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- Lease Terms<\/strong> \u2014 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. There is housing available in Boston at all points during the year, however the number of available apartments for rent increases during May, June and July as students graduate or move home for summer break, and their units become available.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Age <\/strong>\u2014 \u00a0<\/strong>A significant portion of Boston’s housing stock is 50 to 150 years old.\u00a0 Don’t write off older buildings, if they are well-maintained by the owners, they can be perfectly reasonable places to live.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Heat <\/strong>\u2014 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. Since heating can easily cost $200-$300 per month in a decent-sized apartment, know ahead of time whether you will be responsible for it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Hot Water <\/strong>\u2014 As with heat expense, many Boston apartment rents include hot water in the cost.\u00a0 While landlords may charge you to heat the water separately, they rarely charge you for water usage. Unless your unit has its own water meter, water is a landlord expense.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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- Parking & Transportation<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2014 <\/strong>Boston is not a car-friendly place, most apartment buildings do not have their own parking lots.\u00a0Parking in a private garage or separate lot can be expensive.\u00a0 On-street parking is limited and difficult to find even with a parking permit.\u00a0 See Getting Around.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Boston Housing Styles<\/strong><\/p>\n
![\"1813](\"https:\/\/www.bumc.bu.edu\/ohr\/files\/2007\/10\/1813-brownstone-brownstone_stillframe.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThere are a tremendous variety of housing styles available in Boston.<\/p>\n
Brownstones\/Victorian Row Houses<\/strong><\/p>\n
Brownstones are amongst the oldest housing stock, and are located in many desirable neighborhoods. However,\u00a0these buildings may not offer elevators, laundry facilities on premises, easy-to-access internet or central air-conditioning.<\/p>\n
Small Apartment Buildings<\/strong><\/p>\n
Often managed by\u00a0a property owner or management company, these buildings have a few units \u2014 between six and 20 – and may provide some of the\u00a0convenience of an apartment building. \u00a0Along with multiple-family houses, small apartment buildings are probably the most common type of housing.<\/p>\n
Apartment Complexes<\/strong><\/p>\n
The facilities in these buildings are more updated than most brownstones with\u00a0central air conditioning, elevators, in-unit washer\/dryers and dishwashers.\u00a0 Many of the recently built apartment complexes\u00a0offer more expensive luxury units. Apartment complexes usually are a mix of studios, one-and two-bedroom apartments.<\/p>\n
Multiple-Family Houses<\/strong><\/p>\n
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\u00a0living space of any of the housing described here. They may offer more flexibility as well, allowing pets, and use of a yard.<\/p>\n
Condominiums<\/strong><\/p>\n
Condos are similar to the types of\u00a0units found in apartment complexes.\u00a0 When you find a condominium for rent you\u00a0are renting directly from the condominium owner.<\/p>\n
Co-Operatives<\/strong><\/p>\n
Generally, housing co-ops consist of groups of like-minded people who have agreed to live together in a building under certain guidelines.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
- Parking & Transportation<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2014 <\/strong>Boston is not a car-friendly place, most apartment buildings do not have their own parking lots.\u00a0Parking in a private garage or separate lot can be expensive.\u00a0 On-street parking is limited and difficult to find even with a parking permit.\u00a0 See Getting Around.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Hot Water <\/strong>\u2014 As with heat expense, many Boston apartment rents include hot water in the cost.\u00a0 While landlords may charge you to heat the water separately, they rarely charge you for water usage. Unless your unit has its own water meter, water is a landlord expense.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Heat <\/strong>\u2014 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. Since heating can easily cost $200-$300 per month in a decent-sized apartment, know ahead of time whether you will be responsible for it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Age <\/strong>\u2014 \u00a0<\/strong>A significant portion of Boston’s housing stock is 50 to 150 years old.\u00a0 Don’t write off older buildings, if they are well-maintained by the owners, they can be perfectly reasonable places to live.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n