Thinking about moving to Boston?

[ezcheese]

i checked out the mbta website and tried the trip planner too. i immediately noticed that it didn't create very logical routs.

if you rent a car while you're there, make sure to have a good street level map of the city and surrounding area. we had an awesome map that made navigating all the different areas pretty easy. make sure that the map shows the one-way streets and which directions they run.

also, you should count on everyone doing credit checks. some brokers will work with you if you happen to have bad credit because they understand the situation. it will definitely help your chances to have perfect credit if you happen to be competing with someone else for a particular apartment though.

[BostonFaker]

i also noticed the infamous quick left turn, where a person punches it when the light turns green in order to turn left before the traffic starts flowing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It took me awhile not to expect it down here in Atlanta...

[Recchia]

i also noticed the infamous quick left turn, where a person punches it when the light turns green in order to turn left before the traffic starts flowing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL. Gotta watch out for the quck left turn, the no directional slam on the brakes and right turn, and especially the running of the left turn light when it turns yellow and then shuts off. Always have your hand ready over your horn!

[BostonFaker]

Books are better, but this site rocks for anything: www.wordiq.com

So, for Boston, it's pretty damn good: http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Boston%2C_Massachusetts

[BostonFaker]

I can't add much, but another thing about Eastie is it is separated by water from mainland Boston; I don't think one can actually walk from East Boston to downtown without going through several towns to the north (and that's quite the distance). Maybe this isn't really important.

But, Logan Airport is over there. The noise can be a concern, and is always used in local politics. From what I know though, most people are not bothered by it. The air routes determine where most of the noise is also.

[BostonFaker]

So ezcheese! I'm curious; what were your first impressions of Boston and New England? I hope you liked it since you are moving there.

[ezcheese]

pretty interesting.

[ezcheese]

i loved it! it's nice to be in a city where there are actually people out in the streets and there is plenty of stuff to do. the T is a GREAT public transportation system and driving also was not as crazy as i thought it would be. i really like somerville and davis square especially. i like the fact that i can pretty much walk where i need to go. and everyone i dealt with was very nice.

it was kind of funny, we had very pleasant experiences with people all over, i met and had some interesting conversations with many people in boston and somerville and then when we were flaying back, we stopped over in atlanta for a few hours and everybody had an attitude. my girlfriend and i actually ended up talking about how we think that people seem happier and are nicer in new england than they are down south.

so, besides being really stressed out trying to find an apartment, we really liked it. i think the only thing we are not looking forward to is the snow in the winter. we talked to an old guy who worked at the hotel who goes down to florida during the winter and then comes back up to boston in april. he's been doing that for about 15 years now!

[BostonFaker]

we stopped over in atlanta for a few hours and everybody had an attitude

we talked to an old guy who worked at the hotel who goes down to florida during the winter and then comes back up to boston in april. he's been doing that for about 15 years now!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What I have picked up from Southern hospitality is that a lot of it is based on being two-faced. I would continuously ask myself why someone was being nice to me when I knew they disliked me. Also, I've noticed that Bostonians like other people, wanting to be around them; Atlantans want to get away from other people as much as they can. This is a generalization.

As for the old guy, there are a lot of migratory people, especially when they are retired.

I'm glad you liked Boston. Maybe you will "love that dirty water" too!

[Recchia]

I'm glad you liked Boston.  Maybe you will "love that dirty water" too!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Okay, what is "that dirty water?" I've heard my two friends from Canton say it before, and I've always just pretended like I knew what they were talkin about

[BostonFaker]

Okay, what is "that dirty water?"  I've heard my two friends from Canton say it before, and I've always just pretended like I knew what they were talkin about

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

THAT "Dirty Water," is a song by The Standells about Boston in the 60s, when the Charles was really (really) polluted, and the Boston Strangler was in the news. But we still love Boston! The Standells was a band from Los Angeles, though.

Lyrics:

spoken:

I'm gonna tell you a story

I'm gonna tell you about my town

I'm gonna tell you a big bad story, baby

Aww, it's all about my town

Yeah, down by the river

Down by the banks of the river Charles (aw, that's what's happenin' baby)

That's where you'll find me

Along with lovers, fuggers, and thieves (aw, but they're cool people)

Well I love that dirty water

Oh, Boston, you're my home (oh, you're the Number One place)

Frustrated women (I mean they're frustrated)

Have to be in by twelve o'clock (oh, that's a shame)

But I'm wishin' and a-hopin, oh

That just once those doors weren't locked (I like to save time for

my baby to walk around)

Well I love that dirty water

Oh, Boston, you're my home (oh, yeah)

Because I love that dirty water

Oh, oh, Boston, you're my home (oh, yeah)

Well, I love that dirty water (I love it, baby)

I love that dirty water (I love Baw-stun)

I love that dirty water (Have you heard about the Strangler?)

I love that dirty water (I'm the man, I'm the man)

I love that dirty water (Owww!)

I love that dirty water (Come on, come on) fade

[ezcheese]

haha, my dad was telling me about that song last week.

[Recchia]

Ahhh, finally I know what the hell they're talkin about... thanks

[paperback]

edit: oops, nevermind

Edited April 29, 2005 by paperback

[kimmiejayne]

Hi! I am new to the Urban Planet and this is my first post. I currently live in NYC and just got a great job with Talbots in Hingham. They're relocating us, too! woohoo! Sooo....where can a city loving gal live with her husband and cat without having to deal with a bad commute? We don't know the city at all (that's what I mean by blind, not that I'm literally blind) ...I also would love to be close to nature but still want the convenience of city life, though I am willing to forgo one or the other for the perfect place. We're planning to rent for the time being, hopefully less than $1800 or so. Isn't there also going to be a subway or commuter rail to Hingham in the next year or two? Any help would be very appreciated..

Edited June 24, 2005 by kimmiejayne

[youbetternot]

The Greenbush commuter rail line will be opening in 2007. It will be going through Hingham.

Hingham is a very suburban area, so if you want city living than you are going to be reverse-commuting. If you don't mind a moderately long walk, you'll be fine with reverse-commuting to the West Hingham Greenbush stop when it opens. I took a look at Talbot's headquarters on Google Maps, found the Greenbush ROW, and mapped the distance between them.

It's a one mile walk to the station from Talbot's.

I'll leave it to someone else to find you the best place to live for that rent

Edited June 25, 2005 by youbetternot

[kimmiejayne]

Thanks for the replies...we have a lot of investigating to do! ezcheese, where did you end up renting? I'm very familiar with craigslist--it's the best!

[ezcheese]

i have only been in the Boston area for about 2 months, and i don't really know anything about the area you will be working in. the best advice i can give from someone who just went through this (i moved from North Carolina) is:

make http://www.craigslist.org your best friend for finding an apartment, and if at all possible, go and physically check out the areas you are interested in. don't trust any descriptions or even pictures. check out the places in person.

we also have a cat and one thing we discovered was that having a cat really cut down the number of apartments to choose from. you probably have already had some experience with this.

it's great that you will be paid to relocate. we also got reimbursed and it really helps cut down on the stress of moving. i'm sure you will love Boston.

remember to try and have fun while looking for your new place! it helps to have a bit of a sense of humor when you're being shown a total dump and the real estate broker or owner is trying to sell it to you as a real "find."

[BostonGal]

Hingham is gorgeous, would you consider staying close to your job? Or do you definitely want to live in the city?

If you are set on city living, they have a great water taxi that serves as your public transportation that goes from the waterfront to Hingham (I can't remember if it goes all the way to Hingham or not, you can check www.mbta.com for more info) - you just might want to think of other options during winter months, as sometimes the water freezes and they can't run the ferries. If this is ok for you, you can live in the North End - teeny apartments (but you're used to that from NYC LOL) but great location and not too far a walk to the water ferry.

Good luck!

[ezcheese]

Thanks for the replies...we have a lot of investigating to do!  ezcheese, where did you end up renting?  I'm very familiar with craigslist--it's the best!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

for our first 2 months we were in a temporary furnished apartment that was paid for by my girlfriend's employer in waltham, which is west of boston. we are in the process of moving to our new apartment in malden, which is about 5 miles north of boston. i will be unpacking stuff all day tomorrow!

you guys can definitely find a decent place for less than $1800 a month. the apartment we're moving into is $1250 a month and it's very nice. but it's also in malden, so we're getting more for our money since we're not actually in boston. but our new apartment is within walking distance to the orange line, so it will be really easy for us to go into boston when we want to go out and have some fun.

it may be a good idea to study the different public transit options in different areas near where you will work. there are plenty of places you can look that will put you in a good position to get to work and to get into the city without having to actually live in the city. of course, coming from nyc, i don't know if you have a car, or cars, but if you really want to be able to walk everywhere, then being in the city and taking the T to work is a better option. check out http://www.mbta.com/ for info on the transit options in the boston area. also, one place that we actually looked that i think is really cool is an old chocolate factory that has been converted into apartments in dorchester. you can check out their website here: http://www.bakerchocolateapts.com/

hope this helps.

[Cotuit]

There is an MBTA bus route to Hingham Centre from Quincy Centre (Route 220). Quincy Centre is on the red line, so living anywhere along the red line would be good for getting to this bus.

This is the T's information page on the Greenbush (commuter rail to Hingham) project. According to this page, service is to start in late 2006, I'm not sure how on schedule they really are though. I wouldn't count on service starting then.

As far as where to live, Quincy is actually quite nice, like I said it's on the red line, so it's a quick ride into the city. Living in Quincy will put you closer to work (Hingham is two towns over). Quincy is somewhat suburban, it has an urban downtown, which is undergoing a bit of a transformation, but it also has leafy residential areas. You can live near one of the cities T stations and not need a car, but it's a bit limiting.

Dorchester is great, but from the Chocolate factory your commute may be a bit circuitous. You would have to take the Ashmont Branch of the red line inbound to JFK/UMass, then switch to an outbound Braintree train to Quincy Centre to get you bus. There may be a bus that runs from that are to Quincy Centre, but I don't know how fast it would be.

Cambridge is a wonderful city, it's on the redline, so getting to you bus in Quincy would be a snap. The whole of Cambridge is really great, it's hard to go wrong there. It's pricey, but your $1800 price range I think is very reasonable.

I would steer clear of areas along the green line. When the college kids are in town, the green line becomes very slow, it will add a lot of time to your commute. I would suggest areas along the green line, but not if you're commuting to Hingham, it'll just drive you insane.

Areas along the orange line would be OK though, the orange line tends to move better than the green line (that's kind of an understatement right there). Jamaica Plain is a great area, parts of it are within easy walking distance of the orange line.

This is the T's page about the Hingham ferry. Using the ferry of course depend on how close your office is to the dock, or if you can make a connection to a bus.

[youbetternot]

There is an MBTA bus route to Hingham Centre from Quincy Centre (Route 220). Quincy Centre is on the red line, so living anywhere along the red line would be good for getting to this bus.

This is the T's information page on the Greenbush (commuter rail to Hingham) project. According to this page, service is to start in late 2006, I'm not sure how on schedule they really are though. I wouldn't count on service starting then.

As far as where to live, Quincy is actually quite nice, like I said it's on the red line, so it's a quick ride into the city. Living in Quincy will put you closer to work (Hingham is two towns over). Quincy is somewhat suburban, it has an urban downtown, which is undergoing a bit of a transformation, but it also has leafy residential areas. You can live near one of the cities T stations and not need a car, but it's a bit limiting.

Quincy is very nice in most parts, I used to live there, and a number of new condo buildings have been going up right in Quincy Center - one, which is now completed, directly in front of the Red Line station, in what I think was a former T parking lot. Your commute would be a bit more roundabout, but if you want a mix of nature and the city, check out West Quincy, near Almquist Flowerland and the Abigail Adams cairn (on Franklin St). That area is subruban (though not sprawling), and is still just a bus ride away from the Quincy Center Red Line station and downtown Quincy.

[Cotuit]

I've merged all the threads about moving to Boston to create this one thread. We have a similar thread in the Providence section which has been helpful.

[ezcheese]

I've merged all the threads about moving to Boston to create this one thread. We have a similar thread in the Providence section which has been helpful.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

great idea Cotuit. thanks for taking the time to organize this.

[Cotuit]

great idea Cotuit. thanks for taking the time to organize this. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It only took a few mouse clicks.