Boston Student Housing Guide: Finding Your Home Away From Home

Boston, a city steeped in history and brimming with academic energy, is home to a large student population. As of 2022, over 38,000 college students in Boston live off campus. Finding suitable housing is a crucial step in settling into university life. However, navigating Boston's unique rental market can be daunting, especially for newcomers. This guide aims to provide students with essential information and practical tips to secure comfortable and convenient housing in Boston.

Understanding Boston's Rental Market

Boston's rental market has unique quirks, reflecting its status as the largest and oldest city in New England. The city is the fifth most expensive rental market in the country. Boston’s housing is old, expensive, and predominantly tied to the traditional academic year.

Key Characteristics

High Costs: Boston is the fifth most expensive rental market in the country.
Old Housing Stock: The city features many older buildings, including brownstones and triple-deckers, each with its own charm and potential challenges.
Academic Year Leases: Due to the large student population, many leases run on a 12-month, academic-calendar basis, typically from September to August.

Initial Steps for Securing Housing

Start Early

The ideal time to begin your housing search is as early as May, especially if you're looking for a multi-bedroom apartment. For international students who may not be able to tour properties in person, starting as early as March or April is advisable.

Utilize Off-Campus Services

Many universities, like BU, offer off-campus services with databases of vetted apartment rentals. These resources allow students to search by unit type, neighborhood, number of bedrooms, price, and amenities.

Set Realistic Expectations

Given Boston's competitive rental market, flexibility and a willingness to think outside the box are essential. Prioritize your needs versus wants in an apartment to help narrow your search.

Neighborhood Options for Students

Boston comprises diverse neighborhoods, each offering a unique living experience. Here are some popular options for students:

Cambridge

Cambridge is the heart of it all. If convenience is your top priority, it should be your obvious choice. Both Harvard and MIT are here, which makes it easy to walk or bike to class. Harvard Square is filled with cafés, bookshops, and student hangouts, while Kendall Square is known for its tech and research hubs. Rent is higher here, but many see it as worth the price for the location. It is popular among students searching for Harvard student living and MIT student housing.

Allston/Brighton

Allston and Brighton are known as student meccas due to their proximity to multiple universities, MBTA lines, restaurants, concert venues, and relatively affordable apartments. These neighborhoods offer a vibrant, youthful energy and a diverse cultural scene. Allston is home to the majority of BU’s student population. This area is known for being one of the most student-friendly neighborhoods in Boston. It is more affordable than Cambridge and has lively restaurants, thrift shops, and late-night food options. Commuting to Harvard and MIT is manageable with the Green Line and bus routes nearby. Many international students choose this area when looking for affordable housing for students without giving up social life.

Fenway/Kenmore

Although closer to other universities, Fenway still attracts some Harvard and MIT students who do not mind a longer commute. In exchange, you get to live near museums, cultural venues, and Fenway Park. A popular area for students with access to public transit and green spaces.

Somerville

Somerville has a strong community feel with lower rents than central Cambridge. Places like Davis Square and Union Square are full of restaurants, coffee shops, and live music venues. The Red Line makes commuting easy, and biking is always an option. If you want a balance between affordability and atmosphere, Somerville is worth considering.

Other Neighborhoods to Consider

Back Bay: Known for its proximity to campus (walkable) but very pricey. There are two famous fashion streets- Newbury Street and Boylston Street. The main feature of this area is that the main public transport is cable buses.
Jamaica Plain (JP): Diverse, artsy, and a bit more spacious.
South End: Close to Back Bay and Downtown, with Victorian red brick buildings, hotels, art centers, and parks. The South End is close to the central location of Back bay and Downtown. It is also one of the preferred locations for investment. The South End has many Victorian red brick buildings, as well as many five-star hotels, art centers, and nearly 30 large and small parks.
Brookline: A typical Jewish quarter with the Green Line C and D lines, shops, and a young population.
Malden: North of Boston, a favorite area for Chinese students, offering both city convenience and small-town charm.
Quincy: South of Boston, another popular area for Chinese students and the largest gathering place of Chinese in Massachusetts.

Types of Housing

Brownstones

Brownstones are amongst the oldest housing stock and are located in many desirable neighborhoods. Often managed by a property owner or management company, these buildings have a few units - between six and 20 - and may provide some of the convenience of an apartment building. The facilities in these buildings are more updated than most brownstones with central air conditioning, elevators, in-unit washer/dryers and dishwashers.

Apartment Complexes

Many recently built apartment complexes offer more expensive luxury units.

Multiple-Family Houses

In the more residential and suburban sections of Boston, multiple-family houses are the dominant housing option. For students, this type of housing offers the most living space of any of the housing described here.

Condos vs. Apartments vs. Houses

For renters, there is not much difference between a condo and an apartment. The full name of Condo is Condominium, and the building type of it and Apartment is very similar to the new residential apartment housing in China. Apartments, generally speaking, are divided into ordinary apartments and senior apartments. A House stands the detached villa (single villa). Sounds luxurious, doesn’t it? In fact, in general, renting a House is cheaper than renting an Apartment, but in most cases, you need to rent the whole House. In my personal experience, apartments are more convenient. The most important reason is that the facilities and security are generally much better. Almost all apartments have the 24-hour security and security cameras.

Room Configurations

Studio Apartments: The bedroom, living room and kitchen (sometimes semi-open) are integrated, and the bathroom is separated.
1B1B (One Bedroom, One Bathroom): One bedroom and one living room, the biggest difference from the above is that the rooms are separated. Both are very suitable for individuals or couples to live together, with high privacy. 1B1B is generally more expensive, but the bedroom alone can effectively isolate the smell of the kitchen.
Two Bedrooms (No Living Room): The type of two bedrooms with no living room is very popular on the East coast of the United States. It is very suitable for students to live in. It is not only to ensure each other’s privacy, but also to eliminate the use of the living room.
1 Split: 1 Split is only available in regular apartments and is relatively more affordable. These are applicable to the situation of shared accommodation. The first B refers to the Bedroom and the second B refers to the Bathroom. Sometimes there will be a Master room in an Apartment or House and a Bathroom in a larger room, and it is important to realize that everyone in the other room will have to share the rest of the Bathroom.

Furnished vs. Unfurnished

The house with its own furnitures can be checked in if they are more complete. However, that situation is relatively few. The house is unfurnished and needs to be bought by oneself. Generally, the houses on the market are unfurnished, and I personally do not recommend choosing a house with furniture for health reasons. The purchase of affordable furniture is usually from Ikea, Amazon, Walmart, second-hand. Large furniture in order to be able to carry into the door, sometimes need to disintegrate and then assemble twice.

Read also: History of the BU Bridge

Financial Considerations

Costs to Expect

Rent: Boston is the fifth most expensive rental market in the country. Living with a roommate is the fastest way to reduce expenses. Also, consider neighborhoods that are a little farther away from downtown or the South End. Apartments in Kenmore/ Fenway, Jamaica Plain, and South Boston are significantly cheaper than similar apartments in the South End, Back Bay or Beacon Hill. Finally, consider what you really need versus what you might like in an apartment.
First and Last Month's Rent: Typically, at the time you sign a lease, you would be paying first and last month’s rent.
Security Deposit: A security deposit that cannot exceed one month’s rent.
Broker's Fee: Potentially, a broker’s fee, which also cannot exceed one month’s rent.
Utilities: Think in advance about how you are going to split utilities with your roommates. Most apartment rents in Boston include the cost of heating. However, if you are renting a floor of a house or a condo, heat may not be included. As with heat expense, many Boston apartment rents include hot water in the cost. While landlords may charge you to heat the water separately, they rarely charge you for water usage.
Incidental Fees: Stay cognizant of fees, and always try to negotiate if you can.

Budgeting Tips

Roommates: Living with a roommate is the fastest way to reduce expenses.
Location: Consider neighborhoods that are a little farther away from downtown or the South End. Apartments in Kenmore/ Fenway, Jamaica Plain, and South Boston are significantly cheaper than similar apartments in the South End, Back Bay or Beacon Hill.
Needs vs. Wants: Consider what you really need versus what you might like in an apartment.
Avoid Overspending: Don’t agree to anything that you can’t afford.

Lease Agreements and Legal Considerations

Lease Terms

Due to Boston’s large student population, many landlords and property owners rent their apartments on a 12 month, academic-calendar lease; September to August is the most common lease period.

Before Signing

Review the Lease: Before signing, look up an example lease from your city’s real estate board. A lot of landlords will use this exact form, and it also serves as a handy example of what it should look like.
Property Condition: Pay attention to the unit’s condition before you move in, because if you want your security deposit back, that’s how it needs to look when you leave. If you can’t do a preliminary walk-through, Jade Brown (LAW’16), a BU School of Law clinical associate professor, recommends making a checklist of the apartment’s condition and alerting the landlord of anything needing repair either prior to moving in or soon after.
Essential Features: Keep an eye out for smoke detectors, fire escapes (there should be two points of egress in every bedroom), and exposed wires or hardware. You can also request this information from the property owner or realtor. And if they won’t provide it? Santo says it best: “Move on."
Social Security Number: Be aware that some landlords will require tenants to have a Social Security number. But if they’re still pushing back, it might not be a good idea to rent there.

Landlord Responsibilities

In most cases, it’s your landlord’s responsibility to fix any issues you’re having with your apartment. “If, for instance, the tenant has a rodent issue or bug infestation, a lot of times landlords might say, ‘Put down a trap, figure it out,’ but that’s not actually what’s required under the state sanitary code,” says Brown. “The right of quiet enjoyment is the ability to use and enjoy your apartment without interference,” Brown says.

Application and Contract

After seeing a house, students need to apply for a house reservation. When applying for house reservation, students will receive the electronic application form from the real estate agency and fill in the relevant contents; Submit I-20, passport page scan, visa page scan, admission letter and deposit at the same time. After receiving the student application form and materials, the landlord will review the student’s situation. After the landlord agrees to rent, the student will receive the e-rental contract drafted by the landlord or the real estate agency and other relevant statements. Students sign first, landlords sign later. When the contract is signed, the deposit is automatically converted to the first month’s rent. In addition, the student will also pay the following money, the last month’s rent, the deposit (usually one month’s rent) and the agency fee. The rental contract shall take effect after the electronic contract is signed. On the day of check-in, students will be accompanied by the staff of the real estate agency to pick up the key from the landlord, and may need to go to the real estate agency to pick up the key by themselves, or may need to sign a paper rental contract again (according to the landlord’s requirements).

Tips for Finding Roommates

Want to live with your best friend? Make sure they are the kind of person you could see sharing a space with. If you wind up living with strangers and conflicts arise, it’s not the end of the world-as long as everyone respects one another’s wishes and boundaries. But conflicts with a close friend can be tricky. Many international students find roommates using their own country’s social media platforms. Li, who is from China, recommends Weibo and WeChat to Chinese students. Don’t be shy about asking questions.

Additional Considerations

Apartment Condition

Boston’s architecture has some distinctive features, like brownstone façades, triple-decker buildings, and classic bay windows.

Safety

For housing, always make sure to check if the building has secure entry systems.

Heating System

Another important factor is the weather, as Boston winters are snowy and cold, so make sure the apartment has a reliable heating system.

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