Homo Sweet Homo: A Small Resource Guide for Finding Housing in Northampton, Massachusetts
Here's a mini-resource guide I've prepared over the years for folks seeking housing here.
===HOUSING===
* The best rental agency in town has always been Robinson Realty. The previous owner, Steve Robinson, recently (in the past two years) sold his business after 18 years, and it is my understanding that the new business owner is similarly very good, nice, down-to-earth, but won't try to upsell you or anything. As far as I know, this agency deals strictly with rentals. They're located in the Maplewood Shops in Northampton (near the hairstylist, and near Acadia Herbals, and the former site of Oh, My!), and are on the web at http://www.robinsonre.com/ - if this agency can't help you, they will most likely know who can. The finder's fee here is standard, 1/2 a month's rent at whatever place you find.
* I've had a lot of experience rental-hunting in NoHo/Amherst/the valley. I would try to avoid Harlow/EagleCrest and Upton-Massamont. I have heard mixed responses to these two companies, but have had very poor experiences with both companies. Ditto for Suzanne & Company, though I would attempt to go through Suzanne & Company again before I ever tried those other two. Suzanne & Company is unreliable, and it is difficult to get them on the phone. Upton-Massamont and Eagle Crest are beyond unreliable, and their agents are not well-trained in honest, fair business dealings, to be diplomatic. :) If you must contact them, be very cautious. Their information can be easily found on the web.
* A new site that just came up in the past few years is http://www.rentnoho.com - their phone number is 413-582-0300. Their rental properties are varied in quality but not price, which tends to be on the higher end. If you see something on NoHo.com, try to schedule an appointment to visit it ASAP, because those properties tend to go fast.
* Two other property management companies around here are Autumn Management (http://www.autumnproperties.net - 413-527-1580) and Kendrick Property Management (http://www.kendrickmanagement.com - 413-253-0285); Kendrick is mainly Amherst, but you never know.
* The UMASS Commuter Student Housing Resource Center online is an *excellent* place to list and search. It's for the whole community, and you may have to create a login to read and post, but it's well worth it (and free). Their website is www.cshrc.org and a really exciting area is their resources page, which is http://www.cshrc.org/resources.php
* Also, the Stonewall Center's Queer-E is a great place to list and search; over 1,000 people (students and community) read it, weekly. http://www.umass.edu/stonewall/queere/
* Pride & Joy has a community resource binder that you can go peruse in their store on Crafts Ave in Northampton; you can drop off a listing or search for what's available. http://www.nohoprideandjoy.com/
* Craigslist is also pretty okay, but I simply adore the UMASS CHSRC, hands down. Visit http://www.craigslist.org (and click on the "Mass" link, then search within Western Massachusetts) to read, reply to, and make your own posts.
* Infrequently, www.noho.com can be of use, so don't rule it out. :)
* Do be aware that there are tons of housing fliers all over the city. Check corkboards in the following places: Brugger's Bagels, Thorne's Marketplace (the staircases going from 1st to 3rd floors, as well as the exit doors in the basement), Turn It Up! used music, Paradise Copies, Deals & Steals, Herrell's Ice Cream, the back entrance/exit to Raven Used Books, the wall/corkboard outside of Guild Art. There are tons more posters and fliers all over town, you just have to keep an eye out. If you're in town for the day, it can definitely be worth it. Plus also, you can post your OWN flier! Just make sure to use an anonymous (Hotmail, Gmail, or Yahoo!, etc) email address for your own happiness and safety, as with anything.
Good luck searching, and I hope you'll this guidelet to be useful! Repost at will!
===HOUSING===
* The best rental agency in town has always been Robinson Realty. The previous owner, Steve Robinson, recently (in the past two years) sold his business after 18 years, and it is my understanding that the new business owner is similarly very good, nice, down-to-earth, but won't try to upsell you or anything. As far as I know, this agency deals strictly with rentals. They're located in the Maplewood Shops in Northampton (near the hairstylist, and near Acadia Herbals, and the former site of Oh, My!), and are on the web at http://www.robinsonre.com/ - if this agency can't help you, they will most likely know who can. The finder's fee here is standard, 1/2 a month's rent at whatever place you find.
* I've had a lot of experience rental-hunting in NoHo/Amherst/the valley. I would try to avoid Harlow/EagleCrest and Upton-Massamont. I have heard mixed responses to these two companies, but have had very poor experiences with both companies. Ditto for Suzanne & Company, though I would attempt to go through Suzanne & Company again before I ever tried those other two. Suzanne & Company is unreliable, and it is difficult to get them on the phone. Upton-Massamont and Eagle Crest are beyond unreliable, and their agents are not well-trained in honest, fair business dealings, to be diplomatic. :) If you must contact them, be very cautious. Their information can be easily found on the web.
* A new site that just came up in the past few years is http://www.rentnoho.com - their phone number is 413-582-0300. Their rental properties are varied in quality but not price, which tends to be on the higher end. If you see something on NoHo.com, try to schedule an appointment to visit it ASAP, because those properties tend to go fast.
* Two other property management companies around here are Autumn Management (http://www.autumnproperties.net - 413-527-1580) and Kendrick Property Management (http://www.kendrickmanagement.com - 413-253-0285); Kendrick is mainly Amherst, but you never know.
* The UMASS Commuter Student Housing Resource Center online is an *excellent* place to list and search. It's for the whole community, and you may have to create a login to read and post, but it's well worth it (and free). Their website is www.cshrc.org and a really exciting area is their resources page, which is http://www.cshrc.org/resources.php
* Also, the Stonewall Center's Queer-E is a great place to list and search; over 1,000 people (students and community) read it, weekly. http://www.umass.edu/stonewall/queere/
* Pride & Joy has a community resource binder that you can go peruse in their store on Crafts Ave in Northampton; you can drop off a listing or search for what's available. http://www.nohoprideandjoy.com/
* Craigslist is also pretty okay, but I simply adore the UMASS CHSRC, hands down. Visit http://www.craigslist.org (and click on the "Mass" link, then search within Western Massachusetts) to read, reply to, and make your own posts.
* Infrequently, www.noho.com can be of use, so don't rule it out. :)
* Do be aware that there are tons of housing fliers all over the city. Check corkboards in the following places: Brugger's Bagels, Thorne's Marketplace (the staircases going from 1st to 3rd floors, as well as the exit doors in the basement), Turn It Up! used music, Paradise Copies, Deals & Steals, Herrell's Ice Cream, the back entrance/exit to Raven Used Books, the wall/corkboard outside of Guild Art. There are tons more posters and fliers all over town, you just have to keep an eye out. If you're in town for the day, it can definitely be worth it. Plus also, you can post your OWN flier! Just make sure to use an anonymous (Hotmail, Gmail, or Yahoo!, etc) email address for your own happiness and safety, as with anything.
Good luck searching, and I hope you'll this guidelet to be useful! Repost at will!