PING: Bostonians

[WSUCougar]

Hey Guys

I may be applying for a job in Boston, specifically down in the harbor area. I have been to the city several times, and am fully aware of the high cost of living, traffic, etc. However, relative to all that, do you have any recommendations on decent places to live that are not totally outrageous in terms of housing prices and/or commuting?

I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

[KevinNU7]

Depends where you are working in the city. Would you settle to rent? If housing is a requirement, do you need a big yard? How long would you be willing to commute time wise? Do you want to drive? Would you take Public transportation?

[Butter]

I figured it was going to be a picture of Steve McNair playing on a broken leg or Eddie George running over Ray Lewis to answer the PING: Titans thread.

Alas.

[WSUCougar]

Originally posted by KevinNU7
Depends where you are working in the city. Would you settle to rent? If housing is a requirement, do you need a big yard? How long would you be willing to commute time wise? Do you want to drive? Would you take Public transportation?
Naval yard area.

Prefer not to rent.

Prefer some yard, if possible.

I despise commuting, but realize this is a necessary evil. I don't mind driving time so much as I mind the bumper-to-bumper stuff.

Public transit is a possibility.

[rkmsuf]

Originally posted by WSUCougar

I despise commuting, but realize this is a necessary evil. I don't mind driving time so much as I mind the bumper-to-bumper stuff.



You've got the wrong city then...

[KevinNU7]

Well I'm not extremely knowledgable of the North Shore Charlestown area. Everything within a hour hour to Boston is extremely overpirced but fortunetly for you there is an extensive commuter rail system along the shore so you could stand to be futher away and take the train in. One of the guys I work with lives off the first exit in New Hampshire (off Route 93) and he says it takes him 45 minutes to an hour to get to work (I work dowtown). He moved there because the housing prices were much cheaper and the houses were bigger and more spread out. So that could be an option too.

If you are considering the south shore let me know and I can give you some locations. It would be a tougher commute though through the Central Artery

[KevinNU7]

Dola,

I don't think traffic in Boston is really that bad. You are lucky working in the Naval Yard area because you can avoid the major traffic cloggers north of Boston (Route 1, Storrow/Memorial drive) by learning the back roads.

[WSUCougar]

Thanks for the input, Kevin.

[Castlerock]

The public transportation system is called the 'T".
Walking to the Navy Yard from the subway (orange line) or commuter rail would probably be 10-15 minutes. There is at least one bus directly to the Navy Yard (there may be more). The Navy Yard is not the most 'T' accessible part of the city, though.

Charlestown is going to be pricey but be prepared for sticker shock anywhere. A slightly cheaper alternative would be Somerville. I lived in Davis Square and it was a great place. You are probably looking at a condo in a 2 or 3 unit building in either of these areas. Single family homes are almost non-existant. You have to go a little farther out to get a single family home.

I would recomend something North of the city. You don't want to deal with the Southeast Expressway (93 south of the city). Comuter rail from the south goes into South Station - harder to get to the Navy Yard.

[Thadaleus]

Just make sure you buy your booze in New Hampshire.. it's cheaper and tax free!!

[WSUCougar]

Can anyone vouch for what the city of Lynn is like?

[Castlerock]

Lynn, Lynn
The city of sin

That's how the song goes, I don't actually know much about Lynn.

[KevinNU7]

Lynn, Lynn
The city of sin.
You never come out
The way you went in.

[WSUCougar]

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me...oh, wait, nevermind. :(

[Desnudo]

Lynn isn't considered one of the more desirable places to live in Boston, no offense to anyone who might live there. Great places to live in the immediate city area are Charlestown, Cambridge, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, North End and Brookline. Cheaper, but still decent, places are Somerville, Brighton (very college), Quincy (Tom Brady lives there), and the South End (slightly dangerous and very flitty if you get my drift).

There are plenty of great towns around the 128 rim, but you might find the prices outrageous if you want to buy.

Edit: Should add South Boston to the cheaper, but decent, places, don't let Good Will Hunting get you down on it.

[Critch]

I used to live in Quincy (Quin-zee as the locals call it) and it's fairly cheap in comparison to what's round about. Still expensive though, moving to the DC area was far cheaper.

There're a few T stations in Quincy, so that was the commute of choice into Boston for work. It's the red line, one of the more modern of the T lines, so it's reasonably quick and reliable for commuting.

Parking in the city is a nightmare, and expensive. Boston's great though, I'd move back there in a second if I could.

[Desnudo]

One plus to Quincy is that you can ask the local cabbies to point out where Whitey Bulger had all the bodies buried. :)

[WSUCougar]

Hmmm. Quincy looks pretty cool (checked some housing prices on Realtor.com). Where would the T Red Line drop me with regard to the Navy Yard area? (referencing what KevinNU7 said above).

[KevinNU7]

http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_subway.asp

Quincy is off the red line (Lower Left area of the map).

Depending on where in the Naval Yard you work you'd want to take the Orange or Blue Line with a short walk afterwards. 30-45 minutes for the whole commute I'd say, if you live close to the stop

[Castlerock]

Well, I'm guessing that you'd take the Red Line to Downtown Crossing and then the Orange Line to Haymarket (?). Then the 93 bus to the Navy Yard. (check out www.mbta.com)

Beware that Quincy is south of the city and driving to Charlestown would suck.

[CentralMassHokie]

I live in Arlington. It's not far to the Red Line (either Alewife or Davis Square), and there are single family homes in the area with yards and everything.

However, it all depends on what your definition of affordable is. It is a beautiful little town though.

[WSUCougar]

Originally posted by CentralMassHokie
I live in Arlington. It's not far to the Red Line (either Alewife or Davis Square), and there are single family homes in the area with yards and everything.

However, it all depends on what your definition of affordable is. It is a beautiful little town though.
North? South?

Thanks for all the input, guys - keep it coming. :cool:

[Castlerock]

Arlington is north of the city.
Near Cambridge and Somerville. It's not bad at all. But I don't know how affordable.

[Godzilla Blitz]

I grew up in North Quincy. The T access is great. Takes the edge off the driving. Big Chinese population in the area now. Low crime. Not a bad choice at all, but I believe the real estate is a bit pricey for what you get. There may be some spots further along the red line, like Braintree, where you could find something as well.

[KevinNU7]

If you don't mind answering, what is your price range?

[BishopMVP]

I live northwest of the city, but about a 15minute drive from Alewife (the end of the Red Line) at night, and probably at least an hour drive during commuting hours, so the area is probably too far out for commuting. Besides, if you're looking at an hour's plus commute, I'd think New Hampshire would be much more cost-effective than living out near here. Sorry I can't help you more with your questions, but if you start looking at all at anything outside 95/128 to the west I can probably give some insight.