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pontoise
Citizen
Username: Pontoise
Post Number: 81
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2003 - 9:00 am: | 
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Because of spouse's business opportunities, looks like he will be working in Boston. Looking for nice community (like here!) with good schools, west of boston. Spouse's commute would be off peak. Was thinking of going as far west as Worcester, or Sturbridge. Is this unrealistic? Any suggestions? Thanks my friends.
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lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1673
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2003 - 9:17 am: |
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Worcester and Sturbridge are pretty far. I'm sure on a normal work day it's over an hour of driving to get to Boston. Especially Sturbridge, which is a good 20 minutes beyond most of Worcester.
A more moderate choice would be Framingham, but I know nothing about the schools or how affordable it is. We lived in Newton about 10 years ago but had no kids. I'm sure Newton's outrageously expensive, as any thing inside 128 would be. |
cody
Citizen
Username: Cody
Post Number: 358
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2003 - 9:20 am: |
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I've heard great things about Newburyport, but I think that's more north than west. Only town there I've spent time in is Marblehead, which is also not west. But, good luck! Boston itself is such a wonderful city, with fantastic attractions. |
jem
Citizen
Username: Jem
Post Number: 767
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2003 - 9:24 am: |
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Based only on my experience driving a child to a college 40 minutes south of Boston, Worcester and Sturbridge are not at all an easy commute to Boston. They were landmarks by which I timed myself as I passed them and Sturbridge is well over an hour's drive from Boston, and Worcester is probably an hour away. I'm sure that the Massachusetts natives on the board will have more accurate advice, but that's my impression. |
sylad
Citizen
Username: Sylad
Post Number: 24
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, August 24, 2003 - 10:15 am: |
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If you need to commute to downtown Boston, you probably want to live close to route 128. If you are more then 10-15 miles west of 128 the commute is long. Theese area is expensive, but with lower taxes. Take a look at Sudbury, Lexington, Concord. My sister lives in Cambridge, and my sister-in law lives in Brookline. I would suggest Brookline if you want urban feel. Good Luck |
Nohero
Citizen
Username: Nohero
Post Number: 2006
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 9:09 am: |
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There are newer train lines serving Boston, from both the North and the South. Newburyport is a great old town north of Boston, and has, or soon will have, new train service into Boston. Newton is a large town with lots of old homes, and terrific transportation into Boston.
Whatever you do, try to avoid a driving commute, because I don't think there's ever any "off peak" in Boston. |
mommydee
Citizen
Username: Mommydee
Post Number: 51
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 12:03 pm: |
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I have a very close friend who just moved the family to the Boston area. His job is in Boston and just purchased a beautiful home in Medfield. Schools are supposed to be very good also. |
OK, it's Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 395
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 1:14 pm: |
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Brookline is great, and last I heard, so are the schools. Most of the town is close to the trolley which goes straight into Boston. It's a very short bike ride into Boston, too. The only question is, can you afford to live there? I have no idea what homes cost there, and I'd be afraid to ask.
Tom Reingold
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bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 3328
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 1:33 pm: |
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Check out Milton. My wife has relatives who live there and my memory is that it is somewhat similiar to MW.
Here is a link to the MSN communities page:
http://houseandhome.msn.com/PickAPlace/nf_Details.aspx?cS=MA&cR=p%3A1120&_cmbNF_ 2=0&_cmbNF_3=0&_cmbNF_9=0&chk1=&chk2=&ix=41®ion=p%3A1120&save=0&state=MA&sear ch=1&_cmbNF_0=0&_cmbNF_1=0&_cmbNF_4=0&_cmbNF_5=0&_cmbNF_6=0&_cmbNF_7=0&_cmbNF_8= 0&zip=02186 |
algebra2
Citizen
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 1171
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 2:08 pm: |
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Newburyport has the train again, as does Rowley -- the lines were re-open in the last few years, trains used to terminate at Ipswich. These are north of Boston but maybe have affordable options. I grew up in Hamilton/Ipswich (also on the train line -- maybe it's north shore/cape ann line??). Manchester, Beverly, Essex, and even moving a little more west towards Topsfield and Boxford are also nice. To me, that is the only part of the state which I'd consider. I don't know much about the western part of the state |
mfpark
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 16
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 2:11 pm: |
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Take a look at Wayland and Sudbury. These are small towns out Natick/Framingham way and have excellent schools--Wayland actually implements the great stuff that SO-Maplewood school district talks about but has not realized as of yet. These are pricey towns, so perhaps Natick or Framingham might work better for you. These last two are right on commuter train lines into South Station.
Good luck, you will absolutely love the area. I miss it terribly! Some great restaurants in Boston, a liveable size of a city, and actually easier to get around in than everyone says. |
lseltzer
Citizen
Username: Lseltzer
Post Number: 1676
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, August 25, 2003 - 10:18 pm: |
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There are some great restaurants in Boston, but most of the food is bad. There's no good chinese anywhere and pizza is third-rate.
Lots of good ice cream though. |
wrandolph
Citizen
Username: Wrandolph
Post Number: 19
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Monday, September 1, 2003 - 6:43 am: |
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lot's of good comments already about boston area ... added some thoughts in [parentheses] ... btw, i live in maplewood, currently work in MA six days a month; had dinner on newbury street boston as recently as last wednesday, so my info should be pretty current.
“If you need to commute to downtown Boston, you probably want to live close to route 128. If you are more then 10-15 miles west of 128 the commute is long. These areas is expensive, but with lower taxes. Take a look at Sudbury, Lexington and Concord. My sister lives in Cambridge, and my sister-in law lives in Brookline. I would suggest Brookline if you want urban feel.”
[all three great towns, Lexington and Concord a far commute, all VERY expensive - think Short Hills or Princeton]
“Brookline is great, and last I heard, so are the schools. Most of the town is close to the trolley which goes straight into Boston. It's a very short bike ride into Boston, too. The only question is, can you afford to live there?”
[Brookline IS great … walked around there recently, ... again, pretty expensive … this would be the first place I looked if my family were moving to MA].
I would suggest you studying the T lines (trolley/subway line) and the commuter lines.
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_commuterrail.asp
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_subway.asp
Keep in mind the lines run different types of subway cars and run at different speeds:
Green Line = lots of trains, but rather slow; still, only 10 min Green line from Brookline to downtown Boston
Red Line = much faster, lots of trains
Blue = fast, check the frequency of trains
Orange = fast, but check the frequency of trains
One final thought. Friends just moved to Winchester recently. Say good things about it.
Good luck. |
duncanrogers
Citizen
Username: Duncanrogers
Post Number: 699
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, September 1, 2003 - 1:44 pm: |
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To live the same distance west of Boston as we are west of NYC will cost you twice as much. I grew up in Wellesley and that whole bunch of towns, Wellesley, Needham, Weston, Newton, Brookline, Watertown are all quite pricey. Nothing below 500,000 that isnt a studio or one bedroom condo. Newburyport, while lovely, is a lonnnng way from Boston. Brookline has some single family housing but all of it more than half a million. Concord is super exensive.
Waltham is getting a bit nicer, and north of Boston you could look at Melrose. Anything inside 128 is very costly, but there are finds. Wellesley's school system is outstanding. Or was when I went through it.
My wife and I miss Boston every day of our lives.Though we love Maplewood, we used to be able to walk to Fenway Park.
Good luck and enjoy!~
Neighborhoods I lived in..
Back bay, Fenway, Allston, Brighton, Brookline, Somerville, South Boston, South End. Miss them all. |
pontoise
Citizen
Username: Pontoise
Post Number: 82
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, September 7, 2003 - 10:06 pm: |
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Hey, Thanks everybody. We are narrowing our search to Millis, Medway, Sudbury, Littleton. Great schools, and looks like we can purchase a decent house for around 400 give or take. So happy to see lots of Boston lovers...even though we will miss Maplewood greatly. Never lived in a town with such exceptional people! |
justmelaura
Citizen
Username: Justmelaura
Post Number: 240
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, September 8, 2003 - 12:37 am: |
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Okay, Pointybaby, let's face it, you were born to live in Maplehood. What appeal could Boston ever have to a big city babe like you? Do you really want to go to all the fuss of learning yet another accent?
You are breaking my heart, btw I missed you on Saturday... You were early shift, I was the gravedigger.
kiss kiss
hug hug
andletsmeetatthenearestmartinibar
JML |
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