Naive college brat here trying to find my own apartment for the

>>18472226
>do I just have to work with this?
Not from where you're from so I can't help you with the rest, but when you're renting as a student, it's basically the landlord's game.

Try Allston. You're at a disadvantage this late into the summer, but the 30 minute bit seems like cruel tactics, and the four months deposit seems a bit much. The 500 also sounds like a broker fee, which not all places will ask for. As a grad student, I got first and last month for a deposit on a one bedroom more than 1k less than your budget.
Again, Allston. Maybe check out some places farther down the red line, in the UMass area?

The summer can be a tough time to look. Good luck!

>>18472940
Unfortunately, Allston is terribly inconvenient location wise for me, since I'd have to take the B line and then transfer to E just to get to my school, Northeastern University. Thanks though.

>>18472226
4 months is high and that agent was desperate for a close. A good agent will never do that. But they will be aware that you could lose the unit if you take too long to decide, due to someone else getting it first. Find a different agent. There are loads of them and most are bad.

>>18472940
The 500 is likely just a security deposit. In most cities, the broker fee is paid by the landlord.