With June and September coming up as the busiest rentals and moving months in Boston, it’s always good to brush up on your Boston Apartment hunting techniques. Here are a few to start you off….
Stick with an agent you are comfortable working with. Stick with an agent you like and one that will hustle for you – and you likely will end up with the rental you are looking for!
If you are looking for a steal…be flexible! There are deals out there right now, but every landlord’s situation is different. Some need the income immediately, others are “old school” landlords who will wait out the market and can afford to let their apartment sit vacant rather than paying the fee or negotiating on rent. If you are working with a real estate agent you are comfortable with, and then work together with them to find the landlords that will make a deal with you.
Know what landlords are looking for when negotiating. When looking to rent in the off season negotiating is not always about price. It’s also about lease terms, pets, move in funds, and requested improvements. Now – since it’s a renters market and owners are open to working with renters, you need to pick what’s important to you. (Never the less, the market is a bit tight, so be prepared for that).
*Lease terms: In terms of the lease dates if you are looking for some negotiating room – most landlords are looking for leases to expire May 1st, June 1st, or September 1st.
*Pets: If you have pets make sure you have all of their information and references when approaching a landlord. Also, try to minimize your other requests if they are not normally willing to consider pets.
I know the thought of finding a new Boston apartment can be daunting, but that’s why we’re here. Part of our job is to make things easy for you, and to point out resources like these 5 below that should make your Boston apartment search a whole lot less challenging. Check out these resources and remember we’re just a phone call away at 617-587-0100 if you need any additional help!
1. City of Boston Rental Housing Resource Center
Contains a wealth of information from information on tenant rights to the Good Neighbor Handbook, a reference handbook published by the Mayor’s office. This handbook is a must read to help inform renters on their rights and responsibilities on renting in Boston.
http://www.cityofboston.gov/rentalhousing
2. How to Obtain a Boston Resident Parking Permit
Ok, so parking in Boston is tough. Your options are to pay $200-300 per month for an off street rental spot or battle it out for a street spot. If you choose to go the street spot route, make sure you apply for a resident parking permit to open up your options. For exactly how to do that, visit this site:
http://www.cityofboston.gov/transportation/parkprogr.asp
3. MBTA.com
Everything you need to know about the public transportation system in Boston, or “The T”. Visit their site for information on MBTA bus and train schedules, maps, fares, and other rider tools. Get info on the best way to commute to work, the gym, school, and wherever else you need to go. They also have a great search option where you can type in your destination, and it gives you different alternatives on getting to your destination using the MBTA.
MBTA.com
4. Greatschools.net
Have a child (or 2)? Find the right Boston school for them at Great Schools. They offer preschool, elementary, middle and high school information for public, private and charter schools in Boston (and nationwide).
Great Schools
5. Yelp.com
The perfect way to find great local businesses, restaurants, gyms, and EVERYTHING else reviewable! As they say on the website “Yelp is the fun and easy way to find, review and talk about what’s great – and not so great – in your area.” It’s a great place to learn what’s what in each of the Boston neighborhoods as you decide which neighborhood and apartment in Boston to move to. And for a good laugh check out the reviews of the Boston Common Parking Garage!
Yelp Boston
That’s all for now, I hope you find these resources useful. Keep an eye on this site and blog for frequest updates and new resources to help you find out about Boston apartments and things do do in Boston! If you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe to get all the latest info by email.
If you have any questions or thoughts, please comment!
