Moving to HBS and the Greater Boston Area

Housing

The first concern for many new families moving to HBS & Boston is where they are going to live. Many families face a fair amount of "sticker shock" at the prices of housing in the Boston/Cambridge area as well. It is true, Boston & Cambridge housing prices are higher than most areas of the country, with perhaps the exception of New York City, San Francisco, and other large cities. The process for obtaining on-campus housing can be confusing, and finding quality off-campus housing can be overwhelming from other parts of the country. There are definite pros & cons to living on or off campus. Hopefully, the following resources & partner perspectives will help answer some questions.

Harvard Affiliated Housing
Off-Campus Housing
Utilities
Club Membership Housing Statistics
Budget Examples
Storage Facilities
Partner Experiences & Perspectives
Tips

* If you have children who will be in elementary school while you live at HBS, consider your schooling options. You must live in Cambridge (not on campus) to enroll in Cambridge Public Schools. If you live on campus, you fall within Boston Public. There are private schools in the area, but they are expensive. Belmont is known for its public schools, however living there would mean a commute onto campus. There are some Harvard housing on the Cambridge side (Peabody Terrance, Akron, 387 Western Ave and 28 Hingham)

Harvard Affiliated Housing

The first option for many is to live in Harvard Affiliated Housing (on campus). This is housing that is owned and managed by Harvard Real Estate Services. The closest complexes to the HBS campus are Soldiers Field Park (SFP), One Western Ave
Across the river in Cambridge, Peabody Terrace, RiverSide Housing (including 28 Hingham, 387 Western, Banks Street and Grant Street), 10 Akron, 5 Cowperthwaite, Botanic Gardens

For a complete list of Harvard Affiliated Housing

To apply for any of these, or any other Harvard Affiliated housing, you must enter the affiliated housing lottery. Pay attention to your student's checklist for the application deadline. If you received a good lottery number then your preferences will be matched with available apartments and hopefully you will receive the apartment of your choice. Students with children will be placed in the first service window. If you were not able to get your application in on time, or if your lottery number is high, consider using the Future & Immediate Housing Occupancy Listing to find a Harvard affiliated (on-campus) apartment.

Tips from insiders on using Harvard University Housing Service:
1. Make a list of your top apartments. View floor plans and call to check on remodeling status (Not all apartments in SFP have been updated.).
2. Log in on the day and time you are assigned. Do not log in before 6:05 when the window opens!
3. Learn the tricks. Have two computers running at the time of log in.
4. Disable pop up blockers on your web browser.
5. Avoid multiple mouse clicks if your computer is running slow. It slows it down even more.

More information available at HUHS

The Harvard Housing Office
7 Holyoke Street
Cambridge, MA 02138-5013
617-495-3377 (local and international applicants)
1-800-252-5020 (domestic applicants)
Note: Harvard Affiliated Housing now allows pets in one of their buildings. New in 2009 is Botanic Gardens which allows for cats and dog (small than 40 lbs). Botanic Gardens

[Top]


Off-Campus Housing

If you don't have luck in either of the above options or if you prefer to live off campus, the facts below should help to get you started. Your first step will be to identify where you want to live. Just as an insight, most current students and partners seem to place proximity to campus as a high priority. Communities with housing that is walking distance from the Business School are Cambridge and Allston/Brighton (a Boston neighborhood). Be prepared to pay a premium for walking distance to the school, especially in Cambridge. Other communities with reasonable commutes and public transport are Belmont, Arlington, Newton, Brookline, Somerville, and Watertown. Prices will vary depending on which area you decide to live in but as a ballpark figure, 1 bedroom apartments in the Cambridge area cost around $1,400-$2,000 and 2 bedrooms range from $1,800-$2,300. For the other cities (except Boston) you can plan to pay a little less depending on how far away you get from campus.

After deciding where you want to live you can start an independent search or enlist the help of a realtor. Keep in mind that apartments usually go very quickly in this area, especially apartments in a desirable location with a desirable start date. You will have to act quickly (usually within 2-3 days) if you come across an apartment that you like. Also, most realtors charge a fee equal to one month's rent. Security deposits are likewise hefty, usually requiring first and last month's rent.

Be sure you or your student check the classifieds section of their Pre-Matriculation Website Bulletin Boards. Many, many housing opportunities from graduating students are listed here in April, May and June, and can be a great way to get around paying a realtor fee. This is an invaluable resource!!

Cambridge Rentals, LLC
Shari Moy, Principal
Specializes in executive relocation
692 Mass Ave., Cambridge
Office: 617-492-9494
Fax: 617-441-5253
Mobile: 617-699-0388

Boston Residential Group, LLC
Houghton Place & 1008 Mass Ave
Heather Spinney
101 Huntington Ave, 25th Floor, Boston
617-424-0775

Exclusive Realty
Steve DePamphilis
204 D California Street
Newton, MA 02458
617-928-9200

Irwin and Co.
Connie Irwin
Chairman & CEO
857-891-1550 (cell)

Oxford Street Realty
35 Sacramento Street, Cambridge
Jackie White
617-354-3535

Zen Real Estate
11 Lawrence Street # B, Cambridge
Shari Moy
617.492.9494


Nearby Apartment Complexes
808 Memorial Drive
High-rise apartment building in Cambridge. Ask if a free month's rent is offered, as they sometimes run specials.
Ellen Kelly
808 Memorial Drive, Cambridge
866-853-3558

Union Square Apartments
15 North Beacon St, Allston
617-783-2979


Online Resources
Craig's List
This website is great for apartment leads, often ones where a finder's fee does not have to be paid.

Gibson Domain Domain
This website is great for apartment leads, and often has some of the best listings in the city.

Boston Real Estate
Apartment.com
MIT housing
Yahoo Classifieds
Student Housing
[Top]


Utilities

For those of you living in HRES Affiliated housing (Soldiers Field Park, One Western Ave, etc.) you will need to set up your own phone and cable services after you move in. Power, water, trash, sewer, and high-speed internet is included in your rent. You can get phone through Verizon or through Paetech Communications. Cable is provided through Comcast. Note: Satellite television is not allowed in HRES buildings.

A note about One Western phone service: Each phone jack in each apartment is assigned to a dedicated line. This means that if you want to have more than one phone in your apartment, you will either need to pay for two phone lines, or buy a splitter to go into the one phone jack you have activated.

For those of you living off campus, you will most likely need to set up phone, cable, internet, electricity, and gas service. Water, sewer, and trash are usually included with your rent, but be sure to ask!

Phone Providers
Many of the following will offer discounted rates if you combine phone, cable, & internet services. Some also offer online account set-up, however we recommend you call their service number & speak to a representative to set up your service and schedule installation. Comcast drops their price in September and you can save almost $30 a month by waiting.
Verizon
Verizon Wireless
Earthlink -- Phone service requires high speed internet such as DSL or Cable, a router, and an ethernet card.
RCN
Comcast

Cable & Internet Providers
Many of the following will offer discounted rates if you combine phone, cable, & internet services. Some also offer online account set-up, however we recommend you call their service number & speak to a representative to set up your service and schedule installation.
Comcast
Earthlink
Verizon
RCN

Gas Provider
N*Star

Electricity Provider
Keyspan Energy
N*Star

[Top]


2006-2007 Club Membership Housing Statistics

Class of 2007 Members	94
Class of 2008 Members	123
Total Membership	217
'07 living on Campus	28%
'07 living off Campus	72%
'08 living on Campus	35%
'08 living off Campus	65%
Total partner membership living On Campus	32%
Total partner membership living Off Campus	68%

[Top]


Monthly Budget Examples
Note: Some amounts may vary for the upcoming school year. These figures are based on the 2008-2009 school year.

Family of 4 - stay at home mom
3 bedroom in Riverside Housing Development (includes internet & all utilities except phone/cable	$2,880
On Campus Phone Bill	$0
Long Distance Phone - use cell phone	$0
Cell Phone - Verizon (Two phones, one with blackberry service)	$160
Cable Bill	$60
Renters Insurance	$20
Car Insurance	$89
Health Insurance - student and 3 dependants	$763
Laundry (washer and dryer in unit)	$0
Gas & Tolls	$75
Food (Groceries & Eating Out)	$800
Entertainment, Section Events, School Supplies	$300, plus cost of formals

Family of 2 - partner working
2 bedroom apartment in Cambridge (8-10 minute walk to campus)	$1,800
Phone/Cable/Cable Modem internet	$100
Long Distance Phone - use cell phone	$0
Cell Phone - Verizon/Sprint Family Plan (Share minutes with partner)	$110
Renters Insurance	$20
Car Insurance	$105
Laundry ($1.50 for wash, $1.50 for dry)	$60
Gas & Tolls	$100
Food (Groceries & Eating Out once a week)	$800
Entertainment, Section Events, School Supplies	$300 plus cost of formals

[Top]


Partners Neighborhood/Housing Perspectives

Soldiers Field Park
Opinion on our residence: Very close to the campus and that is a great advantage of living in SFP. I personally prefer SFP to One Western Avenue. Financial Factor: It is very expensive compared to other business schools, I guess. Childcare: Childcare seems very expensive at SFP. Public Transit: Not convenient at all. I cannot live here without a car. Owning a car should be a big part of cost for living in SFP.
Building 1, 2, 6 have elevators, laundry facilities and garbage chutes in the building, which is a nice feature in the winter. Buildings 3, 4, 5, 7 -15 have their own entrances without an elevator, laundry, or garbage in the building. These buildings do offer ground floor apartments with patios. The rest of the SFP apartments have balconies.
We reside in Boston, in SFP, in a 3 bedroom apartment. It is really nice, with a beautiful view, but we are awakened each morning from Monday to Saturday by the noise of the deliveries of the Kresge Restaurant. The rent is consequently a little reduced (reduction of $200 compared with any other 3 bedrooms apartment in SFP).
We have a 3 bedroom split level with patio in SFP. We were able to get out first choice. My husband and I were both at different computers. The trick is to not be signed in when the window is open. Wait till the clock turns and then log in. We love our apartment. Ours has an updated kitchen and bathrooms. It is very important that you ask specifically about each apartment. They have not all been renovated. We use the third bedroom (upstairs) as an office so it feels like my husband is around more. It is also nice to have the three levels. It feels more like a house than an apartment. There is also great storage in the crawl space. You also have easy access to all the campus facilities. I use the gym a lot, so it is great to have one so close. Plus, if you need a place to study or read, the Baker Library is really close and is very nice. The patio is nice for storing the stroller and kids outside toys. One negative is no laundry in some of the buildings.
One Western Avenue
These buildings have garbage chutes, laundry facilities, elevators, and direct access to the parking garage.
We live in a one-bedroom apartment at One Western. The building is very modern/not-too-appealing from the outside, but it is simple and clean inside. We like it because everything is new and fresh. What we don't like is the size of the apartment - VERY SMALL!!! We have a river view though, so I should not complain. All appliances are great (no in-built microwave). It is basically on campus so my husband walks 5 minutes to class and I have a 5 minute drive to work (it works out perfectly for us). The nearest grocery store (Whole Foods - quite expensive) is a 10 minute walk from One Western (more stores within 5 minute drive)
I love being on campus (great for short walks between the buildings) and being walking distance from Harvard Square. We lived in Boston before the HBS experience and still wanted to move closer to school. At One Western you don't get overwhelmed with the school-stuff, because many people have spouses here and they have their separate life. You study when you need to study and there is no problem with devoting the little free time you have to your private life.
We live in One Western. I do think that you can find something cheaper, but it is not worth it for us, as it is very convenient (close to campus), has a garage, and close to all the activities on campus (for students and partners).
We have a 3 bedroom at One Western. Expensive and small (1000sf), but brand new. I love being on campus because I am a stay-at-home-mom and have access to the Partners' Club Preschool and lots of families with kids. It also makes babysitting swaps easy. I also love having direct access to the underground One Western parking garage - especially with these super cold temperatures. We lived in a 2 bedroom at SFP for the first couple of months, but with 2 small children, my sanity was at risk, so we moved. I love that my husband can come home for lunch. My husband doesn't have to worry about transportation to and from school, so we are down to one car.
Clean, high functioning facilities, friendly staff (housing office is very helpful and easy to work with), new parking facilities are GREAT (make living here much easier). I really enjoy being close to campus/my husband (he is able to come home for lunch). Location is a problem for work off campus, however. Buses are slow and often late and it is a 15 minute walk to the T (not a problem at all in the summer and fall, but MISERABLE!! in the winter).
387 Western Ave and 28 Hingham
These two buildings are directly across the Western Ave bridge from HBS. It takes about 10 minutes walking to reach HBS classrooms. They are brand new. There are 6 three bedroom units in each building. I highly recommend partners and families to look at them. Each unit has a dishwasher and a washer and dryer. Larger and more spacious than One Western and SFP. We’ve been very happy. I’ve heard some people say living off campus is hard because they don’t feel part of the HBS community. In these apartments you are still surrounded by HBS families and a few Kennedy School students. If you live on the second or third floor you will have a river view. The park in front of the building will be finished this summer and will include a water component for kids (not sure if it’s a sprinkler).
Cambridge
We live in Cambridge, just off Inman Square. This is a nice area with lots of restaurants and the best gourmet ice cream (Christina's) and best small toy store (Stellabella Toys). 6 blocks from Central Square T stop. It is about a 20 minute walk to Harvard Square. There are nice parks for kids - one only 1/2 block away. This is city life, not suburban. We have had a good time here and it is nice to be close to everything!
We live near Inman Square, and our place will be available for incoming students. We have decided to move a little bit out of Cambridge for next year. A city is difficult with a one year old, and we miss having a yard and room to move! It is a great place for a couple without kids, or two students to share. It has all hardwood floors, all modern appliances, and is within walking distance to Harvard Square and the B School. 2 Bedrooms, 2 bathrooms...2 decks! (half a house) parking is free in the driveway, walking distance to Inman Square.
My husband and I live on the first floor of a two level/ two family home in Cambridge (West Cambridge near the Fresh Pond). The apartment has two bedrooms, front and back porch, and a back yard. It's about a 10 minute drive to campus. Rent is somewhat expensive, but not much more per month than the two bedroom apartments on campus. We have no children and no pets.
We live in Cambridge and our house is broken down into 4 condo units. We rent directly from the owner of our unit. We found it on Craig's List. It's a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath with washer and dryer inside the unit. Our rent is $2000/month and that includes a parking place in the driveway. We love our location, as it is half-way between Harvard and Central Squares (10 minute walk). We did not get a good lottery number, but now, I'm glad because I really prefer being off-campus, but very nearby (10-15 minute walk).
I love living off-campus and basically in Harvard Square. Several first years, a couple second years and some Education students live in the same building. However, the management is converting to condos, and we'll probably have to move when our lease is up in August! If an incoming couple is looking for a real estate investment, I believe units are going from $350,000 and up (ha-ha). Still, I can speak to the virtues of living in Harvard Square: Mike has a short walk to campus. The T is right there, and so are many bar-hopping section events. If you don't mind hunting for street parking, it is a good option.
Apartment building with 9 units (I think) total. Interesting loft-like layouts with ample space. Some students (3-4 units), rest are families/locals. Parking behind building. Many units have own washer & dryer, also 2 sets in the garage area. Depending on number of bedrooms, units range in price from about $1600 - $3000/month. Building is relatively new (2-3 years old). 10 minute walk to campus, 10 minute walk to Central Square T, 20 minute walk to Harvard Square, 1 block from Whole Foods. While we are close to campus (good) and close enough to Harvard Square where many of the social activities take place (also good), the neighborhood itself is a little sketchy. There aren't a lot of restaurants or shops in the immediate surrounding blocks and there are some subsidized housing units (low-income families) nearby. As a female, I don't like to walk around the neighborhood alone at night and I wouldn't live here unless you have a car (for errands, not to get to campus). Whole Foods is great to have close by, but it isn't a "normal" grocery store and we still need to drive to Shaw's/Star Market for "regular" food. After we signed our lease, we found out that we are on the "wrong side" of Western Ave and the "wrong side" of Putnam (only by a block in each direction). The neighborhood seems to get nicer as you head toward Harvard Square from our place. I find living where we do preferable to the on-campus housing because a) we have a bigger place, b) it's great to be closer to a T stop and have better access to downtown Boston and c) it's nice to have some separation between us and the school. Bottom line, we get more for our money by living in a sketchy neighborhood, but I'd rather live closer to Harvard Square.
We live right on the border of Somerville/Cambridge (closer to Cambridge). We live in an apartment building, in a "studio" (1 bedroom, 1 bath) apartment. We live approx. 1.5 miles from campus. The building is dog friendly, we have a medium sized dog (yellow lab). There are parks close by, about 2 blocks and we are close to Inman Square which has good restaurants. There are also grocery stores, drycleaners, and vets that are within 2 blocks of our apartment. The property management company that owns this apartment building is called The Hamilton Company. You would have to contact them directly to find out about vacancies.
We live in Cambridge at Massachusetts Avenue between Harvard and Central Squares. It's a newer apartment building (about 5 years old) with a doorman and underground parking. It is about a 10-15 minute walk to campus via the footbridge. We're happy with the building so far and highly recommend it!
We did live off campus our first year. We hired a real estate agent and lived in "Church Corner" in Central Square. It was a nice location, particularly if I had been working downtown, as it is within a block of the central square 'T' stop. Although the actual apartment was okay, I didn't feel comfortable walking alone in the area, particularly at night. Also, some of the units in the building were designated for public housing. I'm not sure if this is a direct correlation, but we frequently had homeless &/or drunk people in front of our building, which made me uncomfortable. After the first year, I actually found a better job in another city and moved out of Boston. He is now living in SFP. It is smaller than our first apartment, but is a LOT cheaper. He actually likes it better due to the decreased walking distance and the fact that he is able to eat lunch at home... which has also saved us a lot of money. All things considered, I would encourage incoming students/partners to move on campus.
Across the Western Avenue Bridge you can find some decent off-campus housing. It’s just a short walk across the bridge for your student to HBS and is close to some great parks for the kids and additionally near Whole Foods, Rite Aide, and Trader Joes. We were able to find a 2 bedroom apartment with washer, dryer, dishwasher, off street parking, and accepted pets for $1800 a month. We found it during admitted student’s weekend on the Partners Club Housing Tour. I highly recommend getting apartments from previous HBS students. They can tell you all about the landlord and the area you live. We are very involved with HBS and Crimson Kids and do not feel isolated from the school.
We live right in Harvard Square off of Brattle and I love the location. Coming from NYC we wanted the stimulation of busy city life. It is so convenient - we have everything we need at our finger tips. And another great perk for me is that when we go out at night I can meet my husband later or leave early and its usually so close that we don't have to take 2 cabs.
Allston/Brighton
We live in Allston, just off Western Avenue and North Harvard Avenue on Myrick Street (a 10-minute walk to HBS, a 5-minute walk to the bus stop, and a 20-minute walk into Harvard Square). It is an old 3 flat with about 1,200 sq. feet. Two decent sized bedrooms, a dining room or study room, a living room, large kitchen (big enough for a kitchen table, microwave cart, etc.), and one bathroom. There is limited closet space, but tons of storage space in the basement. There is a washer and a dryer in the basement of the building ($1.50 to wash and $1.50 to dry). There is on-street parking and it truly is VERY easy to park on our street. I was very leery about not having an assigned spot and having to walk blocks to park our car, but we live on a one-way street and there has always been a spot for us right in front of our building. The landlords will allow you to park in the side drive if we can't find a spot, but it has never been an issue. The landlords are an older couple who live in the building next door. They are very responsive and helpful. There is also a back and front porch, which is nice for the summer and the fall. The building is definitely old, but served the purpose for us. We pay about $1850/month. Heat in the winter can be expensive and the place can be quite chilly. There is no air conditioning, although you can buy window units. We were gone both summers, so we really didn't even need air, but if you are going to stick around for the summer, it can be quite hot without it!!
We found our apartment (it's actually a condo that we're subletting) located at Allston/Brighton border on Craiglist and it has worked out great; Allston is also generally cheaper to live in.
Newton/Watertown
We live in Newton in a 3BDRM Townhouse. Our rent is $2500 monthly. For people with children, I would really recommend looking out in the Newton/Watertown area...you can get a much bigger place for about the same rent as many pay on campus or close in. The commute is only 15-20 minutes and for that trade off we get a backyard and a pretty big house that is perfect for our family. I know several people who have children that live out here and all of them like it.
We have a single family home in Newton. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, very large finished basement. We have loved this house, lots of room, only 10 minutes to campus and the main reason we chose to live in Newton was because the schools are top rated. The only downside to this house is no pets allowed.
We have a three bedroom, 2 and a half bath town home in Watertown. We love it and although we were skeptical about the drive at first we wouldn't change anything. It is new construction, we are the first to live in it and it is 5 minutes to The Lowell School, which is the local public elementary school. Our youngest attends Christ Lutheran Nursery School which is also right up the street. The location makes life much easier for me than most, especially on those cold winter mornings.
Watertown is great! We got a townhouse, 3 BR, 2.5 Bath, a yard and everything else + a driveway. The community is great too: the policemen transform their station into a haunted police station for Halloween, the firemen open their fire station once a year, there is a fair in September... The community in the school (Hosmer) is very nice and my kid in the middle now goes to pre-K on the same schedule as my 1st grader. We are close from the river path (awesome to learn how to ride a bike or jog with a double stroller) and there is 2 playgrounds at a kid's walking distance). The down side is that I am far from the HBS community and that I've not been able to get involved with them. Also, because I was working on my Ph.D. thesis in my basement, I really felt isolated and this was hard for me.
Our children were ages 2 and 4 when we came to HBS so when it came to housing we were looking for space and good schools. Private schools in the area are extremely expensive and this was a major concern of ours had we chosen to live on campus. Also, waiting on the lottery was a little nerve wracking for us. With the amount of laundry I do each week, not having a washer in dryer made me nervous. Other things like getting groceries from the car to the apartment with my kids didn't sound like fun either. These things are CERTAINLY personal preferences and will differ for everyone. There are definitely pros and cons to both on and off campus housing! We have a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath house with over 2,000 square feet in Newton. We have a 2-car garage which is heavenly in the winter and provides extra storage. We have a front and side yard, front porch and driveway for the kids to ride their bikes. Our basement provides all the additional storage we need. My son goes to a fabulous preschool that is very inexpensive (for this area) and is 5 minutes from the house. The public schools in this area are great so private school will not be needed. The drive to campus is 15 minutes door to door. Since we were coming with a family and from a suburban area where we owned a home, we love being this close to campus and in a "neighborhood" with a house and good schools.
Brookline
A good location that is often overlooked is Brookline, MA. It is adjacent to Allston/Brighton. It is a 15 minute drive or 20 minute ride on the #66 bus which goes along Harvard Street to drop off in front of the business school. The neighborhoods are very safe and family friendly. The public school system is excellent. There are lots of shops, restaurants, and nice public parks. Public transportation via the Green line provides easy access to downtown.
Brookline is quite large - some parts, particularly those close to Allston and Brighton, are very well-served by public transit. The posher areas (close to Chestnut Hill) are far from public transit and far from campus. We could have easily gotten by without a car (Shaw's grocery store, great restaurants and services in walking distance) but chose to get one anyhow (you don't want to wait for the bus or T at an outdoor stop when the cold hits hard, and 6 minute car drive beats 15 minute bus ride any day). Brookline is well-known for having one of the best public school systems in Massachusetts (although we don't have kids, people move here especially because of it). It has some of the best restaurants and bakeries in the area, and is very safe (much lower crime rate than surrounding areas). It is also cheaper than Cambridge and you can definitely find better apartments for your dollar without being further away from campus. We discovered that Brookline is known as the Jewish area in greater Boston, as attested to by various kosher restaurants and delis/bakeries. We moved here because we didn't get on-campus housing, and didn't want to pay a fortune to live somewhere decent, but we are so glad we did. It definitely feels more real to live off-campus, and you get to know the city much better. Many of our friends on-campus were finding life a bit boring by 2nd semester of their first year.
Downtown/Back Bay
My husband and I live in the South End in Boston and LOVE it!! He has a ten minute drive to HBS and I have a ten minute walk to my office in the Back Bay. We live on the top floor apartment of a brownstone. We have really liked living in Boston and being much closer to everything it has to offer.

[Top]


Storage Facilities
Many self-storage facilities are available near HBS. Here are a couple that current partners have had good experiences with.

Extra Space
Office Hours: M-Sa 9:30am-6pm, Sun Closed
Gate Hours: 7am-7pm
Unit Sizes range from 5x5 to 10x20
Climate controlled
460 Somerville Ave, Somerville
617-625-1000

Public Storage
Office Hours: M-F 9:30am-6pm, Sat 9:30am-5pm, Sun 10am-2pm
Gate Hours: 6am-9pm
Climate controlled
327 Mystic Ave, Medford
866-864-3004

[Top]


Tips

Buy a rolling cart from Star (the grocery store), Bed Bath and Beyond, or Trader Joe's. It will save you when it comes time to do laundry and carting groceries up to your house! The best time to do laundry is in the mornings or any other time when the students are in classes. Crimson Cash is the best way to go. Be sure to have a few rolls of quarters when you fist move in, or at least until you get your partner ID. You can get rolls of quarters at the bank and also at the car wash place across the street from Star Market on Western Ave.

We lived a few miles off campus during our RC year, and bought a parking pass to park in the HBS garage on Western. That was a huge help because parking is very tricky around HBS. Check HBS classifieds, go through a broker, go on the housing tour during admit weekend. Finding housing with pets is very tricky. There aren't a lot of apartments that allow pets. I know 1008 Mass Ave allows pets, and a complex in Central Sq. Get an evening parking pass for HBS if you live off-campus. For $50 you can park at HBS after 5 PM and all day on the weekends for the entire year (August - August).

Cambridge street-parking sticker
It was $8.00 and you need to provide proof of residency (utility bill or lease). You can also get a visitors parking pass here as well. Just be aware of the street cleaning days, if you don’t move your car, you will be towed.

You can recycle old batteries and cell phones at your property management office.

Riverside Housing Specific Tips
Western Ave is a busy street. Hingham is much quieter. I’ve only woken up a few times from traffic noise on Western Ave but if you’re a light sleeper, Hingham might be a better choice. I think it’s more expensive but worth the money for some people.

I have had my bike stolen, buy a good lock. They cut right through my wire. There is no place for strollers to be stored. I carry mine up a flight of stairs every time I use it.

There are no elevators for the second and third floor. Keep this in mind when moving in and out.

Visitor parking can be tricky. Your property manager will give you details on obtaining a visitor permit for Peabody Terrace (this is the closest visitor parking). You can do this online with a credit card. The other option is HBS. They have parking in front of Spangler for $10 a day. You must have cash. I have heard Harvard Parking Services (on Blackstone St) will give your visitor a pass to park in the garage. I’ve never tried this.

387 Western, Hingham, and 10 Akron have their own parking garage. The car entrance is located under 10 Akron Street. An elevator and stairwell are located in front of the Western/Hingham complex for the garage. There is a 30 minute driveway in front of the buildings. You can buy an opener from Harvard parking for $50. This is a must for carrying groceries and other items into your apartment. Beware of street parking around this area. You need a Cambridge resident sticker to park. Your car will be ticketed if parked without the permit. There is meter parking down Blackstone Street. Its 2 hour parking until 5pm. Your parking permit for 10 Akron will get you into HBS parking lots for free after 5pm.

Not eligible for Cambridge Resident Permit!
[Top]