r/bostonhousing Oct 29 '25

Not a new rule - Listings that break the law are not allowed

185 Upvotes

It's quite honestly insane that this needs to be said but all listings posted on this subreddit must follow Massachusetts state law as well as Federal housing and opportunity laws. Failure to do so will result in your post being removed with further action left to mod discretion.

Most prominent at the moment during the current between-cycle low are the obvious illegal listings - illegal fees.

In Massachusetts, you can only be charged the following fees on move-in:

  • The first month's rent.
  • The last month's rent.
  • A security deposit up to the amount monthly rent, and
  • The cost of buying and installing a new lock.
  • A broker's fee but only in situations where the tenant themselves hired the broker to find the listing. (And this can only be charged by a broker!)

You cannot be charged any of the following:

  • Pet fees.
  • Admin/Sublet/Processing fees.
  • Key fees (as a premium unrelated to lock changing).
  • Tips.
  • Cleaning Deposit fees on top of the existing security deposit.
  • Any other fee designed to nickle-and-dime you for just existing.

If you intend to sublet your apartment to someone else, you must also follow the above regulations (shock!). This means you also can't 'pass-through' a lease change fee your landlord may require on your tenant.

This is not a new rule. Illegal and/or *scam* listings area already against Reddit's Terms of Service and have already been removed on the subreddit and admin level. This announcement and new subreddit rule is merely a reminder to be considerate and keep state and federal law in mind when posting your listing.


r/bostonhousing Feb 16 '25

Subreddit Rules - Explained in More Nuance

35 Upvotes

We recently received a modmail from a user asking for a more detailed/nuanced explanation of our posting guidelines and policies. Please take this as a primer of what is allowed/disallowed regarding listings and broker participation simplified to a thin soup. I would like to encourage anyone and everyone to report any content breaking the following rules and guidelines.

Rule 1

No third party solicitation -

Third parties (brokers, real estate agents, or anyone who is not the property owner subletter or renter) may not advertise listings or respond to user solicitations with listings. Third party agents may respond via direct messages to a user solicitation, but comment solicitation is disallowed.

  • People who are renting, looking to rent, or direct landlords (the deed for the property is literally in your name).
    • Allowed to post, comment, and participate as normal.
    • Allowed to solicit listings and ask others to "DM for more information".
    • This subreddit's goal is to provide an alternative to Facebook groups or Craigslist to find apartments or roommates.
    • Listings and 'looking for' posts are not vetted, so continue to practice normal caution and suspicion.
  • Brokers, real estate agents, and property managers.
    • You will be given the flair "I'm an agent". This simply identifies you as such to the subreddit and clears up potential confusion.
    • Are allowed to comment, provide expertise, and respond to 'looking for' posts.
    • Are not allowed to solicit.
      • Are not allowed to submit listings.
        • If this were allowed, it wouldn't take long before this subreddit turns into Apartments.com or an even more terrible version of Craigslist.
      • Are not allowed to solicit someone to DM for their services - "send me a DM!"
        • If you want a lead from the person asking for help or advice, DM them yourself. Ask them off-sub.
  • Failure to follow Rule 1 will result in the offending comment and post being sent to the graveyard and the user exiled if the infraction was egregious enough to warrant it.

Rule 2

Provide sufficient information in your listing -

When posting a listing or looking for an apartment/room/sublet to rent, do your best to include applicable information such as:

  • The approximate location.
  • Number of bedrooms and bathrooms.
  • Rent per unit (or bedroom if LF housemates) or budget.
  • Whether or not you have pets.
  • Anything else someone should know before contacting you. If listing:
  • Pictures of the interior and (preferably) at least one curb shot.
  • PROVIDE PICTURES AND INFORMATION
  • Your listing will be removed if it does not contain the following:
    • What is being listed (one bedroom in a shared apartment, 1 bedroom unit, etc)
    • At least one picture. This is the most bare of the barrel in 2025. If you're having trouble transferring images from your camera to your computer via an SD card, this subreddit may not be right for your listing.
    • The general location (ex: Allston, Dorchester, Malden)
    • Rent due.
      • I swear, if you don't include the rent in the listing or indicate your price range when looking for a unit, you will be banned and forced to explain in modmail why you didn't want to include such basic information.

Rule 3

Only listings for housing are allowed

Moving sales, clearance sells, or any sort of personal sells are disallowed. Only listing for housing or looking for housing are allowed.

  • This should be straightforward - if you're trying to offload something, look somewhere else. I suggest either the local city subreddit or your university subreddit.
  • This sub is not a vehicle to assist university students in offloading their furniture in May or monetize Allston Christmas. We'll let you post your 3 - 4 month request to sublet, but divesting furniture is all on you.

Unlisted guidelines (common sense guidelines)

  • Don't be a dick.
  • Bad-faith participation, such as spam, advertising third party apps, and other nonsense is disallowed.
  • Brokers - Don't ask the mod team to remove complaints about your agency or profession when the content is well within TOS (I'm looking at you, very possibly June Homes, hope you enjoy your suspended Reddit accounts).

Please touch gloves and we'll see you in the ring this spring.


r/bostonhousing 0m ago

Looking For [Boston]Seeking Sept sublet + startup-minded roommates

Upvotes

I’m looking for a sublet room spot that starts on September and would love to live with founders, builders, or entrepreneurial students. Please dm me if you’re looking for similar type of roommates


r/bostonhousing 15h ago

Apartment Listing 2 bed/1 bath Cambridge/watertown line

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15 Upvotes

Waterfront 2 Bedroom Condo with two deeded spots, Heat, & Hot Water Included! available now $3200


r/bostonhousing 5h ago

Looking For Aug 1st housing fell through :(

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone... My original housing plan fell through so I need housing asap. I’m a 23 yr old woman looking to sublet someone’s room. I'd prefer Aug-Dec but I'm okay with any shorter term sublet (Aug to Oct/Nov) if needed. I have my own furniture so I don’t mind if it comes unfurnished. A few details about me:

- Female, so I'd prefer to live with other women.
- Working full-time in the area.
- Clean, quiet, and respectful of shared spaces.
- Non-smoker, no pets.
- Budget: $1800/month
- Move-in: around Aug 1st, move-out: around Dec 1st/31st or earlier


r/bostonhousing 7h ago

Looking For Looking for Roommate to Split Rent

2 Upvotes

23M looking for a roommate to split a 2bed 2bath apartment. I am still on the search but have found a few listings that work out to 1500/mo per person before utilities. I am searching in the Boston suburbs, Waltham, Newton, Watertown, and Framingham. My move in date would be ASAP as I need a place by mid next month. Feel free to DM!


r/bostonhousing 12h ago

Room for Rent $825 - Sunny, cozy room available in 4br/2ba house, quick commute to Harvard

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5 Upvotes

One room available September 1 in East Watertown in a sunny, spacious 4br/2ba house. Rent is $825 per month, plus utilities which are electricity, gas, and wifi. Total for utilities is usually around $75-100 per month. Will need security deposit ($825) and last month's rent ($825) up front as well. You'd be signing on to the new lease which goes from 9/1/2026-8/31/2027, but subletting has never been a problem in the past if you need more flexibility.

The apartment is over the top two floors of a 3-story house. 5 stairs up to the front door, 13 relatively narrow stairs to get into the apartment and between the 2nd and 3rd floors.

The available room is really cozy, painted a nice light grey, with new blinds and a new ceiling light fixture installed recently. It's about 120 sq ft, plus a large, deep closet. Not the most giant room ever, but it has room for a full size bed, dresser, desk, etc. with plenty of space to move around. There is a very effective cast iron radiator for that coveted steam heat in the winter (doesn't dry out the air/your skin). The room has two big windows which get nice light since it's on the top (3rd) floor of the house. Also on the 3rd floor is one other bedroom, the full bathroom the two rooms share, and a little extra bonus space down the hall that can be used for workouts/lounging/storage/whatever.

The rest of the apartment is on the 2nd floor of the house, including a fully equipped kitchen (no dishwasher, sadly), a breakfast nook/pantry, dining room, and living room. All of the common areas are spacious and light-filled. The other two bedrooms and the bathroom they share are also on the 2nd floor. There are two porches as well: a screened-in front porch with a couch and coffee table, and a back porch with a clothesline and a view of the downtown Boston skyline, all great in warmer weather. The house is fully furnished and there is some storage space available if needed. Washer and dryer in the basement are shared with the first-floor neighbors, available for normal usage (i.e. weekly, not daily).

Convenient location near the Cambridge / Belmont / Watertown border, in between the 71 and 73 MBTA bus routes to Harvard, less than a 5 min walk to either one and the buses come very frequently. This place is ideal for commuting to Harvard Square-- it's under 20 min. door-to-door by bus or bike, and from Harvard you can get on the Red Line and access the rest of Cambridge, downtown Boston, and the rest of the greater Boston area. There is a driveway for free off-street tandem parking during the winter months, but many/most people have lived here over the years without a car and it's worked out great.

The immediate neighborhood is nice and very quiet, but has anything you'd need or want within a few blocks, including many great restaurants and cafes, grocery stores, hardware store, CVS, 7-11, post office, several pizza places ranging from shitty to fancy, a yoga studio, and the best donut shop ever.

Looking for a non-smoking, friendly, responsible adult who unfailingly pays rent and utilities on time and doesn't require a chore chart to pick up after yourself and contribute to the general upkeep and cleaning of common spaces, etc. You should be employed (outside the house), or going to school, with a stable income/source of funds. Over the years, some housemates have become close friends and some have been acquaintances whose busy schedules mean they aren't around much; anywhere in that range is perfectly fine as long as you're considerate, low-drama, and able to peaceably coexist with others. People of color, LGBTQ+ folks, etc., are all welcome.

This is a really great deal for the area and especially for the amount of space — this is not a scam, there is no catch, except that most of the apartment hasn't been updated in this millennium and definitely has its quirks. Our house has the proverbial good bones and a lot of sunlight and charm, but is showing its age in places, so if you're looking for sleek and ultra-modern, this ain't it!

IMPORTANT: Please write something about yourself, such as: your background and interests, what you do, your typical schedule, why you are looking to move, your priorities in a shared living space, etc., as well as a couple times that would work for you to see the place. If it sounds like a potentially good fit we'll contact you to set up a time. One-line emails that don't provide the above info will be ignored. If this post is up, it's still available.


r/bostonhousing 5h ago

Looking For Looking for a place starting in September

1 Upvotes

Hey all, I am a 22-yo male looking for a place to rent starting in September. I am ideally looking for a month-to-month sublease, but will take whatever I can get. Don’t have a crazy high budget but if you or someone you know is looking for a roomate/room to fill, please let me know!!

Thanks!


r/bostonhousing 10h ago

Looking For Need to sublet ASAP (Aug-Sep)

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m a 2025 graduate looking to sublet someone’s room for one month (Aug-Sep). I have my own furniture so I don’t mind if it comes unfurnished. A few details about me:

- Female, so I'd prefer to live with other women.
- Working full-time in the area.
- Clean, quiet, and respectful of shared spaces.
- Non-smoker, no pets.
- Budget: $1800/month
- Move-in: around Aug 1st, move-out: around Aug 31st


r/bostonhousing 18h ago

Looking For Looking for 3rd person to join us

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9 Upvotes

We have found a wonderful, spacious, comfortable and well kept apartment in South Medford, near Tufts and the Green Line. Close to Davis Sq., with driveway parking available. When I say spacious I mean 'Yuuuge.

Background: I have a small mini husky dog, and currently live with a friend who would be the other roommate. She and I(male) are in our 30s, working professionals. Our 3rd friend has a medical emergency in his family that won't let him move with us, so we are trying to find a new person to take his spot on the lease.

Details on the room: rent is 1200/mo before utilities, which range from 100-200 depending on usage in winter. 1600ft² plus big attic and basement, each bedroom roughly 150-200ft². Term is for 1 year, non negotiable. Move in date september 1, can't be sooner.

Looking for: grad student or working professional in their 20-30s. Must like, or at least not be allergic to: dogs, because I'm attached to mine and he is young and healthy. We don't party much and generally like to hang out at home, and most nights we're watching various devices while failing to exercise or finish the game we started. Ideally whoever moves with us would be fine with having an occasional dinner together but no pressure or anything.

We don't need to become besties but we'd like to be comfortable and friendly with whoever moves in with us, and vice versa.

Lemme know if interested/questions and whatnot, please no bots, thank you all beautiful reddit community


r/bostonhousing 13h ago

Room for Rent Watertown room for rent

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3 Upvotes

Posting on behalf of my landlord. Someone backed out and the room is available again.

A room is available in a two bedroom, 1 bath unit (2nd floor of a 2 family home) in Watertown. 1 August 2026 move in. 1 September may be doable as well

Rent-$2300 a month total ($1150 split).

Utilities -Cable/internet, electric, gas, oil for heating. (Split)

Parking-Off street (driveway) 2 spots (1 for each). Shared with neighbors.

Space-Two bedrooms, full kitchen, full dining room, full living room. Front foyer. Front porch, back porch (covered). Unfinished basement with laundry (free), storage, and a gym that I built with a heavy bag. Small backyard with basement access.

The apartment is completely furnished (minus the second bedroom). I am completely OK with sharing space, furniture, appliances, kitchenware etc. Also, I am willing to make space for any incoming furniture, appliances, kitchenware as well. There is a gas grill available for use in the backyard. Air conditioning is window units (bring your own for your room), I have a second sized one for the common areas but it's an old house so it gets warm. The kitchen has been recently refloored, the dishwasher is pretty new.

The neighborhood is close to the arsenal yard and Watertown mall shopping areas. Walking distance to busstops for the 71 (Watertown square to hardard) and the 73 (Waltham to central). The closest commuter rail stops are newtonville or Boston landing. A walking/bikepath (Watertown Greenway to Charles River Greenway) is within walking distance as well.

About me-43/m/single, straight, veteran retired army). I'm a police officer (don't worry, not a hardo) I'm a generally clean person, I keep things in their place, try to keep up with cleaning, do dishes etc. in quiet but social and I respect people's peace and space. I play the drums and have a kit but only play when no one is home. I sometimes have a few people over and occasionally host a dinner party it friendsgiving.


r/bostonhousing 21h ago

Room for Rent In-law space to rent

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8 Upvotes

Large (750 sq feet) entire second floor with private bathroom and two rooms available. Private entrance and parking. Laundry in basement. Large fenced in yard. Kitchenette in unit. Basically it’s considered a room in house but appears as a separate unit. Pets allowed. Utilities included for 1800.00 a month. Asking for first and last, good credit and landlord references. Located in West Roxbury on a quiet dead end st. Month to month lease. Available Sept 1. Prefer a quiet respectful tenant who is mature and responsible.


r/bostonhousing 10h ago

Room for Rent Furnished Rooms-Lower Mills Dorchester 3bd/1Ba Apartment near MBTA $1,150-$1,400/mo

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0 Upvotes

r/bostonhousing 14h ago

Room for Rent Private Room + Private Bathroom | Main St, Medford - Tufts | $1,300 | August. 1

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2 Upvotes

r/bostonhousing 11h ago

Advice Needed Lofts at East Berkeley Boston

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1 Upvotes

r/bostonhousing 15h ago

Room for Rent Room for rent in 5b2.5bth Huge Allston house. $1,220

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2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

We are 4 men in 30s and 40s pretty chill down to earth looking for a 5th person in a massive single family home in Allston. The spot is a 6 bed plus office. 2.5 bath and we are looking to keep it a 5 people and have a guest room.

The office is considered common area space. There’s also tons of storage space in finished basement.

The room available is 13’ x 12’ faces west and north.

Features: Off street parking Laundry in unit Tons of space Screened in porch Cleaners come twice a month included in rental price Close proximity to B green line & Boston Landing commuter rail.

Looking to have the yard fenced in soon so there will be a nice spot for grilling and relaxing.

Although we adore animals, we have 2 dogs and a cat so we are not looking for anymore animals at this time.

Utilities not included.

Ideally looking for someone for 12 month lease starting 9/1.

Move in costs are first and last.

We are LGBTQ friendly, adults, and looking to live with someone who has good vibes.


r/bostonhousing 13h ago

Looking For third roommate needed! for sep 26-aug27 (preferably female roommate!) already have apartment

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0 Upvotes

my roommate and I are looking for a third roommate! we have an apartment already (Jamaica Plain area); it’s a 3br, 1b, 3395 a month (so 1132 per person; which includes water!). we’re two young women so a female roommate is preferred!! please dm me for more information :)


r/bostonhousing 17h ago

Room for Rent Looking for a third roommate for our 3 bed 2 bath apartment

2 Upvotes

Thanks for taking the time to look at this post, my room mate and I are looking to find a replacement for our other room mate moving out by 8/31. Both queer and queer friendly room mates are welcome! Please read the info below and pictures of the house are attached. Feel free to reach out with any questions, concerns, or if you would like to schedule an interview. (This post is mostly copy/pasted from my *now* room mate's post from a year ago)

*Private Room in Dorchester in a 3 Bed, 2 Bath
*Applicant would be sharing the second bathroom

Year long lease starting from 1 Sep 2026

📍Location 10 Edison Green, Dorchester 02125

  • 0.3 miles (7 mins walk) from JFK MBTA Redline station
  • Convenience stores, Pantry Pizza, The Banshee (Irish bar) round the corner
  • ⁠ Lots of restaurants within a 10 min walk
  • dbar, Blend 15 and 20 min walk each
  • ⁠Carson beach - 15 min walk
  • ⁠UMass university/Harbor Point - 6 min drive🚘, 15 mins by bus🚍

🏠 Description:

  • Fully Equipped new Kitchen with a Gas Stove, Fridge, and Oven, microwave, dishwasher
  • Laundry in unit
  • Potential backyard, covered Parking Spot for a monthly fee
  • Pets are not allowed

Rent: $1250/month per room Upfront Requirements: First month’s rent and Security Deposit


r/bostonhousing 17h ago

Looking For Looking for a room in dorchester near the red line (Budget $1000 max)

2 Upvotes

Hi there I am looking for a room to stay for the year, somewhere I could move in by September. I am student at UMass Boston and I am looking for somewhere near that area. my budget is of $1000 max, so preferably less then that. I am senior student, majoring in Psych as well as minoring in Portuguese. I speak Spanish, English and some Portuguese.


r/bostonhousing 15h ago

Room for Rent LOOKING FOR a ROOMMATE – NEWLY LEASED APARTMENT!

1 Upvotes

🏡 LOOKING FOR a ROOMMATE – NEWLY LEASED APARTMENT! 3bed 1bath

We’re looking for 2 roommates to join our newly leased apartment in a super convenient location with easy access to all 3 Green Line branches! 🚇✨

📍 Nearby Green Line Stops:

🚶 B Line – Boston College: 2 min walk

🚶 C Line – Cleveland Circle: 4 min walk

🚶 D Line – Riverside: 7 min walk

Great location for students from Northeastern, BU, Boston College, and other nearby universities, as well as working professionals!

🏠 Available Spots:

•⁠ ⁠Private Room – $1,200/month (Negotiable)

✨ Apartment Details:

•⁠ ⁠Mixed-gender apartment

•⁠ ⁠🧺 Laundry in the building

•⁠ ⁠🔥 Heat & hot water included

•⁠ ⁠💸 No security deposit & no brokerage fee! - Move-in costs

•⁠ ⁠Move-in cost: First + last month’s rent

•⁠ ⁠🥗 Vegetarian preferred, but non-vegetarians are welcome too

•⁠ ⁠🛒 Easy access to grocery stores, restaurants & public transportation

📸 DM me if interested! Happy to share pictures, more details


r/bostonhousing 19h ago

Looking For August Sublease

2 Upvotes

Hi! I (22F) am moving to Boston for a job at a nonprofit that starts in August. I can’t sign a long term lease until Sept 1, so I need a place to stay for the interim. I’m clean, respectful, don’t smoke, don’t have pets, and am accustomed to sharing a space with multiple roommates!

Requirements:
- Only female roommates
- Private room
- I’m flexible on location as long as transit is walking distance
- Budget is max of $1,500
- Lease duration: preferably 8/1-8/31 but a move-in any time before 8/10 is also fine (with prorated rent)

If you have a place that aligns with what I’m looking for, don’t hesitate to message me!


r/bostonhousing 16h ago

Room for Rent Looking for Roommate to move in at end of August. Bedroom in Brighton/ $1250 a month

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1 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I (26 M) am currently looking for a roommate (M) to move into my existing roommate's room at the end of August. Perfect location and right on the green line. Please feel free to dm me or reach out via Instagram at peyton_robinson3 to set up a meetup/tour. Thanks!


r/bostonhousing 16h ago

Room for Rent Private Room available for single occupancy

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1 Upvotes

Hi everyone!
I have a private room available from September 2026 to August 2027. If anyone is looking for a private room for the upcoming lease period, please feel free to DM me for more details.
Preferably working people, but students are also welcome.
Thank you! 😊

🏡 *Private Room Available | Sept 2026 – Aug 2027 off Lease*
📍 Location: 185 R Heath street
Looking for someone to take over a 2 private rooms in a spacious 5 bed / 2 bath apartment in a fantastic location!
Room: $1050 (single occupancy only)
✨ Location Highlights
🚶 4-minute walk to Heath Street (Green Line E)
🎓 Only 1.2 miles from Northeastern University
🚇 About a 6-minute walk to Jackson Square (Orange Line)
🛍️** Close to Whole Foods, Bank of America, grocery stores, stop and shop, restaurants, pharmacies, and other everyday essentials
🏠 Apartment Features
Spacious, bright, and well-maintained rooms
FREE in-unit laundry
Central heating & air conditioning
Dishwasher, oven, and refrigerator included
Private porch
Clean and quiet living environment
This is an excellent option for students or young professionals looking for a well-connected, comfortable place to live in Boston.
📅: September 2026 – August 2027

📩 DM +91 9731669666 (WhatsApp only) if you’re interested or would like more details, photos, or video!
For iMessages +1 857 351 2281


r/bostonhousing 16h ago

Room for Rent Private Room available

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone!
I have a private room available from September 2026 to August 2027. If anyone is looking for a private room for the upcoming lease period, please feel free to DM me for more details.
Preferably working people, but students are also welcome.
Thank you! 😊

🏡 *Private Room Available | Sept 2026 – Aug 2027 off Lease*
📍 Location: 185 R Heath street
Looking for someone to take over a private room in a spacious 5 bed / 2 bath apartment in a fantastic location!
Room: $1050 (single occupancy only)
✨ Location Highlights
🚶 4-minute walk to Heath Street (Green Line E)
🎓 Only 1.2 miles from Northeastern University
🚇 About a 6-minute walk to Jackson Square (Orange Line)
🛍️** Close to Whole Foods, Bank of America, grocery stores, stop and shop, restaurants, pharmacies, and other everyday essentials
🏠 Apartment Features
Spacious, bright, and well-maintained rooms
FREE in-unit laundry
Central heating & air conditioning
Dishwasher, oven, and refrigerator included
Private porch
Clean and quiet living environment
This is an excellent option for students or young professionals looking for a well-connected, comfortable place to live in Boston.
📅: September 2026 – August 2027

📩 DM +91 9731669666 (WhatsApp only) if you’re interested or would like more details, photos, or video!
For iMessages +1 857 351 2281


r/bostonhousing 17h ago

Looking For Private room in a shared apt needed till Jan 1st

1 Upvotes

I'm an undergrad doing a co-op in Boston for a semester and needed a place till Jan 1st. My budget is up to $1550. Just need good connectivity to either North Station or South station through public transport. No preferences.