I have been looking right now, even though I'm planning to move later next year.
I've been seeing some $1500 2BD on the outskirts of the city. Probably a couple dozen or more, some are nothing special, but some seem pretty nice. I'm not looking for brand new appliances and finishes, I'm used to old units in multi-family homes. I get you on the 30+ applicant lines out the door for $1500 2BDs. I'd consider lowering my expectations and look at 1BDs as well. I like lofts but I understand the money it takes to heat and cool them and that's a large deterrent. I currently live in a whole house (single floor, 2 bed bungalow with a semi-finished basement & non-finished attic) split with one person. The utilities get max ~$400 in the winter for gas, electric and internet combined, split between 2 people has been $200 max pp in the height of winter and height of summer. Utils probably went up $40 in the peak seasons this year though since things have gone up. We had an energy audit and our home (built in 1950) is pretty well insulated. I just cannot live with a music producer anymore.. I am truly wanting to have my own space, a sanctuary in which I can sleep peacefully and actually get to bed at a decent bed time. Also, the landlord is a distant family member. He rents it to us cheap but the catch is we have to leave for 6 weeks every summer so he and his family (who live on the west coast) can come and use it as a summer home. While it seemed like a great deal in the beginning, I'm going on year 4 of this and it's getting tiring having to uproot every year and find somewhere else to live for those 6 weeks.

I wanted to know what you meant by overlapping leases? And how it would be costly but may yield better options?

I do like the idea of loft living however I did do it once in undergrad for a summer and I do understand the $$$ that is heating and cooling a loft. It never quite gets to the temp you want in extreme temps, despite paying a crap load for it. I've also learned that many loft buildings are poorly managed overall. I will be looking in Pawtucket nonetheless.

I would not be commuting during peak hours. I can create my schedule and would change it to the best of my ability to work around AM and PM rush hours.

I understand the downvotes, it's because of being a Boston transplant and also for creating another "I'm moving to PVD" thread. No biggie though, I get it.

I would be needing to commute to Boston 3-ish days out of the week. The rest of the time I'd work from home. Some social life will still be there but looking forward to finding/forming a social circle in the pvd area as well. The search for a 2 bed specifically is to have the second as an office/creative studio. I was also looking into 1BD units with enclosed sunrooms or 1 beds with other semi-enclosed spaces, as you did mention. I'm glad to hear that there's stock of some homes with these sorts of flex spaces in them.

Hmm, that's a good point about living more north of the city to jet out of PVD to get to Boston. I'm 30, so above the age of a portion of grad students. I'll be searching diligently starting early. Thanks for the advice.

Thank you for this insight!

Great, I'll start looking intently starting in Feb/March. Fox Point sounds like a great neighborhood and location so I'll keep my eye on that area as well.