HumphreyC

A lot of houses here are oil heating which is pretty unfortunate. This is because heating oil used to be a lot cheaper - now it's gas which is cheap due to hydrofracking and oil has become expensive. I spent roughly $300 a month last winter to heat a 1500 square foot house - but that was with an exceptionally mild winter.

Oliver1979

Already thought of... new TV was on the cards anyway so no shock in costs.
Already checked a lot of the electric items i have and will work in the US. Can replace as time goes by with pure US stuff..

Right, lots ot think about and discuss with people, thanks everyone!!

Bob

Depends.

Plenty of apartments still have oil.

Most new build condo's don't, but in down town Boston, when they're brownstones that have been split into apartments, they're likely oil heat.

Oliver1979

All i know is my Mrs is the ice queen and needs constant warmth - my god the cost of heating her is gonna ruin me!!

As i wrote this she just said "my feet are cold"!!! my god!!

matbow

I wonder how splitting the oil cost between the different units works on one of those divided brown-stones? Do they all have their separate tanks? Sounds like a PITA and something all renters should ask before they decide on a place to rent!

Bob

They'd all have their own tank, in the basement. Tanks aren't that big, get filled up every couple of weeks during the winter mind, but once every 2-3 months in summer.

A couple of years ago, when we had 2/3 of a victorian house, about 1500 sq/ft, it was costing around $350-450 a month to keep at 62F, the family in the ground floor apartment were spending $400-500 a month at 72F but had about half of space too.

Oil was cheap then as well, it's about $2G more expensive now, well the last time I looked.

Definitely heat makes or breaks whether something is a good place to rent or not.

Things that need to be asked -

What's the heat, who/how pays for it.
Parking - how many spots, what about winter and any zoning.
Snow removal - included or not and public spaces?
Lease break out clause - How much notice if you have to leave suddenly for whatever reason.
Rubbish collection.
Maintenance - DIY and get reimbursed, or call landlord, get taken out of rent etc.
Windows - Check the state of screens and any storm windows and have them replaced before moving in if knackered.
If private rental - Credit check the landlord too, you don't want to find they've not been paying their mortgage and get reposed and then you get kicked out when the place it taken over to find you've also lost your last months and all deposits. I've seen it happen.

Oliver1979

Ok, so had a bit more info from people at work and talked to a colleague who lives in Boston.

Now we worked out the average salary for my type of role over there and it was more than what i thought, still i have set it to a lower level for sake of argument.

I also took far too much tax off according to him, and the healthcare was more than i entered.

So after looking at the advice posted on here and talking to the colleague it is clear that i could easily afford to move there in terms of monthly costs. So lets just say i get all my relocation costs paid for and have a nice amount in savings - i would have at least $1000 left per month as 'disposable' income. Although if i have to use oil to heat this would go down closer to $600 per month!

Its actually about the same as i have at the moment, not better off but not worse off either.

The point made about the Mrs not being able to work for 90 days and then perhaps not even finding a job has been partially resolved - she comes with me when we move over for 2 weeks to do any paperwork etc, help look for the apartment and then goes back to the UK for a 3 month period to enable her money to still come in. Am making the assumption she only has to apply for the EAD while in America and doesnt have to be there while waiting for it to go through... need to check this out more.

Got a few people who will look for work as a temp for her too, so that would do until she gets settled.

So its possible i will be moving, more so than last week - still at least 12 months before it happens so lots of time to do more research and follow directions you lot have given. Just had the worries over living costs, which i think i am far more clued up about now...

Now to get those $12k start up costs sorted lol

Thanks for all the help!!

Bob

She'll have to be in Boston for the biometrics, but she can come and go before and afterwards.

davidtheprof

been here 25 years, work at the state university, so we get new faculty from Europe looking for reasonable housing.
look in Roslindale, up and coming, and has a "commuter rail" into Boston, (that means it only runs once an hour, if you are lucky, but it does have a reliable schedule, unlike the green T line, which goes every 10-15 mins in the suburbs)

Quincy is another decent option with good transportation into the city.

Southie used to be gangland (Gone Baby Gone, the Departed, Good Will Hunting), but also up and coming, 2 of our faculty live near Andrew Station.

and Savin Hill is an interesting enclave in Dorchester, near Savin Hill T.

make sure you are on company health from day 1 !! and good luck