Have you tried posting a listing on ArchMart?

Look into roommates. I don't know how people are finding them these days but that will get you better space for less money. The school may do something--and craig's list et al are a way to go. Or suck it up for the first year and try to find people for the other year(s).

Cambridge/Summerville is an expensive place to live, but try to stay close to school. It is so much more bearable if you can walk for 10-15 minutes instead of trying to take the bus.

Two words: Somerville | Roommates

I am also going to be staring at the GSD this fall and am wondering a lot of these same things.

Also, a big question I have is WHEN should I try to find a place to live? Ideally I would move to Cambridge in early to mid August, find a place and move in right away. But I'm guessing this is probably not realistic. Would it be a good idea to fly out for a weekend in June to secure an apartment? Do you need to find a place further ahead than that?

Am I just being paranoid? The place I went to undergrad always had a shortage of housing in the area and you always had to find a place way ahead of time if you wanted somewhere to live for the next year. What is realistic for Cambridge?

aa11, I would definitely try to take a trip out there and see prospective places if you're signing more than a 6 month lease. You can get fucked with bad roommates and feel really uncomfortable for months, which is way too large of a mental toll to deal with. I lived in Cambridge and Somerville for 3 quarters last year.

And yea, guys definitely get a place in Cambridge/Somerville. I lived in two seperate apartments in the area with a couple roommates and rent + utilities was between 600-700. Somerville will give you a bit of a bike or T ride, but there are perks to living there. If you find a nice place in Cambridge though, go for it. Super nice neighborhood + harvard square is just a quick walk away.

Start looking for apartments at the end of June. Things fill up really quick in Cambridge/Somerville/Boston. Expect to pay at least to pay $700. If you want to be closer to the GSD, you will pay more. There is a premium to be close to Harvard.

Check out this site. The landlord is awesome and the apartments are nice. They also list apartments super early.

http://www.ralphmalin.com/

I've gone ahead and applied for HRES. Studios at prescott/ware seems close (even though its expensive, its a price im willing to pay for the first year). How are these apts? Opinions?

A little insight on the Cambridge apartment market (my street cred: I lived right around the corner from the GSD for several years...a ten minute walk... and just moved away last summer).

Craig's List is definitely a good starting point...both for finding apartments and roomates. The downside of Boston is that, like New York, you typically have to go through an Apartment Agent (like a real estate agent but for apts). When we moved into the 'hood, we paid first, last, security and a full agent fee...(so basically our rent ($1400)x4)...a nice little check for $5600. Painful as it was to write a check that amount for an apartment, we sucked it up and forked over the money for a few reasons, including mainly that our time for apartment hunting was limited, we had a flight to catch, we just wanted to get it over, we liked the place, etc.
The big hint... when you go to Craig's list, you'll see several options for apartments. Try your darndest to find one by owner (with no agent fee) or if you have to pay a fee, negotiate. I felt (too late) like we probably could have wiggled a bit on the fee, even paying just half in exchange for our place getting a tenant with good credit.

As for location, anything around Harvard Square is going to be the most $$$. Between the four hubs in Cambridge, Inman is the cheapest because it's not on the red line (which you really don't need anyhow, because you'll be walking/biking/busing to school) and about 10-15 minutes from the GSD. Porter and Central are also good options, because their backs easily connect to school and it's a quick walk to school.

I hope this helps and best of luck in the hunt for shelter!

ps. I forgot to mention Somerville. Like Inman, it's also a cheaper option and if you bike, you can easily take Beacon or Oxford and be at school in 10 minutes...but it is a tad disparate from the whole campus/Cambridge scene. Other people might have opposite opinions and while I do like Somerville and all its local businesses...I think I'd pick the other areas over this one for school. Just my one little personal opinion.

For those who have lived there - If I am looking for an Aug. roommate likely through craigslist, when do those listings start popping up? June/July?

Don't bother w craigslist. Go to Harvard Housing Office (think its on Mt Auburn St) and they have lots of postings. Only the Harvard community can search there so less visible than craigslist.

Post a listing. And look through listings.

Turnover will be right before graduation and right before school starts.

Cambridge/ somerville has v low number of studios/ 1 br. So finding one is not easy unless you are willing to pay a premium. most places w 2/3 br flats. If you live in Somerville it is much cheaper. At least 25% less.

Another option is to go to the GSD and put up signs all over the place saying youre some desperate young soul looking for a room. I'm sure youll find something.

Peabody Terrace also has units.

I am renting out one or two unfurnished upstairs (3rd floor) rooms. I live two streets away from Porter Square (red line) and it's about seven blocks to the Harvard yard, which at a leisurely walking pace is about 15 minutes.

Rent is $700 + utilities that are around $80 and change with seasons, but gas and electric tend to balance out.

Both rooms come with come with a desk and chair, and the first person to rent can have the mattress.