I’m also on this boat also. moved here from the West Coast and feel completely scammed here in Boston. it’s actually insane too because most of the people here have bought into the completely corrupt politics that have caused the housing market to get to this place. if you ask people here, most will say they prefer Boston housing because of “tenant protections” and that brokers provide an essential service in such an impacted housing market. those guys are fuckin donkeys. the Boston housing market exists on the backs of students who cycle through apartments at a huge rate every year, and the broker industry makes a killing abusing poor college students into paying brokers fees when they move every year. every industry involved in the Boston housing market is in cahoots with this system. they’re all criminals in my view. that on top of the fact a broker came into my apartment without permission to show my apartment and walked into my bathroom while I was showering. I was full nude and the dude waved at me and proceeded to show my bathroom to his clients on clients with me naked in the bathroom. criminals.