Get Informed: Tips for Finding an Apartment in Boston
When to move into a new apartment in Boston
Move to Boston in September
Because Boston contains 35 colleges and universities and their students make up about 20% of the city’s total population, most leases start in the fall semester, running 9/1-8/31. If landlords know an apartment will be available in the fall, they may put it up on the market as early as January, so that’s when to start looking. Otherwise, landlords usually ask for 90 days notice for renewal, so many available apartments go on the market in June.
Best websites for searching for an apartment in Boston
Here are the six best websites for Boston apartments. They all let you search by location as well as various filters like size, price, and certain amenities. They’ll be your best bet for finding a cheap apartment in Boston, or even an upscale one if that’s what you’re looking for.
Rentable (formerly Abodo)
Creating a Boston apartment checklist
The first thing you’ll want to do is narrow your search so you’re only looking at apartments that are a good fit for you. Here are some things to think about in your search:
Location
Move in date
Lease type (long or short term, sublet or standard)
Entire place or bedroom in a larger apartment
Broker Fee (usually 1 month rent) or No Fee
Utilities included or not included
Square Footage
Number of bedrooms + bathrooms
Common space
Private balcony, porch, garden, etc
Furnished or Unfurnished
Air conditioning
Gas or electric stove
Dishwasher
Laundry
Building amenities (doorman, gym, pool, community room, etc)
Property Type (apartment, condo, townhouse, etc)
Miscellaneous preferences (e.g. “exposed brick”, “granite”)
What to look for in Boston apartment listings
Once you’ve narrowed your search to fit your needs, there are a few things to look for in apartment listings to figure out if a place is right for you:
Photos
You should see every apartment in person before you sign a lease, but photos will help you decide if it’s even worth pursuing.
Floor Plan
Not all listings will have one, but it’s helpful to see a layout of the space to match with the photos.
Double check information
Some listings will be incorrectly filtered or titled. Make sure the information in the description and photos matches what you’ve searched for.
Roommates
If you’re renting a room in a larger apartment you’ll want to know a bit about who you’ll be living with such as age or occupation.
Contact Information
If you’re interested in seeing an apartment, you’ll want to know the best way to get in touch with the owner or broker.
Red flags when searching for a Boston apartment
It’s important to be cautious when apartment hunting, especially when trying to find an apartment in Boston without a realtor. In order to make sure you’re getting a fair deal and avoiding scams and illegal activity. Here are a few things to look out for:
Bait & Switch
If you contact an agent or owner about a listing and they offer to show you an entirely different unit, it may be a bait & switch sales tactic, which is illegal under state consumer protection laws.
More than 4 months up front
Massachusetts landlords can only charge for the first month, last month, security deposit, and a lock change fee up front. Only licensed apartment brokers may charge a broker fee (usually 1 month’s rent).
If it looks too good to be true, it is
Most apartment listing websites have moderation tools to prevent scams and phishing, but sketchy listings will slip through the cracks from time to time. Luckily, fake listings usually stand out by being massively underpriced for their type and location. That newly renovated 2-bedroom on Newbury Street for $1,200/month? Probably fake.