Relocating to Boston: tips, tricks, and things I wish I knew before moving

Are you moving to Boston? This video provides tips and tricks to make your move to Boston smoother.

Boston has some unique aspects in the moving process. From broker fees and old buildings, to the tradition of space savers, there are many things I wish I knew before moving to Boston.

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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:24 - You need money upfront
01:04 - Watch out for broker fees
02:59 - Know what's in your old & charming building
04:01 - Know where to park
06:19 - Crazy drivers and car costs
07:08 - Consider a moving permit
07:35 - Avoid moving on September 1st
08:13 - Thanks for watching!

[piousmutilator]

Yeah, the whole idea of the Broker fee was completely foreign to me…I simply could not believe it was real. It seemed like the only places that didn’t require one were regular apartments or places on the more sketchier areas of town (which really aren’t even that bad, but still).

I got lucky on a deal. Still had to pay a broker fee, but the security deposit was half off. So, it ended up being 2.5x the rent, which is still more than I’ve ever paid before, but a deal for the Boston area nonetheless. It took forever but we finally did it…

Happy renting! It’s brutal!

[matthewh]

Very helpful, thank you. I am moving to Boston from Austin, TX, and I am personally looking forward to the existence of seasons. That Texas heat and power outages really take a toll on you!

[maylikethemonthc]

Your channel is so helpful! I'm moving to Boston from TX as well, and I'd love more vids like this on what to expect, especially come summer and winter time w/o central AC

[JMMRanMA]

Very interesting and entertaining. I got caught in a massive traffic jam on the I-95/I-93 convergence. I noticed a Wyoming plate on the car in front and wondered what it was like to be caught in a traffic jam with more people than in your state! Boston, Quincy [MA], Brockton [MA] and Providence [RI] are densely populated with 1, 000 or more people per Sq.Mi. in some areas. Traffic, aggressive drivers and parking are major concerns, so kudos to the producer for covering it. What should have been mentioned is that rent, traffic and parking issues usually* get better as distance from Boston Downtown increases. *However apartment rent increases with closeness to Commuter Rail, Subway/T or Bus access. Station parking varies between $2 and $7 per day. So, moderate walking distance to public transportation and no car can save a huge amount of money. My students tell me that having apartments with several housemates with private bedrooms and shared common areas can reduce rent per person below dorm cost with similar conditions but more freedom [BTW my students were 20yo+].

My mother's family are real Yankees, her ancestors were here before the Revolution and may have chased Redcoats back from Lexington and besieged them there. In New England Yankee is usually a compliment, while outside of Boston, Bostonian is often not. The movie/TV Boston accent you may expect you may never hear. My university friends usually kidded me that my mother had a strong accent and I had none. Even locally, there are differences in accent and vocabulary, but it's the vocabulary that can confuse you, and since frappe, cabinette and milkshake can be the same or different in different areas, I won't get into that.

🍺Most importantly [especially for international students], the drinking age is 21, proof is required for purchase, and buying for someone else underage or not is a crime that is prosecuted. If your licence is a picture licence from a US polity you should be OK, student ID is not legally valid. If a group goes to a liquor store ALL may be required to have ID. There is a non-driving ID that is issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles that is valid for all purposes. A bank account requires a valid ID or passport. Bars and restaurants may be open until 2:00 a.m. but public transport stops [depending on line] between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. with some holiday exceptions.

This was an excellent video.

[thomascropper]

Passive Agressive parking culture, duly noted ….I think I will take my chances with the T

[seanfarley]

This was helpful, even if it was disheartening. I would like to move to Boston from California in the next couple years. I lived in Winthrop in ‘97 for several months but it wasn’t the best of circumstances. Luckily I grew up poor so things like laundromats and no car are not a big deal (I do remember the T being very convenient). Here’s to hoping!

[classyneurotic]

You could avoid the issues of the vehicle ownership by just using public transportation.

[rawkrXbabee]

lmao help I'm moving to Brighton/ Allston in late August- thankfully not a Sept 1 start date but I'll be there for it!! woo hoo

[ScottA]

Just to be clear - the parking space-saving thing only happens in the winter when there is snow. A person will shovel out the space and then claim it. To Bostonian's this only seems fair. Why would you spend all that time and effort only to have some a-hole in a BMW swoop in and park in the space you just cleared out? And the space saver is only good for few days - not the entire season.
And I would argue that Boston drivers are actually very GOOD drivers. They are however, very aggressive drivers. When you see the amount of traffic and the tight and often confusing situations they have to drive in - you'll understand.

[katherinecabrera]

moving to boston in 2 weeks. yes, my rent is 3k a month ( im a grad student) and no, i’m NOT taking my car. 😭

[anthonydavis]

Moving to Boston from California, this video kinda scared me

[lillyjune]

We're moving from Arizona to Boston. Tips to adapt to weather?

[jalabi]

Thank you for making my choice to never move to Boston be easy :D

[Lorena-OT]

I wouldn’t have a car if I moved to any city, and your voice sounds like the guy from Mickey Views on YT lol.❤

[Stylebyria]

How much does a two bed and bath run in Boston?

[corygarms]

As a fellow Texan i approve of referencing your Texanhood 10x in 8 min

[MrStan]

The reason the drivers are so aggressive is because the road engineering in the Greater Boston area is the worst in the United States. At least in Europe they drive small cars.

[christinaayube]

Not every renter has to pay the fee....

[leeleeds]

So I assume Boston has a huge homeless problem because of brokers and greedy landlords?

[kevinlee]

Didn't show the great city it is very negative video from Manchester NH 49 miles north