line. That said, get out of that 10-minute circle and you'll see a marked decline in rents. I recommend the following bus-served areas: Union Square, Somerville; Inman Square, Cambridge. I recommend looking in the outer reaches of a few train-served spots: Davis Square and Porter Square, Somerville; Central Square, Cambridge; Jamaica Plain, Boston. I recommend against living off of any Green Line train - they're just too infrequent and too crowded to be pleasant, I found. If you have a car, your options increase dramatically, but I advise strongly against having one in town. I sold mine when we moved, and through all the strife, I was still glad we didn't have a car.

Welcome to Bostonland. I left with a really bad attitude, but a lot of people I love really like it, so I understand I am a liiiiittle biased.

I'm so jealous. I moved from Boston a couple of years ago and regret it.

I got a pretty nice studio for $1100 in the Fenway area in 2007, before the market crashed. I'm sure things are cheaper now. I would recommend Fenway; there's a beautiful park (The Fens, not the ball park, although that's there too), and you're just west of the "elite" Back Bay neighborhood. You get all the perks of upper-middle class living -- the shopping, dining, parks, etc. etc. -- at vastly cheaper prices. Do not live in Brighton or Allston unless you want to wake up to college kids puking on your steps and rats in your kitchen. True story. You'll be temped because the rents are cheap but you have to be really young-at-heart/adventurous to deal with it. I've known people who've really enjoyed Jamaica Plain -- it's kind of hippieish, very liberal, lots of families, great gay community. Brookline is very nice too, but a little quiet. Cambridge is also great. Good luck!

Boston has a lot of different neighborhoods with different qualities, and I think you will be happiest settling in if you find a neighborhood that suits your wants/needs. There are some descriptions here but they are really just a start, and I think some people might disagree with some: http://www.city-data.com/forum/boston/32713-boston-neighborhoods.html

The description of Somerville (has a lot more than just highways and bus routes) is lacking, for instance... west Somerville has a lot going on in Davis Square and the residents tend to be younger and kind of hippie-ish, though much of east Somerville is more old school. Spring Hill in the middle can be kind of quiet and not too expensive.

#twnt1andcounting, I have a studio for $1100 in Fenway NOW, so the rents have not gone down. But I second all of your arguments re: Fenway and Allston/Brighton/Jamaica Plain. For what it's worth, there are Oct 1 openings in my building, and although my management company is not great, there are 1beds for $1400 around the area.

Something that most people don't think about right off the bat is how long your commute is going to be. Boston's public transport can be grueling, so after years of commuting up to 1.5 hours each way (different apartments, different jobs) I decided that paying extra for living within walking distance to my job was worth it.

Look at Jamaica Plain, Union Square, Davis Square - anything on the Red Line assures decent commutes. Also, South Boston is gentrifying very fast, and has some fabulous spaces - both lofts and apartments.

Central Boston has apartments in larger buildings dating to 1920s (great ceilings) or smaller brownstones from the 1860s-on (even better ceilings), Cambridge/Somerville/Brookline/Watertown and even Jamaica Plain are likely to offer you a floor in a triple-decker or a 2-story house. The further out you go, the more it is likely that in exchange for lower rent you will have to pay for your heat (which is included in most properties in Boston proper) - ask about heat and hot water.

Do not pay a realtor. I have rented 5 apartments over 10 years, and never had to pay a fee. If you DO use an agent, there are many many many landlords that pay the fee themselves. As other people have said, realtors here focus on the student population, and do not know their own stock, resulting in constant cross-listing.

Something I did when I moved to Boston long-distance is rent a 3-month sublet, and take that time to learn the city and find an apartment that was suitable to my needs better than the sublet. It might be difficult in October, but that's already the time when some kids drop out of school for various reasons, and sublets become quite easy to come by.

Good luck!

Are you only coming for a little while or might you stay here? If you think you might find a place, stay and have kids, then there is something important for you to know. School districts make a big difference. Cambridge and Brookline have neighborhood schools where your child goes to school in their own neighborhood. Boston (including Fenway, Jamaica Plain and all its other awesome sections) does not have neighborhood schools. Schools in Boston are on a lottery type system so there is no guarantee that your child could attend the closest school. If you think there is any chance you might stay and procreate and not want to move from the neighborhood you love, then consider coming to Brookline or Cambridge or other non-City-of-Boston areas where the school risk is not an issue.

Just wanted to give another shout-out for Somerville. I've been living here for 7 years now (1 in Teele Sq., 5 in Union Sq., and now in Winter Hill). Nora Rocket's list of neighborhoods is a great one to consider.
In addition to the public transportation consideration, also consider if you want to commute by bike. Completely possible, even into downtown Boston from one of the "over the river" towns. Somerville, Cambridge, and Arlington have good dedicated bike/walk paths. Jamaica Plain, from what I hear, also has a great path.
Lastly, I'll echo twnt1andcounting and say stay away from the B branch of the green line unless you want to frequently be squished on a train with a car full of drunk BU undergrads. Also, any branch of the green line is bad on a Red Sox game day.

Wow... way to be a debbie downer, Nora Rocket.

Alex, search on craigslist for no fee apartments. If you put in a little time, and learn to recognize the bogus ads, you'll find a great place. I personally recommend Charlestown, but before you decide on a place, walk around the neighborhood and make sure it has what you are looking for. Remember to look for public transportation, how you would get home after the T closes (usually 12:00am), a coffee shop, a pharmacy, grocery store, and a dry cleaner. And a good local pub, of course. Good luck!

I lived in Boston for 7 years in my 20's and loved every minute of it. I lived in the Fenway Symphony neighborhood for the first year then 6 years in Jamaica Plain. I did use a retail estate broker which although costly was easy because they took my roommate and I around to multiple apartments in two days. It can cost as much as a months rent but sometimes the landlord will pay part of the fee. I also remember that the majority of apartments were available Sept 1. If you want to be in an urban area Fenway is good, cheaper than South End and Back Bay. Jamaica Plain has a lot of triple deckers so smaller buildings with larger apartments. I also liked having the Pond and the Arboretum near by as well as good restaurants and the T. I lived across from Forrest Hills Station which was so convenient and even it seems loud, trust me you get used to it. If you are going to have a car, many of the neighborhoods require a parking permit. When living in Fenway I did find that I was often parking a couple of blocks from my apartment. My roommate ended up in Southie after I moved, I always enjoyed going to visit her when she lived there. I believe that it is also affordable by Boston standards and has a lot to offer in restaurants, near by walking paths at castle island and a gritty Boston feel.

Just moved to Watertown, for $1400 we have two bedrooms, a living room, dining room, porch, amazing kitchen, bathroom and the entire attic for storage. The price also includes one parking spot.

We found this apartment and a lot of listings just like it on Craigslist, if you're diligent you will definitely find something.

We also looked in Arlington and Belmont, lots of listings there as well.

I second Southie if you have a car. If not, Fenway is a good choice. We were considering Southie until our jobs took us to New Hamsphire. Southie is a cheaper growing place for mid 20s with lots of good bars.

I moved to Boston's South End 3 years ago and absolutely loved it. We lived on the outskirts between Washington & Harrison Ave and loved being by the Silver line to get downtown easily or take the #1 bus to Cambridge. It was about a 10 minute walk to the Orange line. We also had a car and living down there we found it pretty easy to find a parking spot. The area has gotten even better now so prices might have gone up but we paid $1250 for a 1bdrm with extra storage above the bathroom. I actually miss that apartment a lot. It was great.

We looked primarily on Craigslist and found some good choices. Only thing I didn't like about Allston/Brighton.... I really didn't want a college apartment again and they all felt dirty and loud.

annoushka, I'm surprised the rents haven't gone down with the market! Where in Fenway do you live?... I was across from the community gardens on Boylston, behind Fenway Park (I could actually see INTO the park)... I cry when I think about that place and about what I'm paying now in NYC...

This is Alex. Thanks for all the comments. Keep them coming. I have an appointment one afternoon with Atlas Properties, so we will see how that goes. I'm definitely interested in Fenway and Brookline but haven't ruled anything out. There seem to be a lot of places in Alston, but if its too crazy that's no good.

We will have a car, but would prefer to walk, bike, or use public transit. We don't have jobs yet so I'm not sure about commuting. We might just have to deal with a bad commute for a while.

Any ideas about Chelsea? There are a few lofts in our price range out that way.

The final question I have is about keeping a motorcycle. Any recommendations? I would prefer that it didn't sit outside all winter.

One caution -- South Boston (or Southie) is NOT the same as the South End... the South End is a much nicer neighborhood near the center of Boston. I guess "nice" is subjective, but South Boston is kind of out there and has a reputation for being seedy and hard to get to... it is Menino (the mayor's) pet project. He's been trying to build that neighborhood for over ten years and it hasn't happened, so.... (I mean, it does have the children's museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art, and some nice restaurants... maybe it is changing?)... as for Chelsea, that neighborhood also has a reputation for being seedy, but maybe that's not fair. I've never actually been there and my evidence is anecdotal. Check out city-data.

I just moved out of my 2BR apt in Inman Square - $1300/mo for 2 person occupancy. I LOVED my place (2 large walk-in closets, tons of light, driveway, back yard) but just bought a place with my fiance. My landlord was still looking for a new tenant as of last week...

You can email me at course_411@yahoo.com if you want me to put you in touch with her.

Stay away from Chelsea. Not good, not good at all. Really is seedy, really.

I've lived here my entire life, went to college in the city, now go to grad school in the city, and over 100 of my cousins are scattered throughout Charlestown, Somerville, Cambridge, Watertown, Medford, Malden, etc.

Look for areas on the Orange Line and Red Line. Somerville, further out in Cambridge, JP (not Jackson Square). Malden has one or two really lovely neighborhoods for dirt cheap and right on the Orange line, but you have to be careful.

Southie has been a big up-and-comer lately. Parking available, not far from downtown. I would definitely look there. A LOT of people are moving there.

The South End is gorgeous and were I to win the lottery, I would live there in a heartbeat, but good luck parking that car and finding something in your price range will likely involve a basement.

Fenway is a disaster. If you like screaming Sox fans and vomiting coeds, this neighborhood is for you. It's overpriced. People think it's a good idea to live there and then move out after a year. EXTREMELY difficult to park in during baseball season.

Mission Hill: see Fenway, just cheaper and with bigger apartments.

Allston/Brighton...don't get me wrong, I spend a lot of time out there, but the Green Line is my nemesis. It takes for-ev-er and it makes me nauseous because it stops at all the lights. Students, students everywhere. Awesome bars, great food, but then I get to go home to my quiet apartment after, in my car. I have a lot of friends who loved living there when we were 21, but now that we're 25 feel like they've outgrown it.

Brookline is a little more adult than Allston/Brighton, but that much more expensive, and just as difficult to get to.

Charlestown is very charming, lovely, pretty, but parking is heinous and your apartment probably won't include a spot. It's not cheap either.

If you don't mind being borderline suburban, Quincy, Watertown, Arlington, Melrose are only a few minutes more on the T. It actually takes me less time to get downtown from Melrose on the Orange Line than it takes my friends to get downtown from Allston on the Green Line. For context, 1400 would get you something very very nice with parking.

My personal favorites are Davis and JP. That's what I'd do if I didn't have my reasons for being further out.

Cambridge and Somerville are awesome if you're just out of college and don't mind living with a lot of hipsters who don't know who the mayor is. I loved it, but it isn't called "the people's republic of Cambridge" for nothing.

Definitely get something on the Red Line if you can, but don't limit yourself. Don't be afraid of Dorchester. You might want to get a few month sublet someplace inexpensive, like Quincy, and from there figure out what neighborhood really works for you. Also - you'd be picking up a lease in January. It's a nastier time to move, but there may be more options than in October, which is still near the studentoverload time of the year.

Jamaica Plain is a really good community, less of a college rental feel and lots of great open space. Somerville & Cambridge are better for live music and nightlife. If you're looking at Brookline, you should realize that you're paying more for having good town schools. So if you don't have kids, then it may not be worth it.

I had a friend with a motorcycle in Boston - he lived in Allston, where street parking with resident stickers is scarce. His apartment didn't have a parking spot, so he left it on the street. I've lived in Allston and agree with other posters - it's cheap, but it's miserable during the school year.

If you're looking for a place with a parking space - but would still like to be relatively close to public transit - I'd suggest JP. There are a lot of triple decker places with driveways, and you'd be able to find a two bedroom place within your price range. Just keep in mind - it is not easy to find space for a car or any other vehicle in most neighborhoods near downtown. There are parking spaces that can be rented for $300+ in the Fenway area.

You should be able to find a nice one bedroom place in areas like Inman Square, Washington Square, or Brookline Village. Still close to bus routes and the T, but much quieter than parts of JP, Allston, and the Fenway area.

I'd also definitely suggest Somerville for a reasonably priced place with parking availability. Davis Square is great.

You definitely should check Watertown if you want easy parking...not impossible in JP or Somerville (including Inman Square--on the Camb/Somerville line). I think Watertown is undervalued. If you are working in town, the express buses take about 15-20 min. It is also convenient to Cambridge and the red line. When choosing a location though, think about where you are going the most. You'll get the most space/amenities for your $ and quick exit. You are on the pike, and numerous bus lines. You'd want a car or bike for late nights and the weekends though.

Don't write off Chelsea completely. There are amazing spaces in Chelsea and it is very close to the city. But, if you have kids, or consider having kids, stay away.

Parts of Allston are not too bad. Lower Allston has lots of families, profs and young professionals. Just stay away from the B and C lines and Comm Ave. The affordable parts of Brookline are too BU for my taste.

Lastly, public transport can be a beast. Think about where you need to go when choosing your apartment. The T is a spider, so when you are in the outskirts, make sure there are numerous bus options. Otherwise, you are heading into town to get anywhere.

Everyone here has had really great input...and I'll throw in my two cents. Someone mentioned getting a short-term lease to start, and that is a fantastic idea. If that doesn't appeal to you or you can't find one, both JP and Somerville are probably the way to go. Both are public transit and bike friendly. Both are also kind of quiet for me (in a good way), but you could live there less expensively for a year while you figure out what neigborhood suits you best. I lived in Somerville for a year at $1050 w/ all utilities (cosy 1br) and moved to JP for two years at $1100 for a good-sized 2br with a huge yard but no utilities included. We've just moved to Cambridge and are paying the premium for it, but it's worth it since we took the time to know that we love it here.
What do you like to do? Bar hopping? Visit art galleries? Go to the movies? Enjoy the outdoors? Go to the beach? Take road trips though New England? Go to school? Boston definitely has a "best spot" for each of those activities, but there isn't one neighborhood where all of those things come together.
Lastly, Chelsea is very tempting and could be a blast, but it's hugely inconvenient to get back and forth to Boston...by car or transit. Don't do it until you are familiar with the city and know what your commute will be like. You could end up feeling pretty isolated out there.

Personally (I'm probably biased), I vastly prefer the North side of the Charles River (Cambridge and Somerville) for living. I just don't think I could deal with parking or all the students in Allston/Brighton, not to mention waiting outside in the heat of the summer and cold of winter for the Green Line. I like being deep underground in Porter Square!

MAJOR WARNING: if you are looking at Brookline and you two plan to keep your car, note that parking overnight on Brookline's streets is ILLEGAL, so you will have to either find a place that includes parking (rare), or pay to park your car on or off site. So keep that in mind!

I've spent 4 years in the Porter/Davis Square areas of Somerville and Cambridge and have loved every minute of it. Parking is usually a breeze, except when it snows and the environment is just so much more peaceful, but there's still everything there at your fingertips. I live very close to the subway now and pay $1600 for a tiny two bedroom, but if you're willing to look hard and walk a little further you should easily be able to find something in your budget in those areas. Try searching "by owner" only on Craigslist to weed out the realtor multi-postings. Also, don't trust realtors...I once had a guy tell me he was showing me a place in Porter Square, when it was actually nowhere near Porter...like a mile and a half away between Union and Inman!

I've found the market for more affordable rentals in the area to be very competitive and frustrating, but in the end if you keep at it, it is possible to find great places at a price you can live with!

I live right on Memorial Drive and Mass Ave in Cambridge, and while I'm about 3/4 mile from any T stop, it's been great for walking, biking, all that.

I would also take a look at Cambridgeport (the nubbin of Cambridge that is not exactly Central, MIT, or Harvard that borders the Charles). There aren't rentals often, but when there are, they're usually a good deal, and the neighborhood is quiet and pretty. It would definitely help to know where you're working; honestly, if you're out in Watertown or something, just live in Watertown. Boston is just a 70 bus away. Otherwise, check out Porter/Davis/Inman, JP, etc...there are lots of good places to be here in Boston!

I don't have much new info to add, but agree with everyone who recommended JP, Davis Square, Inman, Union, Porter, etc. Definitely stay away from realtors if you can -- the best apartments I've found have been through sticking to the by-owner only section on craiglist and doing lots of keyword searches for specific areas I'm interested in.

Personally, my absolute favorite part of the area is Brookline, and I just moved from Coolidge Corner to Washington Square. Wash Sq has many of the perks of Coolidge (and is within easy walking distance) but has MUCH lower rent (and being further from BU is never a bad thing...).

Seriously, if you want to be able to get around the city in peace, AVOID LIVING ON THE B LINE!

Oh, and it may be easy to convince yourself now to live in Allston because of the cheap rent but it is basically a pit of student despair.

Okay, so maybe I didnt read all the posts but it seems that no one has mentioned East Boston.

I have friends who live in Jefferies Point and Loooove it. For 1400 you could get a cute 1.5 or 2 bed with hardwood floors and heat and hot water included. If you work in downtown, it is actually a great place to live, as you can walk to the Maverick stop on the Blue line and be downtown in 10 minutes. Parking isnt too difficult and the tunnel only costs 40 cents if you get a speed pass with East Boston proof of address. Also, there are nice beaches in both Eastie and neighboring Winthrop.

My experience in southie was a mixed bag. I totalled my car, which was both a positive and negative thing. It was bad because I felt stranded for a bit, but good because winter weather in Southie (or Charlestown or any inner boston area) is a NIGHTMARE. I took the #9 bus to Back bay, to the Red line, and was able to get to work all the way in Waltham using public transportation. I lived on the East Side, which is a little more gentrified, generally safer, and closer to the usual southie hang outs along East Broadway. Great for middle to late 20's, early 30's crowd. However, i paid 2100 for a gut rehab 2 bed, with nothing included :( Beautiful place but not cheap. Used realtor. Regretted it. Had to pay them a months rent as a finders fee. There is almost literally zero need for a realtor when looking in Boston.

Okay. Next up, Charlestown. I loved it. Reasonably affordable if you find a good deal in the "By Owner" section or if you ask around. My friend got a cute 2 bed, HW Floors, H/HW included for 1400! My sister paid 1500 for a very big 1 Bed with a patio and washer and dryer in an even better part. However, there are really rough parts of Charlestown. I would avoid the Polk Street projects by the Highschool and any of Bunker Hill that is lined with the projects. Also, parking is not that bad contrary to what people have said. In winter, yeah, but if you are a charlestown resident, you wont have to park more than a block or 2 away on even busiest days. But beware of street cleaning!

I looked in Davis. Yeah it is kinda a hippie area but it is great for bikers, walkers, etc. There are lofts for rent off of the Minuteman extension trail and tons of restaurants. The T is right there and on a reliable line.

Other parts of somerville are great too. you can easily get a 1.5 bed for 1400 with H/HW included. Look at craigslist and mark your price range, and search for "hardwood, sunny" and that will weed out the stinky carpetted and dark places.

I see a lot of people recommend JP. That's fine, its beautiful and has great restaurants and good public transport, but some parts of JP are some of the most dangerous in all of boston. Also for people who recommended Dorchester, its definitely a cost effective option, but you will want to avoid Uphams Corner, most of Columbia Rd and Blue Hill Ave.

I totally agree about subletting first. You may meet people who have family or friends who are moving out of "tried and true" places or who know good landlords. Then you wont be stuck in a place for a year.

Craigslist is bogged with junk, but it is great if you learn how to use the bolean operators so you can weed out the Apartment Complex postings, or whatever.

Another option is selecting an area you like on Google Maps. Then there is an option to look at "Real Estate" for the area of map you have panned and zoomed in on. Uncheck "for sale", check "for rent" and it will map apartments and prices for you. It acts up sometimes, but that's great if you know you want to live in a certain area.

Good Luck, I am sure you will find something great. Boston is a wonderful city.

I have lived in Southie, Charlestown, Malden, Medford, and had looked at places in Davis.

oh yeah, try padmapper! it's the best!

I grew up in the UMass/Savin Hill neighborhood, it's a fantastic place and extraordinarily convenient to downtown, and is finally becoming quite bike-friendly. Under $1400 gets you a two-bedroom, hardwood floor througout, with a dining room and at least one porch on average right there. Watertown and Somerville are quite comparable to this neighborhood, in terms of architecture (3-deckers rule), population density & diversity, and convenience. Do check a map for any apartment listing to see what's nearby, and also just head out to various neighborhoods for a few hours to get a feel for what's there. Your price range is right on, as long as you don't need to limit yourself to the 'Boston proper' neighborhoods. I've lived in Quincy, Somerville, and Watertown over the past 10 years, and am moving to Southie this winter - ay yi yi, the parking wars!!! - and loved living in each neighborhood/town. For more info on Boston neighborhoods, check out universalhub.com

mermal529: I did add a disclaimer about my bad attitude, and I wish someone had been a "Debbie Downer" with me about transit, location, and brokers when we moved to Boston. I might have been more of a "Roger Realistic" about things, looked a little harder initially, and avoided the debacle of our first rental place (not the 550 I reference in my first comment), which is what spoiled my Bostonland experience. Instead, I was an "Ira Ignorant" and wasted time, money, effort, goodwill, money, and effort. Forewarned is forearmed.

I am LOVING, however, the suggestion to sublet while exploring locations before one commits. That would have been an awesome idea.

@twnt1andcounting - same set of buildings as the one you lived in, on Boylston, looking over Fenway Park. Of course, when I moved in 4 years ago, the rent was only $1000, and it's up to $1100 now.

The OP mentioned they will have vehicles, which means ANY of the neighborhoods suggested will be easily navigated. As a car owner in the Fenway, I have to defend the 'hood to the person who said parking is limited in most neighborhoods - it's been my experience that resident parking is sufficient most days. Yes, you have to jockey with the Sox crowds for paring sometimes, but the city has gotten pretty good about ticketing and towing non-residents from resident spots, and in 6 years living in the Fens, I have trouble finding parking on average of once every couple of months.

No, I would not own a car in the South End, Back Bay, North End etc, but I think the OP is priced out of those neighborhoods regardless. It is ridiculously easy to park in JP, Fenway, South Boston, Cambridge/Somerville, Medford, Allston/Brighton if you are a resident. You have to pay for parking in Brookline. I don't have enough experience with Chelsea and East Boston to comment.

There are many great neighborhoods in Boston and the surrounding areas and the city also has it's fair share of tough neighborhoods. One warning on Southie (South Boston): great location if you work in downtown and definitely cheaper, yet stereotypically unfriendly to people of color. I have a number of friends who had issues with getting called names or threatened while walking down the streets or coming out of local businesses. If you are white and all of your friends are white, then you may be okay, yet if you are more integrated into the real, multicultural world of the US (and of Boston), this may not be the friendliest place to live or for your friends to visit. Maybe it has changed since I lived there two years ago. I hope so. That would be good on Boston and Southie.

Thanks again everyone. I wasn't expecting this many answers. Its great though. I think I have some good stuff here. I will let you all know where we end up.

Don't know if Spacenoob is still checking this posting... but I'll offer my two cents!
I agree with above posters that the best thing to do is call a rental agency who has posted a place on Craigslist and see what other places they have.

But a word to the wise: It's ALWAYS better to go with an agency that specializes on the neighborhood you want to live in! They are waaaay more knowledgeable about area features (ie. nearest grocery store, noise levels, traffic, social scene, etc.) and also tend to know more about what apartment features are common and what are reasonable rents for that area.

my rental agent actually personally knew alot of the landlords in my desired neighborhood and was able to tell be alot about their respective personalities, expectations, and responsiveness. And now I live in the cutest little one bedroom in the North End for a great price!

Hey Kyle,

I actually can shed some light on Chelsea, as I have lived there for just over a year. My husband and I went to school in Boston and never left, we've lived in Fenway, Brighton, Somerville, and ended up in Chelsea because we wanted to buy a loft.

Chelsea totally gets a bad rap, which I personally think is undeserved. Chelsea is super close to the city (you can drive downtown in 15 minutes in no traffic, you certainly can't do that from Allston, JP, Cambridge, or Somerville). While it's not on a T line itself, there are a TON of buses that will either take you directly into the city, or to the blue line, and then it's just 2 stops to downtown. Street parking isn't a problem over there, although automobile theft/breakins can sometimes be an issue, depending on what you drive and where you live. But the same can be said for parts of Boston as well.

Chelsea is also really close to 93, 90, and route 1, which makes it easy to get anywhere outside of the city as well. Throw in the $.30 tolls for the tobin bridge for Chelsea residents and it makes having a car really easy.

I'd say definitely give certain parts of Allston/Brighton a shot--areas away from the T, for example, but that have plenty of bus service. I think those who are warning so strongly against it have only been to the areas that are mainly inhabited by college students, and for that reason, are not-so-great. I grew up and currently live in Brighton, and there are lots of areas that are primarily families (and some college students that have their "stuff" together). Take Oak Square in Brighton, for example. There are a lot of families, and not too many college students. It doesn't get crazy at night. You have 4 major bus routes that take you in Boston and Cambridge, you're 2 minutes away from the Mass Pike, and 2 minutes away from Storrow Drive.

I also want to defend Allston/Brighton.

My husband and I are in our late 20s. We're quiet - not the party types at all - and we love our spacious and lovely Brighton apartment, for the most part. We pay 1400 for 2 bedrooms, living, dining, and eat-in-kitchen. Ohyeah, and a huge driveway, so parking is no problem. We live between the B and C line, and quickly learned to avoid the B line, but we think the C line isn't so bad. The reason I said we love it for the most part is that driving home on a Friday or Saturday night can definitely be annoying, with drunken students stumbling into the street. However, aside from that, we live on a quiet street with a number of families, and we're on the border with Brookline, so Coolidge Corner is only 15 minutes away. We have the Brookline vibe for the Brighton price.

We were recently thinking of buying a house, and the areas we looked at are all the ones that have been mentioned here: JP, Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, Watertown, but also Malden and Melrose. Melrose is much quieter and older - great for families - but if you're close to the Oak Grove stop of the Orange line, you can be downtown in less than half an hour. Malden is less nice, and a lot cheaper.

We also looked in Waltham. I know it's a bit farther, but there's still the commuter rail and buses, and it has a very lively downtown of its own. It wasn't imperative for us to be able to go to Boston a lot, so this was a good option for us, too.

In the end, we realized we were actually quite happy at our current place and we're going to wait a while longer before buying a place.

Alex, good luck! And welcome to Boston. I hope you love it as much as we do!