Anyone know of/work with housing in Cambridge Mass?

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

We have a VERY good friend who is moving to the Cambridge area soon. Any Realtor types or people selling/renting condos/townhomes? Nothing in the $million range

Thanks!

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Cambridge is extremely expensive and you're probably better off renting or living nearby if you're absolutely bent on buying. Does it have to be Cambridge? It's also a very quirky place and not for everyone.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

They wish to be close enough to public transport so that a car is not 100% required. Good salary and they have been looking on the net so sticker shock has already hit. But does not have to be in Cambridge proper.

Noting most of the rentals have a down payment requirement similar to a house down payment requirement.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Bump. Young couple is moving up there soon!

[9dreizig]

Shaun should be chiming in , he'll have some advise ..

[Tishabet]

Why cambridge in particular? If I (35 year old with wife, kid, dog) had a job in cambridge and close proximity was the name of the game I would be looking at Arlington or Jamaica Plain, but ymmv.

[Noah930]

So young couple = 2 people? Little kids yet? Both working? Where will they work? What's particular about Cambridge that attracts them?

All of Boston is a college town, and there are tons of young people, too. So rentals are abundant, from stuff fit for drunk college kids to luxury apts and condos. And realty offices do a lot of business renting places (unlike realtors in some other cities, who seem to detest listing/showing rentals). Do they want a more urban experience (like Harvard Square, Coolidge Corner, Cleveland Circle, or the Fenway)? Or more suburban (like Watertown or Waltham or Newton)?

Shaun's a local to Cambridge... I've got a buddy who lives in a high rise in between Government Center (City Hall) and the Garden--there are always units available in his complex of about 4 40-story towers. He's got killer views and is central to everything Boston, but I think his rent is also about $3-4K.

If they're planning on public transportation, there are the busses (never took one so can't comment) and the subway system (called the T, which everyone seems to take). It's nice to live within walking distance of a T stop--it makes getting downtown a lot easier. The Red Line services Cambridge, so they can look at a map of the T on the MBTA to see how close by a potential apt/condo/house is.