1. Determine how much you want to spend on rent
   
2. Pick a neighborhood or suburb
   
3. Consider using a broker
   
4. Find an apartment yourself using these techniques
   
5. Visit potential apartments
   
6. Before you sign, know your rights as a tenant
   

Despite a tight apartment market, it is not impossible to find the Bostonian loft of your dreams if you start early and follow our helpful tips. Before you know it, you could be moving into a one-bedroom yuppie-esque apartment with hardwood floors and a view of the golden-domed Statehouse. Or perhaps you'll be settling into the second storey of a quaint Victorian house in the diverse neighborhood of Jamaica Plain. Or for baseball fans, there's always the dream of being within walking distance of Fenway Park. There's a neighborhood for everyone, and we can get you on the right track faster than you can say, "Pahk the cah in Hahvahd Yahd."

1. Determine how much you want to spend on rent

But bargains are not unheard of if you're patient. A good way to find your upper limit for housing costs is to divide your monthly net income (after taxes) by three. If this figure seems unusually low, you have three options: 1) make more money, 2) consider living in a less expensive area, like Somerville or Quincy, or 3) save money on rent by finding a roommate.

Finding a roommate

Getting yourself a roommate is an outstanding way to lower your housing costs, as long as you feel confident that your roommate won't be a total nutjob. To find a roommate, you can either find someone yourself or you can use a roommate agency. Some on-line agencies include: www.dwellingsma.com and www.roommateaccess.com, or The Boston Globe's apartment classifieds at www.boston.com. We recommend using an agency, because they screen out the weirdos (at least, to the best of their ability). It may cost you a little though, depending on the agency.

Either way, you must carefully choose your roommate or you will rue the day you opted for one. Obviously, not all strangers make good roommates, but less obviously, not all friends make good roommates. There are some people whose company you might well enjoy during the day, but who would drive you crazy if you lived with them. In an effort to screen unsuitable persons from your life, you should ask all potential roommates the following questions to assess their compatibility:

• Have you ever had a roommate before? What, if anything, bothered you about your past roommates? Did you fight with your roommate a lot? About what?
• Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend or other friend who will be staying here frequently?
• Are you promiscuous? (Do not be afraid to ask this one. You probably don't want strange people sleeping over a lot, and if you explain that this is the reason you're asking, it will establish what you consider unacceptable ahead of time.)
• Do you smoke? Drink? Do drugs? If yes to any, how often? Will you share your drugs?
• Do you stay out late on weekdays?
• Did/do you have any credit problems?
• Do you have any pets?
• What is your occupation?
• What do you like to watch on television? What music do you listen to?
• Do you know how to clean up after yourself? Do you cook? Do you drink directly from the milk container?
• Do you know how to clean a toilet?

Whatever you ask, in the end you should feel very comfortable with your future roommate. If you do not, you are taking a big risk shacking up with this person.

One last note about roommates: try to arrange it so that your roommate co-signs the lease. If your name is the only one on the lease, then you shoulder the entire burden of responsibility for the apartment from a financial standpoint. If your roommate loses his/her job (and by extension, a steady cash flow), you'll be stuck paying his/her share of the rent. Then you'd be angry, poor, and kicking yourself for not following our sage advice.

2. Pick a neighborhood or suburb

Getting around

The Boston metro area is blessed with about 18 neighborhoods in and around the city, all of which are reachable by a good underground transportation system commonly called the T (no relationship to Mr. T). The T is absolutely the easiest way to get around, so when you're looking for a place, consider its accessibility to the T. But keep in mind that the T can be really confusing for a newbie resident, so take the time necessary to figure it out.

Some of the 18+ neighborhoods are not really part of Boston. Cambridge, the home of Harvard University, for instance, considers itself a "Republic" (those pretentious snobs). Be warned that you must be very specific about the area you want to go to when giving directions or taking a cab, because many municipalities have streets with the same name. Boston itself has half a million people but the metro area contains at least 10 times that many. The city is doable by bus, bike or T, but most residents have cars for weekend trips to nearby ski slopes, beaches, and scenic New England states like Vermont. If you decide you need a car, remember that street parking can be a major hassle as certain neighbors are very territorial about "their" spots, especially during the winter when cars have to be shoveled out.

The driving conditions in Boston are legendarily atrocious. The city is filled with one-way streets, people who drive like maniacs, and roadways that are too skinny. One of the most common phrases associated with Boston is "you can't get there from here." So give yourself plenty of driving practice if you're going to challenge the streets on your own.

Boston's neighborhoods

Once you know where you are going to work, figuring out where you want to live is easy. Ask yourself about your commute, friendliness, and familiarity needs.

• Commute: The T, a bus, or your own car? If you're gonna take public transportation, make sure that you find a place that's near a stop. The last thing you want to do is walk 15 blocks to a T station in a Boston winter.
  
  
• Friendliness: Is it a priority to live in a neighborhood where "everyone knows your name" a la Cheers, or will you be slaving away too much to do anything other than crash when you get home?
  
  
• Familiarity: If you already know people who live in Boston, you definitely want to ask them for their opinion. But you also might want to live near them, just so that you'll be nearby someone you know.

Next, get familiar with the city by buying a map or checking out an online resource such as Excite Maps. Two landmark streets to get familiar with are Massachusetts Avenue, which runs north/south from south Boston over the Charles River into Cambridge, and Commonwealth Avenue, which runs east/west through Boston. Determine how far you want to be from work and figure out which neighborhoods fall into that radius.

Boston's main neighborhoods can be characterized as follows: In the heart of downtown lie the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the North End, the South End and Fenway/Kenmore Square.

• The Back Bay is full of red brick townhouses next to the Financial District and Newbury Street, the chi-chi shopping strip. It's stratospherically expensive to live there.
• Beacon Hill is a centuries-old historic setting with cobbled streets and gas-lit street lamps near the Statehouse and Boston Common. This area is also very expensive.
• The North End is a web of tiny, quirky streets jammed with Italian restaurants and virtually no parking. The area abuts the harbor, so some pads enjoy a waterfront view. Developers have taken advantage of this by rehabbing historic buildings and building modern condominiums.
• The South End is near the Back Bay but boasts more of a Victorian style as well as a thriving artistic community.
• Fenway/Kenmore Square has the schizophrenic ingredients of major art museums, dance club-heavy Lansdowne Street, and Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox. It also has brownstones, but residents may want to coordinate their driving with the Red Sox's schedule because traffic can get snarled.

The next layer away from downtown includes Allston/Brighton, Brookline, Cambridge (home of the aforementioned Harvard University), Charlestown, Dorchester, East Boston, Somerville, Jamaica Plain/Roxbury, and West Roxbury.

• Allston/Brighton is chock full of students attending Boston College and Boston University, with apartment buildings, Victorian homes and some industrial buildings.
• Brookline has Coolidge Corner and Brookline Village with upscale boutiques, large houses and apartment buildings. (Note: We know someone who rents a gorgeous house with three roommates here and pays $325 a month! And yes, he likes it there.)
• Cambridge has many multi-family homes and some apartment buildings. With several academic institutions, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, it has a large student population, which tends to gather around Harvard Square and Central Square, both of which are shopping and transportation hubs.
• Charlestown is east of Boston over the bay, and features a mix of yuppie professionals and blue collar residents. It has apartment buildings, beautifully overhauled former Navy yards-turned-waterfront condos and quaint townhouses. (Competition for parking spots is fierce. Scratched cars and glued shut locks are not unheard of.)
• Dorchester is Boston's largest neighborhood, with many triple-decker homes and Victorian architecture, and residents with Irish, Hispanic and African roots.
• East Boston has the bonus of being next to Logan Airport, which can also be a huge drawback with jets screaming above at 2 a.m., offset by an offering of multiple-family homes and cheaper rents.
• Somerville is a city north of Cambridge, and shares much of its characteristics. Its dense, multi-family housing is interspersed with squares for dining and shopping. Tufts University is nearby. Again, parking is awful.
• Jamaica Plain is becoming an increasingly gentrified urban neighborhood with plenty of character and quiet streets. Roxbury is next to Jamaica Plain but closer to Boston and a source of high crime and economic revitalization efforts. As a result, rents are low.
• West Roxbury is miles away on the western side of Jamaica Plain and is virtually a suburb with both single-family and multi-family homes.

Other communities near Boston - but not quite the 'burbs - include Arlington, Belmont, Medford, Milton, Newton, Waltham, Watertown and Quincy. Some are more blue-collar than others, some retain more of an urban feel, others are straight out of American Beauty, but all represent potential housing. Don't overlook them in your search, especially since they are all reachable by public transportation, either via the T or by commuter rail.

When you're reading about or visiting neighborhoods, keep the following factors in mind:

• Is the rent affordable? Are the stores, shops, gyms, movie theaters and bars in the area affordable? (No matter what they say ahead of time, most people spend their money in nearby establishments.)
• How close is the public transportation you will use, especially if you don't have a car?
• If it matters, what are the nearby schools like?
• Who lives in that neighborhood? Yuppies? Students? Crackheads? Celtics fans?
• Where will you park your car? If the apartment you're looking at doesn't include parking, how easy is it to park on the street?
• Who pays for utilities? And how are they powered? Gas is cheaper than electric, and oil fluctuates along with OPEC.
• What is the average winter utility bill for the unit? Remember, Boston can get ass-freezing cold.
• Does the apartment come with major appliances like a refrigerator or a washer/dryer?
• What is the crime rate like? Call the local police office to double check, as your landlord could be less than honest on this one. Come back at night to see if you feel safe there.

3. Consider using a broker

Once you have a basic idea of the neighborhood(s) you want to live in, you should decide whether or not you want to use a real estate broker.A broker is a person who does most or all of the apartment hunting for you. Not for free, of course - they're not morons. Brokers charge fees for finding you an apartment - usually some percentage of a year's worth of rent. In Boston, it's usually between half a month's rent and a full month's worth.

Using a broker has several advantages. Brokers will do your legwork; they will find apartments and make appointments to fit your schedule. A broker would probably be invaluable to an individual who is unable to take time off from work or to someone who lives out of town. Brokers also tend to have a wide selection of apartments to choose from, and they have access to apartments not available to the general public. If you do decide to use a broker, there are several ways to find one. Many brokers advertise in the newspapers or in online classified ads; you can also find brokers in the yellow pages. Finally, many companies have associated brokers used for relocating employees. If you work at a big company, ask your human resources person if there is a broker your company uses. Some areas, like the Back Bay and Beacon Hill have apartment brokers everywhere. One last possible resource is to visit web pages like the one for Sprogis Real Estate.

4. Find an apartment yourself using these techniques

Not choosing to be babysat by a broker is fine too, and sometimes a lot more fun. You can actually get out there yourself, case the 'hoods and, hopefully stumble upon a special place you will love. However, be prepared to put some miles on your car and invest some time. Fortunately, the high demand in Boston is still not as cutthroat as New York, but bring your checkbook and be prepared to pounce. Some techniques to consider:

Hit up your employer or school
Go online
Try newspapers and magazines
Drive around

Hit up your employer or school

You may want to begin your search by asking your employer if the company has any real estate services; some large companies hold apartments for employees or have very good contacts in the rental market. Similarly, if you have any school affiliations alumni or current contact your school and inquire as to whether the school has any apartment bulletin boards or online listings. These housing openings are often more affordable and safer than something you could find on your own, and many are open to people affiliated with the university.

Also check out the schools in Boston, including Tufts, Boston University, Boston College, and Harvard, to name a few. Boston has about 40 higher education institutions, and some of those kids have great houses that they need to get rid of after senior year. You also can sublet an apartment during the summer, which will give you time to find your own place by fall. Check out the college's newspaper or walk around collegiate pizza joints, laundromats and on-campus trees for posters. Frequently, you will see posted advertisements looking for roommates, offering a sublet or a permanent place all your own.

Go online

There are a bunch of apartment sites out there, but we like RENTNET® the best. RENTNET® apartments & rentals provides regularly updated listings of apartments available for rent in various neighborhoods based on options you select. They also offer moving tips, roommate advice, legal tips and other information useful to renters.

Try newspapers and magazines

Newspapers and magazines are good sources for apartment listings, both in print and online. Here are some examples:

APARTMENT GUIDE - A weekly publication of apartment listings available for free at just about any large grocery store. These are often heavy on the large complexes, due to high advertising rates.

THE BOSTON GLOBE - The classified ads section includes listings for apartments in all areas including outlying towns. It comes out daily and the Sunday section has the biggest selection.

THE BOSTON PHOENIX - The Phoenix is Boston's free weekly alternative paper. Try not to get distracted by the immense personal ads section, and charge right into the real estate section.

THE BOSTON HERALD - The Herald is a daily tabloid with the largest real estate classifieds out on Saturday.

Most communities in and around Boston have their own weekly paper, such as the Allston-Brighton Journal, Brookline Citizen, Cambridge Chronicle, Jamaica Plain Citizen, Somerville Journal, South End News, Watertown Press and West Roxbury Transcript. Don't forget these local rags. You often get the sweetest deals through them.

Drive around

Aside from letting you know what the area is like, driving around the neighborhoods where you would like to live can be helpful in uncovering leads. People often post flyers offering nearby apartment sublets and rentals at churches, gyms, recreation centers, bus stop shelters, schools and telephone booths in the neighborhood. Go. Look. Conquer.

While "For Rent" signs are not common in the Boston area, often a property will have its number listed outside the building. If you like the looks of it, give them a call to see about any upcoming openings.

5. Visit potential apartments

If you are able to schedule an appointment, be sure to make a good impression. Arrive on time, dress neatly, and act like a mature, responsible individual who isn't going to skip rent payments, trash the apartment, or keep a pet wildebeest in the closet. Also remember to ask intelligent questions. Asking questions will not only make you look responsible, but it will also give you a chance to learn information that may affect your decision to rent a particular apartment. Here is a list of general questions you should ask when you see an apartment:

• How long is the lease?
• Do I have the option to renew?
• How large of a deposit is required as security? Under what conditions is it refundable?
• Are utilities included in your rent? Which ones (gas, electric, water, cable, etc.)?
• Are you allowed to keep pets in the apartment?
• Are you allowed to sublet if you go away?
• What sort of security does the building have?
• Does the building have laundry facilities?
• Does the building have a super or some sort of arrangement for repairs?
• Does anyone else have keys to the apartment?
• Do you need special permission to make superficial changes, e.g. painting or hanging pictures?
• Is the apartment de-leaded? (This is mandatory if you have a child living there.)
• Is smoking allowed?
• Is there a guest policy?
• Are there any weirdos around that you should know about?

6. Before you sign, know your rights as a tenant

Once you've found an apartment, make sure you know your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. Your rights are best protected if you have a written lease. If you have an oral lease, you may be subject to restrictions that you weren't aware of. Just do what we say and get yourself a written lease. We don't like being argued with, especially when we're right. Be sure to check that the following are correctly recorded:

• All names and addresses
• Dates of occupancy
• Rent amount
• Details about the security deposit
• Parking spot specifications (if you get one).

If the landlord has made you any promises, like cleaning the Cheez Whiz from the kitchen ceiling, make sure you get it in writing or at least have a third party listen in. Landlords are notorious about "getting around to something." If it's in black and white, you have more justification when you refuse to pay the rent.

Some other little-known facts about renting an apartment in Boston:

• In the Bay State, landlords are responsible for paying for hot water and sewage unless specified otherwise in the lease.
  
  
• Landlords must put your security and last month deposit in an interest-bearing account and pay you the interest once a year.
  
  
• You are not required to pay for expected wear and tear to the apartment, unless you have done some major damage. When you move in, consider photographing or video-taping the empty pad in event of a dispute.

If your landlord turns out to be an unhinged lunatic who forbids you from having the occasional overnight guest and claims you are harboring hidden roommates, here are some agencies to help you with any legal questions. They include the Massachusetts Tenants Organization at 617-367-6260, and the Harvard Law School's Tenant Advocacy Project at 617-495-4394. You also should check out Ten Tips Every Tenant Needs to Know to familiarize yourself with basic tenant rights, remedies, and obligations.

Good luck and happy hunting!

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Apartment Hunting Tips	Legal Corner