As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
Options
Moving across the country to one of those states I can't pronounce!
schattenjaeger
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Massachussex..err, Massashuset...uhh, MA. I've lived in Texas forever (which for me is 26 years), mostly in a suburb north of Dallas, and the last 4 working in Houston. Really at the space center, quite a ways away from downtown. Nothing personal against everyone's favorite novelty oversized state, but it's been a goal of mine to move somewhere else, and it sounds like my current job will be giving me the opportunity to move to our Boston office, which is in Bedford, MA (Not New Bedford). I'm single, and my only other wordly obligations are to my two cats.
I may be getting a little ahead of myself by posting this (perhaps jinxing myself?) as nothing has been carved into stone, but it sounds like this is likely to happen. It also sounds like the sooner I can move once asked, the better, which would put me making that move in November-January. Perhaps leaving a high of 80 or so degrees in Houston for what my imagination refuses to picture as anything less than the frozen northlands of A Song of Ice and Fire. It sounds like I can expect to be flown out there for a few days to see the area and find a place, and probably have most or all of the cost of cross-country movers covered, which is pretty cool and simplifies things.
So I guess my first, most pressing question, is where the heck should I live? Having never actually focused my eyes on that part of a US map before Monday I was surprised to see that, well, holy crap those states are wayyyyy north, and holy crap they're wayyyyy small. Like I said, I have lived in generic suburbia, and the Clear Lake area of Houston, which is...well, just as bad (basically apartments/town homes and businesses that support JSC. About 20 miles from downtown). I guess I'm not entirely sure exactly what I want just yet. It sounds like living in downtown Boston would be a pain in the ass compared to what I'm used to, especially if I want to keep my car, but I don't really want to live in a suburb again. I guess ideally a non-suburb with Boston easily accessible? Is that...possible (basically I want my cake and to eat it too)? Just to throw a dart at the map, do you think a place like Wellesley would be acceptable? I also noticed that southern New Hampshire is an option. I get the impression that'd be more economical, but violate my desire to be near Boston. Oh, and to throw in another twist my main hobby these days is flying airplanes, so proximity to a general aviation airport would be a plus. Although proximity is relative given MA's smallness compared to what I'm used to.
REALLY excited. I have a good friend who is getting his phd at MIT (because he has possibly made some better life choices than me!), though he can't offer much advice since he just lives in Cambridge with no car, so his situation is different.
I may be getting a little ahead of myself by posting this (perhaps jinxing myself?) as nothing has been carved into stone, but it sounds like this is likely to happen. It also sounds like the sooner I can move once asked, the better, which would put me making that move in November-January. Perhaps leaving a high of 80 or so degrees in Houston for what my imagination refuses to picture as anything less than the frozen northlands of A Song of Ice and Fire. It sounds like I can expect to be flown out there for a few days to see the area and find a place, and probably have most or all of the cost of cross-country movers covered, which is pretty cool and simplifies things.
So I guess my first, most pressing question, is where the heck should I live? Having never actually focused my eyes on that part of a US map before Monday I was surprised to see that, well, holy crap those states are wayyyyy north, and holy crap they're wayyyyy small. Like I said, I have lived in generic suburbia, and the Clear Lake area of Houston, which is...well, just as bad (basically apartments/town homes and businesses that support JSC. About 20 miles from downtown). I guess I'm not entirely sure exactly what I want just yet. It sounds like living in downtown Boston would be a pain in the ass compared to what I'm used to, especially if I want to keep my car, but I don't really want to live in a suburb again. I guess ideally a non-suburb with Boston easily accessible? Is that...possible (basically I want my cake and to eat it too)? Just to throw a dart at the map, do you think a place like Wellesley would be acceptable? I also noticed that southern New Hampshire is an option. I get the impression that'd be more economical, but violate my desire to be near Boston. Oh, and to throw in another twist my main hobby these days is flying airplanes, so proximity to a general aviation airport would be a plus. Although proximity is relative given MA's smallness compared to what I'm used to.
REALLY excited. I have a good friend who is getting his phd at MIT (because he has possibly made some better life choices than me!), though he can't offer much advice since he just lives in Cambridge with no car, so his situation is different.
schattenjaeger on
0
Posts
I live about 30 minutes away from Bedford and my fiance is from Bedford so we know the area. I would suggest Arlington. It's more city than suburb, the commute to Bedford is decent and it's easily accessible by the T to Boston. I would also suggest not living in southern New Hampshire. While it's more affordable, the commute sucks.
Unfortunately, I know squat about aviation airports so I can't advise you there
It takes me about 20 minutes to get to work on a good day and 25 on a bad day. There's at least three different ways to get there, and they're about the same distance. Arlington is great because the whole town is centered around Massachusetts Ave, which has a frequent bus route that goes directly to the subway. Usually is about 30 to 45 minutes to get downtown using either public transportation or your car.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
So related question, a cursory google is giving me some sticker shock with apartment prices. I know the cost of living is higher up there, but it looks like I've been spoiled by the cost of housing down here! I lived in a pretty meh 600-700 square foot apartment when I first moved to Houston for about 500 bucks a month (probably overpriced). Currently I live with a roommate in a pretty nice 1200 sq. ft. apartment for about 1175 month (with washer and dryer in it, dishwasher, etc.). In the same nice complex I could live in a big 800-900 square foot 1 bedroom for about 900.
It's looking like maybe a reasonable 1 bedroom price in the area is gonna be about 1500 a month, does that sound right? Does anyone have an idea on how the cost of utilities compare? Here you typically have a central AC that you have to abuse in the summer. It looks like there (and again, I'm just haphazardly googling) oil/gas heat is more common?
1. live near work because it's convenient
2. live in the city and commute out to work.
As you're 26, I recommend #2, as you'll meet more people and have more fun. Based on geographics, I'd recommend cambridge/somerville and getting at least 1 roommate.
Coming from Texas, understand this:
1. It gets cold, really cold (to you, anyway)
2. You will have to shovel
3. It will be different and more expensive
4. It will be cool.
There are random apartment buildings scattered a block or two off Mass Ave owned by landlords who aren't immediately apparent. The company that owns a nice big apartment complex for CEOs may also own a few smaller buildings with a several tenants at a lower price. You should get the same good quality from the company when it comes to their end of the deal (repairs, requests, etc). Go to these big apartments and ask if they have any other places to live at a lower cost. Getting a roommate should cost be about 60% of the cost of paying for a 1-br, but the freedom is worth that 40% to me. Of course, it's 40% of $Texas so getting a roommate in Boston is much more fiscally responsible than getting a roommate where rent is cheaper.
Don't pay for heat. Get it in the rent.
Don't pay a broker's fee. It's half a month rent that you don't get back, and that's bullshit.
Don't get cable (if you can survive without your bajillion channels). Instead, get an HD antenna to get the major networks in good HD quality.
Do get a bicycle. You can get from downtown to Arlington to Beford on the Minuteman Bicycle trail. It's (mostly) a straight shot.
GL HF.
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
I have lived with a roommate for several years and though we get along I am ready to eat some cost and live by myself again.
As for no cable I am planning to try that out. streaming netflix and an hd tuner may very well be enough for me. You mentioned getting the heat in the rent, how much should I pay for that?
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
I strongly recommend you resist the urge to turn your heat up a bunch when you first get out there. It's really hard to go from an 80-degree apartment to a negative-40-degree outside; much easier if you're going from a 60-degree apartment. And, over time, it will get your body used to colder temperatures faster.
Also, just so you know...
Bedford = Bed Fuhd
Arlington = Ah lin tin
Gortex, fleece, wool sweaters/hats/scarves/gloves and some good boots will be your friends
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
Yeah, while not in Boston myself (Southern CT), I visit it pretty often. The period between the end of January to the middle of Feb. is the REALLY cold part in the city (that wind sure whips through the alleys). Get a hat. Gloves, etc. Aside from the middle of winter, Mass. has some pretty nice weather. Also, Bedford is right between Lexington and Concord so you have that whole start of the American Revolution thing going on. Some info on the airfield nearby: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanscom_Field
EDIT: I've also been to Houston many times and man do I like Boston 100x more. I think you'll like it up there.
You're basically going from a 2.5 on the "bad weather" scale to a 9. The fact that 10s exist doesn't really mitigate that.
Valid point.
I am going to eat those words, aren't I?
Summers are awesome. I will say that.
Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
Boston is fun though, albeit very different from a lot of other places. People will tell you exactly what they think, straight off, without too much "courtesy". Some people think it's rude, but it can be refreshing. Also note that driving in Boston is about being as aggressive as possible, and the drivers aren't bad, they're just consistently overaggressive and aware of the minimal enforcement traffic transgressions suffer.
Summers are rad, and it provides incredible access to educational resources and educated people. The people are fun, the mountains are a few hours away in NH or VT, and you have the atlantic ocean to play on.
Housing-wise, try to get a temp place for a few weeks while you apartment hunt. It'll cut down on the stress and you'll be able to spend more time figuring out the types of areas places are. There are a metric fuckton of College Students, so unless you really enjoy 2-3AM screaming, stay out of/on the fringe of the major student housing areas.