Recent comments in /f/CambridgeMA

KingOfSensation t1_iv1vaed wrote

Reply to question about prices and rent budget. by justarussian22

I live in Somerville ~0.5 mile from Porter, ~1 mile from Harvard, ~1 mile from Davis and my fiancee and I pay $2250/month in total (so $1125 each) for a smallish 2 bedroom. We had to pay a half month's rent as broker fee + first month's rent + last month's rent when we moved in ($5500 total up front -- our rent was slightly cheaper the first year) but had no security deposit.

If you're willing to forgo certain amenities (like central air, in-unit laundry, private balcony or yard) that are generally only available in newer or more expensive buildings, you can easily find a place of your own within a mile of Harvard for under $2500/month.

If you're willing to live with roommates, you can find a 3-4 bedroom apartment full of grad students where your share is under $2k/month and probably under $1500/mo. Plus if you're taking over someone else's lease (like if most of the roommates stay, but you take over the lease for one of them), you probably won't have to pay broker fee or first month + last month upfront.

Rent goes up as you get closer to the T, and Cambridge is generally slightly more expensive than Somerville. But you can definitely find a place that's easily bikable or walkable to most of Cambridge and Somerville for much cheaper than what your friends are paying.

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Fragahah t1_iv1m1zp wrote

Reply to Any good pool bars in Cambridge? by dp3260

Used to go to flattops a ton, but since it moved there seems to only be State Park that has a table since Highland Fried closed.

If you head over to Allston you have Allston Billiards or the Sil that still have a vibrant pool scene.

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I_Fart_In_Trams t1_iv11hes wrote

Reply to question about prices and rent budget. by justarussian22

You can live in the Porter/Davis area with that budget easily. Since those train stations straddle the Cambridge/Somerville line, I doubt you’ll notice much difference between the two cities. My personal opinion is that it doesn’t matter which city you’re living in if you’re not owning and/or planning to put kids through schools. As others have mentioned you can definitely avoid paying a realtor fee and security deposit. My last apartment in Cambridge we didn’t pay either. It was a 1 bedroom that was $2,500/month 1 mile from Porter and 0.5 miles from Davis. Since then, I’ve bought in Cambridge, and enjoy living here. That being said, we bid on a lot of houses in Somerville we’d be equally happy in. I see no meaningful difference between the cities, but as others have mentioned, proximity to mass transit is key. Welcome!

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kigaltan t1_iv0ulzf wrote

Reply to comment by dyqik in question about prices and rent budget. by justarussian22

Some big buildings do their own marketing, so they don't have realtor fees. But, their rent tends to be more expensive. Just do the arithmetic for the places you're looking at: saving one month's rent by not going through realtor is equal to a 1/12th discount over one year. For example, one year in a $2600/month place with no realtor fee will cost you just as much as one year in a $2400/month place with a realtor. $2600*12 = $2400*13 = $31,200.

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Master_Dogs t1_iv0ukbe wrote

Reply to comment by Ill-Telephone-7926 in 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 by ExtremePast

Totally checks out, the North Cambridge NIMBYs almost stopped the new protected bike lanes there. They were sooooooo pissy that the bus lane is now only a 2 hour bus lane and the rest of the time it's parking.

Ironic, considering that parking is never used now but my god the way the people were bitching you would have thought it would be PACKED every day now. Seems no on actually needed it huh.

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dyqik t1_iv0p9mn wrote

Reply to question about prices and rent budget. by justarussian22

You need to budget to pay four months rent upfront:
First month
Last month
Security deposit = 1 month's rent
Realtor fee = 1 month's rent

You may be able to avoid some of the last two, but that's standard.

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PapaJack2008 t1_iv0ji5j wrote

Reply to Any good pool bars in Cambridge? by dp3260

As we move into the winter, a lot of the pubs with pools tend to close due to the decrease in crowds willing to go out in bikinis and speedos. You do get an upsurge around Christmas on the Santa Speedo run downtown, but if it's pretty cold, said pools can be frozen over. Every winter is different. Follow me on insta u/ShriveledBlueBalls

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fun_guy02142 t1_iv07t5e wrote

Reply to Insurance background by kumquatrodeo

I have had insurance for 30+ years on 5 houses, 7 cars, 1 boat, and 1 diamond ring and I have never set foot inside an insurance company’s office and it has been fine. You can do it!

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