Even though Spring's first day is tomorrow, it's evident that winter is not quite over. There a few more opportunities for snow to fall and ice to form over Boston. And while renters might assume that their landlord is responsible for shoveling snow and other winter weather maintenance, that's not necessarily true. As a renter, the responsibility for snow removal varies depending on your location and the agreement you've entered into with the landlord. To get down to the bottom of the issue, we recommend looking in three places: Your lease, state laws, and local ordinances.

YOUR LEASE

Like many questions involving landlord and renter rights and responsibilities, your lease is a good starting point to find out more information. Usually, if you live in an apartment complex with common areas and parking spots, your landlord will be responsible for keeping those areas clear; but it won't always be explicitly written in the lease. If you're renting a single-family home where you have sole control over the walkways and driveways, you may find that you're responsible for shoveling snow and clearing walkways of ice, in addition to cutting the grass and other seasonal maintenance.

STATE LAWS

If your lease has no mentions of snow removal, your next step is to find out what your state law says. State laws vary, and responsibility for the task may differ depending on the apartment you're renting and the terms of your lease. This is important if your lease does not explicitly mention snow removal, but it's also important even if your lease does cover the topic. Some landlords, particularly smaller ones, use stock leases without being fully aware of the relevant state laws or statutes. If your landlord has an obligation based on state laws, the language in your lease may not change or override that.

To prevent confusion, a blanket law over Massachusetts protects renters and landlords from going into legal battle over who shovels what. Particularly, Bostonian landlords are tasked by the city to sweep and shovel snow that's in the "immediate proximity" of their property. This doesn't necessarily mean that renters don't have a responsibility to keep those alleyways clear; rather they are protected from being liable if something untoward happens to individuals utilizing your leasable space. If you're the victim however, your landlord is answerable to you and is bound by your lease to address the situation.

LOCAL ORDINANCES

Finally, take a look at your local ordinances. Some cities and counties have additional laws, called ordinances, which place obligations on either tenants or landlords.They'll spell out not only your landlord's responsibilities with regard to snow removal, but may provide you with remedies, or a person to contact, if management isn't keeping up their end of the bargain.  While these ordinances won't conflict with state law, they may increase your responsibilities--or your landlord's. You can usually find a copy of local ordinances on your town's or county's website. We've included some here, such as:

• For Boston, Worcester, and Lynn: sidewalks in front of businesses or residences must be shoveled and safe to walk on.
• If you're a property owner in Worcester, you must remove snow and ice from sidewalks 10 hours after it stops snowing. The fine for failing to comply with this city ordinance is $75.00 per day.
• Throwing snow into Boston city streets, whether public and especially private, is prohibited.
• In Salem shoveling snow back into the street will cost you $75.00 the first time you do it, $150.00 the second time, and $200.00 for the third and each time after that. (And in Lynn you'll get fined $100.00).

By checking your lease, state laws and local ordinances, you should be able to get concrete answers to your question who is responsible for shoveling snow during the winter season - which sadly for us, Bostonians, is still staying put.

Whether you're the type to go out for a late dinner and dancing or head to a low key bar for some live music and a local beer, one if not many of Boston's numerous neighborhoods will surely make make you feel at home and welcome you with open arms. For those of you new to Boston, here's a helpful guide we've come up with that outlines the vibes of some of Boston's different neighborhoods. Check out boston.com's neighborhood quiz to see which part of Boston you might find most appealing.

Allston

If you enjoy dive bars, college house parties and cheap eats, then the tight-knit collective of Allston is the place for you. A melting pot of students trying to find themselves, you'll encounter musicians, artists and a bit of "preppy" Boston College students.

Back Bay

Back Bay

Back Bay is home to some of the most gorgeous Victorian brownstone homes in the city as well as and hundreds of popular cafes, restaurants and boutiques. The area also contains two of Boston's tallest and most iconic buildings: the Prudential Center and the John Hancock Tower. Home of such Boston landmarks as the Public Garden, the Copley Plaza and Park Plaza hotels, the Public Library and Boston's Public Garden, it is the best area to spend a day off of work strolling through.

Beacon Hill

Across the Common and Gardens from Boston's Theater District lies one of the most picturesque neighborhoods in the city, Beacon Hill. Over 10,000 people call its narrow streets and brick row-houses home. The Beacon Hill Civic Association represents the residents while working to protect the historic residential character of the hill and gas lights and all.

Brookline

Lying just outside of Boston, the town of Brookline has a much more quaint and suburban feel to it. Don't let its timeless Victorian

Back Bay

architecture, playgrounds and public parks fool you though, the area offers a whole slew of great restaurants, bars shops and even a few clubs.

Davis Square

This bustling neighborhood is located just minutes away from Tufts University in the town of Somerville. With many bars and restaurants scattered throughout the square, this is a favorite hangout for Tufts students and locals alike. While still having much to do, Davis Square still has the suburban low-key feel of outer Boston.

Downtown (Theater District, Leather District, Chinatown)

This cluster of neighborhoods is home many of Boston's hot restaurants, retail spots, nightclubs and theaters. Bordering the Boston Common, the area boasts many options in regards to entertainment during the day as well as at night.

Fenway

Fenway is most famous for the historic home of the Boston's baseball team the Red Sox. The area is full of restaurants, bars and concert venues such as The House of Blues as well as residents.

Back Bay

Fort Point

Located on Boston's waterfront, Fort Point is perhaps one of the trendiest up-and-coming neighborhoods of the city. Full of industrial buildings and abandoned warehouses with gorgeous views of the city, these spaces are being transformed into condos, lofts, offices, museums, galleries and restaurants.

North End

One of Boston's most iconic neighborhoods, the North End is home to many Boston landmarks such as Paul Revere's House and the Old North Church. Comparable to New York City's Little Italy, the North End is the place to go for delicious Italian food and seafood.

South End

Located in the south of the Back Bay, the South End's mix of commercial and residential properties provide different looks and vibes street by street. The neighborhood is home to more more public playgrounds per square foot than any other neighborhood in Boston. Some of the most tastiest and fashionable restaurants in Boston at the moment line Tremont street in the South End.

Three members of our BIRE team, David Paez, Alfonso Bigeriego and Antonio Revilla, spent last weekend in Houston joining

David Paez, Alfonso Bigeriego, Iker Casillas and Antonio Revilla

forces with Iker Casillas, goalkeeper of the Spanish national soccer team. They invited over 100 children from surrounding Houston neighborhoods to a "soccer clinic" kick off for Casillas' Sports and Achievement Academy. The academy, operating as a pilot after-school program for students of Houston's Eliot and Rust elementary schools, will provide underprivileged youth of disadvantaged communities neighboring the BVVA Compass stadium, a place where they can escape the challenges of their communities. The Sports and Achievement Academy, is aimed at improving students' academic performance by providing coaching in key subjects and social support. BIRE is proud to join efforts with The Realmadrid Foundation and BBVA Compass to provide the children of some of Houston's most poverty-stricken neighborhoods with a place to go for support and nurture, thus, opening doors to these children for years to come.

The Realmadrid Foundation, a worldwide initiative with over 200 schools around the world, is partnering up with the International Studies Foundation to bring social-sporting schools to the United States. September 2nd of this year, two schools will open in Worcester, MA and Arlington, VA. Come January 2nd, Houston will house two more schools like The Sports and Achievement Academy.

Here at BIRE, we know the importance of bridging the gap from client to friend and from less empowered to more empowered. The BIRE team excels in fostering relationships with clients in order to provide personalized service of the utmost caliber with any needs one might when moving to a new city. It is this excellence in fostering relationships that has inspired BIRE to unite with The Realmadrid Foundation.

For the lucky ones who still are in college, BIRE has prepared a little list of things that the team members learned in college after experience...

* Quarters are like gold.

* Flip-flops become as important as soap, and shampoo.

* Asleep by 2:30 AM is an early night.

* Make sure your alarm clock has back-up batteries.

* 10 minutes is more than enough time to get ready for your first class.

* The book your professor wrote is always required for his class.

* E-mail becomes your second language.

* Frat parties are exactly like they are in the movies.

* Ten-page papers used to sound impossible, now they're a Godsend.

* You never realized so many people are smarter than you.

* You never realized so many people are dumber than you.

* Professors are like celebrities: you see them, but they never see you

* Plain pasta never constituted a complete meal before.&nb

Boston Latin School is an exam school found April 23, 1635.  Admission to a public exam school is based on ISEE scores as well as English and Math scores from 5th and 6th grade school years.  Boston Latin is both the first and oldest public school in the United States.

The school was know for educating the Boston elite which results in the school claiming many prominent Bostonians in their list of alumni. It has produced four Harvard University presidents, four Massachusetts governors and five signers of the deceleration of Independence. Boston Latin averages about 25 students a year to Harvard.

The School is modeled after Boston Grammer School in Lincolnshire, UK.  The curriculum follows that of an 18th century school movement which teaches the classics.  Latin is also taught throughout the four years. This is thought to add greatly to the well rounded education which makes Boston Latin one of the top schools in the country.

Si usted tiene niños, una de las cosas más importantes a pensar en cuando elegir un nuevo lugar para llamar a casa es el sistema escolar. Incluso si usted no tiene niños, puede también ser una cosa importante a considerar puesto que la calidad de sus sistemas locales puede afectar a sus contribuciones territoriales y al valor de su hogar. Hay un número de grandes sistemas escolares situados dentro de algunas millas de Boston. Alinean Weston (gasto $18.591 por pupila), Wellesley (gasto $18.960 por pupila), a Newton (gasto $16.597 por pupila), y Brookline (gasto $17.090 por pupila) constantemente en los sistemas escolares del área de top-25 Boston en graduaciones anuales de la escuela del compartimiento de Boston mejores. Estos districtos se conocen para el colmo por el gasto de la pupila, el rigor académico, y programas extracurriculares fuertes. Dentro de la ciudad de Boston, la escuela latina de Boston se considera ser la mejor High School secundaria pública. Es alineada constantemente como una de las mejores High Schools secundarias del país por noticias de los E.E.U.U. e informe del mundo debido a su plan de estudios de alto nivel, y alinea arriba para el estado de preparación de la universidad. El latín de Boston es una escuela del examen, significando que los estudiantes deben tomar un examen de calificación que se aceptará para la admisión. Dentro de la ciudad de Cambridge, Cambridge Rindge y el latín es la High School secundaria nuevamente renovada y comprensiva. Los grados compilados compartimiento de Boston comparando puntuaciones del test de High Schools elementales, medias, y secundarias en 135 districtos, entonces miraban dentro de esos districtos para determinar cómo las escuelas mejoraban (o no) en un cierto plazo. Entonces condujeron entrevistas con los superintendentes, los directors, los profesores, los coches, los ayudantes administrativos, y los consejeros de la dirección para hacer las preguntas importantes, incluyendo: "Cuántas clases del AP usted tiene?" ¿"Sabe un cabrito jugar deportes del estudiante de primer año? ¿"Usted ofrece pre-jardín de la infancia de la clase? "La pasión de un niño para la matemáticas, ciencia, o la escritura se fomente aquí?" Chasque aquí para ver las graduaciones del compartimiento de Boston por número.

If you have children, one of the most important things to think about when choosing a new place to call home is the school system. Even if you don't have children, it can also be an important thing to consider since the quality of your local systems can affect your property taxes and the value of your home.

There are a number of great schools systems located within a few miles of Boston. Weston ($18,591 spending per pupil), Wellesley ($18,960 spending per pupil), Newton ($16,597 spending per pupil), and Brookline ($17,090 spending per pupil) are consistently ranked in the top-25 Boston area school systems in Boston Magazine's annual Best School Rankings. These districts are known for high per pupil spending, academic rigor, and strong extracurricular programs.

Within the city of Boston, Boston Latin School is considered to be the best public high school. It is consistently ranked as one of the best high schools in the country by U.S. News and World Report because of its high-level curriculum, and it ranks high for college preparedness. Boston Latin is an exam school, meaning that students must take a qualifying exam to be accepted for admission. Within the city of Cambridge, Cambridge Rindge and Latin is the newly renovated and comprehensive high school.

Boston Magazine compiled ratings by comparing test scores from elementary, middle, and high schools in 135 districts, then they looked within those districts to determine how schools were improving (or not) over time. They then conducted interviews with superintendents, principals, teachers, coaches, administrative assistants, and guidance counselors to ask important questions, including:

"How many AP classes do you have?"

"Can a kid play freshman sports?

"Do you offer pre-kindergarten of any kind?

"Will a child's passion for math, science, or writing be fostered here?"

Click here to see the Boston Magazine rankings by number.