You're going to need a roommate. Cambridge is one of the most expensive small cities in the country, and much more expensive than Seattle.

Roomie up

I hope the city can agree to cut the discretionary spending program to help fund this instead! Would be amazing to get municipal broadband. Comcast is awful and so expensive

>I'd love any advice on how to maximize my chances of landing a good deal.

add another thousand bucks to your maximum price, and lower all of your expectations

nice

Thank you, that's all super useful!! I am looking for a sublet right now yeah but it's hard to find an entire apartment and not just a room. And there are so many scammers on Facebook, it's insane!

Thank you!!

Thank you!!

MIT should have some resources to assist you. However, you might be dealing with a roommate situation with your budget.

Thank you!! Yeah, I almost got scammed at least twice since yesterday... I just joined the facebook groups but it's hard to find an entire place instead of a bedroom...

I think that under $2000 for a studio is going to be quite difficult to find in Cambridge. I paid about $1500 for a studio in Cambridge 6 years ago and that was MIT-subsidized housing (for grad students, unfortunately I don't think they have anything for postdocs). I think finding a cheaper 2 bed is significantly more do-able (could be easily <$1500/person). That being said, there are always occasionally random deals that pop up, but they'll often get snapped up extremely quickly. Places to look include East Cambridge and Alewife, also try looking in Somerville and if you're okay with a longer commute maybe look in like Allston or Dorchester/Roxbury? I know some folks who live there who have insanely cheap (to me as someone who lives in Cambridge) rent.

Thank you!

Thank you!! As long as there is access to a T station and it's a nice area, I really don't mind. I commute 40 minutes to go to work everyday here!

Thank you, that's very helpful! It does get tricky to find an entire apartment for sublet as most students share housing...

In my experience, prices tend to bottom out for leases starting June 1, but that was pre-pandemic so ymmv nowadays. You're going to have a hard time finding a place that meets both your price + QoL requirements -- studios are easily ~$2k these days, and a 2br/2ba is $3500+. Allston/Brighton might be an option, given your willingness to bike, and while we're flatter than Seattle, we're much colder and our precipitation tends to accumulate a little more.

For $1200, you won't be able to live on your own in biking distance of MIT. You might be able to find a crappy studio for $1600. $1800, you might find a more acceptable studio or a 1-bedroom. At $1200, your best hope is a room in a 2 bed, 2 bath...

Other notes: most of Somerville and Cambridge are bikeable to MIT or close to the red line. Anything close to the red line, you can take the train easily. Any other T line will get you there, but it'll take significantly longer since you'll have to transfer, or Lechemere on the green line will be maybe a 20 minute walk. Allston has a lot of apartment buildings, and is bikeable to MIT, and you can find some places there on the cheaper side.

Check out Fresh Pond - the golf course pond is often visited by Mergansers.

Early this morning I had a loud turkey on the roof of a neighbors two-story building, right outside our bedroom window.https://i.imgur.com/gtELtgO.jpg

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What if you paid at 1:10:42? The receipt doesn't include seconds, so I suspect it would still say 1:40.

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Heard so much great stuff about Dirty Water Fitness!!

Dirty Water Fitness is in East Cambridge and I love those guys. I think having a PT that comes to you will be more expensive than seeing one with an established gym space.

Yeah, the mergansers are around all winter! Occasionally ring-necked ducks with them as well.

Check out the emerald necklace for all sorts of cool ducks :)