r/bostonhousing

APARTMENT AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WARNING

I wanted to provide fair warning to anyone currently apartment hunting. I have lived in this Unit for 2 years and strongly suggest anyone considering to look elsewhere.

I have included a short summary below of pros and cons and anyone considering the apartment can read further!

Pros:

1. Location - In the heart of North End. Tons of restaurants, bars, shops, and stations nearby.

2. Price - $4200 is a steal for the size of the kitchen and 2 out of 3 of the rooms are great. One is big room, other has great sunlight, 3rd room is a shoebox.

Cons:

1. Cockroaches infestation - we’ve consistently caught 100+ cockroaches on sticky traps year round. They are everywhere all the time.

2. Mouse infestation - Mouse droplets all over counters and food prep stations. Will see them running around when you come home from work. When you turn stove on or open dishwasher they will scurry out. I witnessed one the size of a football (not really) but it had to of been pregnant or a rat that snuck in through a bigger hole.

3. Inexperienced Property Management and Landlord - Property was purchased from a local about 2 years ago. Little to no renovation was done and then was just slapped on the market. She has no idea what she’s doing which is nice at times because it’s simple with little to no rules but a nightmare when things go wrong.

4. Sushi Odor - It doesn’t sound bad at first, but picture yourself hungover on the weekend or getting ready for work on Monday and overwhelming raw fish odor hits you in the face in your 82 degree bathroom.

5. Grimy - It’s just a gross unit. We’ve had 4-5 mouse die in our apartment one stained our rug, one decomposed inside my bedroom wall and I had to find somewhere to live for 2 weeks while it dried out because the landlord refused to remove it. We’ve had 3 failed health inspections, cockroaches and bugs dead in the lightbulb casings, and trash/fish smell 24/7.

Explanations:
Pest issues are common in the North End, but working with this property management group and landlord makes it so much worse.

We have had consistent cockroach and mouse activity in our unit throughout the 2 years. Over a dozen pest control visits and no resolution.

Although the landlord does send pest control companies which has been her only effort - they are inexperienced and unable to fully do there job. Many of the exterminators said they can’t reach behind stove fridge or dishwasher due to liability concerns and our landlord has not given them the opportunity to fully inspect and exterminate.

She is new to residential properties and is very inexperienced. She is looking for the cheapest possible way to do everything and after about 3-4 months it starts to personally affect your wellbeing at home.

The unit is located right above North End Sushi, so consistent fish odor through apartment (horrible at 7am)

The Kitchen has no windows except 1 false window which goes to enclosed exterior room. Little to no airflow or sunlight.

Plumbing is a major headache. Drains clogged left and right and toilet repairs 3-4x throughout 2 years.

No Central AC isn’t horrible but in this unit/building it is. The insulation is brutal. Any air you bring in goes right back out.

been looking for a july 15, aug 1 or sept 1 apartment. there's NOTHING what the hell

I’m a recent college grad (21M) and starting a full-time job at the beginning of July. I have signed a lease for September, leaving a gap from July - August where I would have to commute from home. Fortunately, my job only requires me in the office twice a week after the first few weeks of training every day in office. My commute would be 2 hours there and back (Amtrak train and driving).

My dilemma: Should I sublet housing and pay $1100/month in rent in closer to my office for those two months to ease the commute? Or should I stay at home and commute 4 hours total to and from the office each day and save money?

Other context I’ve been thinking about:

Pros:
- I have a credit card bill I need to pay off
- this could be a good opportunity to attack my student loans
- Cost of living is much less compared to renting
- I have a significant housing stipend to help eliminate rent cost

Cons:
- farther away from friends and girlfriend (4 hour distance)
- Would not have my own space for work calls/meetings, etc
- obv the 4 hour total commute to and from the office

Any advice/input?

Hello!
I'm a prospective student for BU School of Public Health, and BU is currently my top choice. The biggest thing making me hesitate right now is housing and trying to figure out whether living in Boston would actually be manageable for me, or maybe consider Pitt SPH.
I've never been to Boston before, don't have a car, and I'd likely have to apartment hunt remotely, so I feel like I'm trying to make a huge decision without really knowing what day-to-day life would look like.
A few things I'm looking for:

• Open to roommates, but I'd want my own bedroom and bathroom
• Don't want a crazy commute to the BU Medical Campus
• Would like to be somewhere that's walkable and has things to do nearby (coffee shops, restaurants, grocery stores, gyms, etc.)
• Access to public transportation is important since I won't have a car
• Safety is definitely a consideration too

If you were in my position, where would you look? Are there neighborhoods that strike a good balance between affordability, convenience, and actually having a life outside of school? Also, how difficult is it to find housing remotely? Am I overthinking this, or is the Boston rental market really as intimidating as it seems?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Trying to figure all of this out on my own has been a little overwhelming 😅

Thanks!

Hey r/bostonhousing !

Subletting or lease takeover my private bedroom for the summer. The room has its own attached balcony and comes with a bed already — basically move-in ready from day one. Utilities are split evenly with housemates.

The basics

• Address: 435 Walnut Ave, Boston, MA 02119 (Jamaica Plain / Roxbury border)
• Dates: June 1 – August 31, 2026 (move-in and move-out dates are flexible)
• Occupancy: Single occupancy, any gender welcome
• Utilities: Not included — split evenly among housemates

Rent: $650/month

What's in the apartment

• Entire private room — no shared sleeping space
• Attached private balcony
• Bed already provided (partially furnished)
• In-unit washer and dryer — no laundromat runs needed
• Fully equipped shared kitchen
• Shared living space

Getting around

• 1-min walk to nearest bus stop
• Park directly in front of the building (great for morning runs or just chilling outside)
• 5-min walk to Walgreens

Ideal for an intern, student, or anyone needing a clean, comfortable place for the summer without a long-term commitment.

Drop a comment or DM me — happy to share photos, videos, and answer any questions!

Just came here to vent I absolutely love the building I've been living in for about a year now. Just received an email today saying they are being bought by Alpha Management. I immediately looked up reviews only to find that there is a tenant union fighting them and they are one of the worst landlords in the Boston area. I feel totally blindsided by them doing this before a lease is up and not giving tenants an option to stay or move out from Alpha. If I had known ahead of time I would not sign the lease. Thankfully they can't raise the rent this year but are likely going to the following year of the lease. Sucks ass.

Can someone explain how they can sell properties before a lease is over it feels somehow illegal that residents can’t make informed decisions.

Hi everyone,

I’m a 22-year-old recent graduate with a degree in Business Analytics & Information Systems, looking to relocate to Boston from Florida within the next month (aiming for a June or early July move-in).

Because of Boston's crazy lease cycle, I am highly open to taking over a summer sublet (June–August) to get my boots on the ground, but I am also down to sign a 12-month lease starting now or on Sept 1st if the fit is right.

About Me:

• Profession: Just finished my degree in analytics and information systems. I am currently job-hunting for entry-level data analyst/systems roles in the Boston area.
• Vibe: I’m quiet, respectful, and very clean. I treat common areas with respect and prefer a peaceful home environment. Outside of job hunting, I love crochet, spending time exploring new cafes, and trying new things.
• No Car: I currently have a car, but will most likely not bring it up with me, depending on the circumstances, so I'm relying on public transit.

What I'm Looking For:

• Budget: $900 – $1,300/month (flexible for the right spot).
• Location: Looking at neighborhoods along the T lines like Allston, Brighton, Somerville, Cambridge, or Jamaica Plain. Safety and walkability/transit access are my top priorities.
• Roommates: Looking for similar-aged (female only) young professionals who are chill, clean, and communicative. Hopefully, someone who can become a friend.

If you have a room available, need someone to fill a spot in a lease sequence, or are also looking to group up and find a place together, please shoot me a DM!

Hello. I'm looking for an old fashioned house cleaner, paid by the hour, for a 2-3 hour bi-weekly cleaning of studio apartment. Full cleaning, not inefficient tidy up that's rushed and overpriced, and leaves me with an increasingly dirty apartment over time, as most 'residential cleaning companies' do now.

ANYONE have a recommendation? Much appreciated...

I’ve been looking for a 1-2 bed for the past month or so in JP and brookline and just toured two places I definitely like, but they each have a couple significant flaws as well. Are there going to be way more options popping up soon for September rentals? Like mid-june presumably? Or is it just going to be a steady trickle of options like those I’ve already been seeing, in which case I should commit now.

Hi all, my partner and I are nearing our wits end with the apartment search in Boston and I'm looking for advice. We've been searching for apartments since the beginning of April as our current lease ends mid-July and we're either not hearing back from places, or we get a response days or weeks later saying the unit has been rented.

We're trying to avoid doing another large management complex but at this point I almost feel like we're going to wind up there.

Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas on what we might be doing wrong? We've primarily be looking on zillow and apartments,com and indicating in our messages that we're looking for a July 1st lease.

Hi, I'm Christina, a 43-year-old graduate student beginning an MFA program at Boston University's College of Fine Arts this fall.

I'm looking for a studio or one-bedroom apartment, ideally in Brookline, Somerville (Davis Square area), Jamaica Plain, or Cambridge. Target move-in is July or August, with some flexibility.

A little about me: I'm quiet, tidy, and take excellent care of the places I live. I have a strong rental history and excellent credit, and I can provide references from previous landlords. I've been a responsible, long-term tenant in my current city for 13 years, and I'm looking for a place to settle in and focus on my studies.

I have two small, well-behaved pets: a 10-pound senior dog and a cat. Both are calm and quiet, and both have documentation. I also have family nearby in New Hampshire who provide backup care during busy periods, so my pets are always well looked after.

I'm not looking for luxury — character, good light, and a good landlord matter far more to me than modern finishes.

I'll be in the Boston area at the beginning of June and would be happy to meet.

If you have something coming available or know someone who does, I'd love to connect.

Thank you for reading.