boston mamas - we're relocating near you!! help!!!!!

[anamika]

pak....
dh just got a job in boston (cambridge to be more precise). so we have to leave sunny san diego (gulp) and sell our house (double gulp).
our realtor suggested acton, newton, natick and s or is it n.? borough as good places to look for a house in MA. we would like dh to have the option of either driving or taking the T in to work.
i was hoping the moms here could weigh in on good areas to look - in fact, i'm counting on all of you. dh is pretty convinced i won't agree to any house unless it's cleared by the board here :)
also do any of the moms on bbb meet IRL in boston? i'm going to be a sahm for the first time and i'm really nervous about it but that's a whole other post.
tia,

[aliceinwonderland]

All of the places you mentioned are suburbs. Newton is a very nice one, with large houses and good public schools (or so I hear). Depending where in Newton you lived, he'd have to take a bus or the painfully slow green line.

Why can't you live in Cambridge? I know it's expensive, but coming from California I'd think nothing surprising to you. I lived on the Somerville/Cambridge border when Erik as born and I so loved it. It still is my favorite arrangement, and I've lived in a LOT of places.

If you want suburbs, Belmont is another nice one.

e.

[anamika]

thanks e. maybe the school districts are better in the suburbs - just guessing!
Plus, we don't really like living in a big city. DH grew up in B'bay and that's turned him off big cities and crowds. San Diego is great in that I never feel crowded (waaahhhh, i'm going to miss it!!). also we were hoping to get a house with a back yard now that dd is more mobile and more into exploring. we have a handkerchief for a backyard as my dad says :)
but we'll definitely keep it in mind when looking.
thanks again,

[sidmand]

How far does your DH want to commute? Although any commute to Cambridge is not going to be fun.

My DH worked in Natick and I used to live in the next town over and I like Natick a lot (but I'm biased!). I would think of the towns you mentioned, Newton is going to be the most expensive of all of them. Not sure how much of a concern that is or isn't...the farther away you get from Boston/Cambridge, the cheaper house prices, although there isn't much cheap anywhere, but hopefully that won't be too much of a shock coming from CA!

Natick does have a commuter rail, but I'm not sure of the logistics of getting to Cambridge. I know I used to commute to Cambridge from some out lying towns and it was LONG. I had to switch trains from the commuter rail and I think it took over an hour. So some of it depends on how much time your DH wants to spend driving or taking the T.

I would love to meet any area moms IRL--not sure if there's already a group that does that. I'm a WAHM mom myself, but just getting my feet wet with the whole thing.

Sorry for any typos--typing with kiddo onboard.

Debbie

Mom to Sawyer!
http://lilypie.com/baby1/060607/0/3/1/-5/.png (http://lilypie.com)

[WooChx]

I grew up in Northboro/Southboro, they are awesome burbs (safe, great schools, etc.) - but I wouldn't commute to Cambridge from them. Cambridge is a tricky place, a few parts are easy to get to from the MASS Pike (I-90) others are a traffic nightmare. Note: Westborough just got voted one of the best places to live in the country by Money Mag. (July 2005) -- all of the surrounding towns are as good.

If you want to take the train you need to stick with the Red Line for the Subway and the Fitchburg/Acton line for the Commuter rail (Porter Square stop). Go to www.mbta.com for more information. Obviously, there are other lines, but switching trains is a huge annoyance. Also, keep in mind that when you are in the burbs there isn't much parking at the Commuter rail stations. The lots fill up really quickly, which is why its more preferable to live within walking distance of the Red line (subway).

The location on your DH's job make a big difference as to how he can get into work. Bostons public transit system isn't the greatest. There are many parts of Cambridge where you just can't access that well from any of the trains. Check with his company to see what is closest.

Most of the towns outside Boston are great. I suggest staying close to the MA Pike, Route 128/95, I-495 (all of the towns you mentioned). There really are so many good ones!

In my personal opinion:

Expensive (1,000,000+): Newton, Wellesley, Brookline, Belmont, Lexington, Concord

Upper (750,000+): Wayland, Sudbury, Acton, Stow, Hopkinton, Ashland

Mid (500,000+): Berlin, Northboro, Southboro, Westboro, Berlin, S. Natick

Others: There are many other great towns that are a bit more affordable because they are more Up & Coming. These are the ones that have the best resale value.

[hannah]

If DH is working in Cambridge, then why not consider a town closer to Boston? I used to live in Arlington (next town over to Cambridge). We loved the area and its proximity to everything but ended up moving away because of cost of living and DHs job. It is pricey, I won't deny it. Belmont is nice and close to Cambridge as is Watertown. The towns you mentioned are a haul from Cambridge, but if you can find something you like on a northern T route then the commute might not be that bad. The T commuter trains either take you into North or South Stations - if DH is working in Cambridge it might be easier to the get there from north station. It all depends on how much you want to fork out for housing as to where you end up - beware, house prices are steep in MA. Good luck with your house/town search.

[anamika]

Hi all,
Thanks for the input. I have to confess that we haven't really looked at all into housing yet. The decision was made just a few days back and we're just getting used to the idea. But of course, I had to ask all of you first.
I will send this thread to DH so we can start getting serious about this move!!
The towns I mentioned are just off the top of head as I remember DH mentioned a few after meeting with a realtor while he was there.

[divabell]

I live in Littleton (one town northwest of Acton) and it's a nice town. Housing is somewhat cheaper than other towns in this area and the schools are fairly good. Not as good as Acton, but there is open enrollment, which means if you can get the kids to school, you can apply to send them to a different district. The commute to Cambridge would be rough, though. I wouldn't want to do it. I don't know much about Natick or Southboro/Northboro but it does seem like a kind of rough commute. Newton would be wonderful but my impression is it's pretty $$$. I have heard great things about Belmont but I never even thought of looking there since I didn't think we could afford it. The closer to Boston, the higher the price, seems to be the general rule.

Definitely let me know if you end up in the Acton area! It can get kind of quiet out here in Metrowest. :) There has been a Boston area Yahoo group in the past but it hasn't been active in several months.

Good luck!

[downwarddog]

Welcome to New England!
I used to live in Somerville, Medford, Winchester & Maynard -- all the burbs & they were all great! I don't know about the school systems, honestly. I would think that living around Rt. 2 would have less congestion than living off of 95/128 or the Pike/90. I personally loved Stow & Acton & that area. Maynard used to be a poor mill town but it's really taken off (thanks to Monster.com!). Take out a map and see what's around there (west of Cambridge). Also look North, but I'd stay away from the Burlington area. 95 around commuting time STINKS (I'm living in seacoast NH right now but have been driving to Waltham every morning -- yikes!). Though if your DH has a flexible schedule and can commute off-hours at all, even NH or very northern MA isn't bad -- it takes me 1 hr to get from Exeter NH to Waltham, MA.

Good luck!

~Lenore
Mom to Acadia (Cadi), born 9/28/04;
dogs Loka & Colby;
plus 1 cat, Chelsea!

[ett]

Housing prices are high here but since you're coming from CA, they probably won't be much of a shocker to you. :) There are many good towns to choose from so I think it would really depend on how long your DH wants to spend commuting to work. Of the towns you listed, Newton has the best school system, though it wouldn't be the best commute to Cambridge. Parts of Newton are pretty "cityish" so houses don't have a lot of yard. If you're looking for a big yard in Newton, you're probably looking at 7 digit prices (or close to it).

Acton also has a very good school system, and the houses are cheaper there, but it'll still be a hike to Cambridge. You can take Rt. 2 right into Cambridge, but you'll have to go on this part of Rt. 2 that has traffic lights and a rotary. Going out of the city towards Acton, Rt. 2 makes a left turn at a traffic light, that can be an absolute nightmare during rush hour.

Your DH should definitely talk to people at his new workplace and ask them where they live and how the commute is. That should help make your search easier.

HTH.

[chlobo]

I live in Carlisle, which is one town over from Acton and I used to commute to Kendall Square in Cambridge. It was awful. No two ways about it. The traffic was horrendous and I used to have to leave for work before 7am just to have a 45min. commute. Acton does have commuter rail but it is a little slow, which could be good b/c DH would have time to do some work.

That said, the area out here is really beautiful. And, I can drive the 6-8 miles to Trader Joe's without having to go through *any* traffic lights, which I think is a sweet thing. And the schools around here are really top notch. At the moment there seems to be some slowing in the real estate market around here so that could work to your advantage.

If you do end up looking in this area I have a great real estate agent (we've used her for two moves already - buying & selling).

Of course let us know if you end up here.

Lori - PM me and maybe we can hook up. My DD is just a few weeks older than your DS.

[CBB]

Welcome to Boston! Here are a few links that you may find helpful:

http://www.bostonmagazine.com/bestof.php
This site has info on best public school besides the fun stuff.

www.massstats.com
Scroll all the way down and click "return to the maps". You can click on the map to zoom in the town of your interest. Then click on housing or education, it will give you the average pricing and SAT scores, etc.

Unfortunately these sites don't provide any commuting info. Traffic here is pretty terrible, but not sure how it is compare to SD. Cambridge is especially crowded. Brookline and Newton are pretty close to the city and have great public schools, but very pricy and houses usually have small yards. I think Arlington has great school systems and not as expensive.

HTH!

[jesseandgrace]

I lived in Cambridge for 10 years, and now we live in California, so maybe I can be of some help, I know it will be an adjustment from California to Massachusetts, but there will be parts you will LOVE. I love Cambridge, and I am looking forward to going back there in a year or so. You are actually going to have less sticker shock on houses than most people because California is so expensive! Definitely take a trip out there and take a look around before deciding on a community that works for you.

What type of place do you guys like, how much space do you want, what kind of town do you want? If commute is at all of an issue you might want to consider Arlington or Lexington. Lexington is very pretty, and very easy to get to. Arlington borders Cambridge, and it has some suburban neighborhoods, but it is also city like. Concord is absolutely beautiful and the schools are good, but the commute will be an hour but it is on the commuter rail. I also think S. Natick is really pretty, I have a friend with two boys under 3 who lives there and it is just so pretty. One thing to consider is that some places will require a commute through Boston like places like Milton. That would not be ideal, it would be better to avoid having to go through Boston to get to Cambridge, so the South Shore might not be ideal. Another really pretty place to consider is Belmont. Belmont is a very easy commute to Cambridge but it feels worlds apart. You can have a house in Belmont Hill and feel like you are out in the country, and then you can be in Cambridge in 15 minutes. The town is also cute, and I think the public school are good.

You can compare housing costs by going to www.newenglandmoves.com and putting in your price range and a whole slew of towns and you can see what comes up as far as housing.

[Lovingliv]

Hi Usha, I was born and raised in Boston,,,Belmont to be exact. It is an awesome town,,,excellent school systems, very close to Cambridge and close to all public transportation. It is a great community to raise kids in, very safe. Ofcourse when I was growing up I thought it was the worlds most boring town. Ofcourse we do have a movie theater. My mom still lives there but I moved to Westford, about 45min north of Boston. Belmont was just too expensive for us, but coming from San Diego you should be fine. Hope all goes well!

[kthomp]

Another Bostonian checking in!

I was raised in Somerville. I lived on the prettiest street with great neighbors in an awesome neighborhood. We were right down the street from the T, too. I miss that place so much. Unfortunately, the prices there are pretty high now (in West Somerville where I used to live.)

Right now we're living in Medford. Around where we live is very nice. Very close to everything, and right next to Cambridge. I also love Arlington. I know the real estate there is a little pricey, but the town is so nice and the schools are great. I know first hand, three of my younger cousins are in their school system and are doing very well.

All of the towns surrounding Arlington are very nice- Winchester, Belmont, Lexington. There are other nice burbs as well. Two of my uncles live in Burlington, they have a lot of land and the area is very pretty and quiet, but close to the highway. My dad lives in Stoneham in the most gorgeous neighborhood.

I don't want to bore you anymore, but I'd be happy to tell you about any of the other local towns that I know of. My mother also works for a great little law firm that deals with closings, so if you need that, let me know. ;) I'm sure she could tell me some good local realtors too, as she knows just about all of them.

HTH! Feel free to PM me if you need any help at all.

[toomanystrollers]

Congratulations and welcome :)

DH has a 1hr. commute into the city from the south. Other options include the South Shore - more affordable housing. The commuter rail is expanding into Hingham, Cohasset & Scituate - all known for their excellent school systems.

HTH

[colleenfs]

Welcome! I love living in the Boston area. My family lived in Belmont when I was in elementary school, and when I considered colleges, being near Boston was important to me. I went to Wellesley College, and I have been living in the ares ever since.

Since DH will be working in Cambridge, I would recommend Belmont, part of Newton, or Brookline as nearby towns. They are all quite nice towns, but definitely expensive!! Arlington, Waltham, and Watertown might also be options. Brookline will be more of a little city, while the other towns will be more "real towns." Belmont, Newton, and Brookline have excellent schools; not sure how the other towns stack up. Newton is HUGE by the way, so you have to really learn about all of the neighborhoods. You could also consider places along Route 2 and 128/95, like Bedford, Lexington, Concord, Acton - warning: all very expensive, and a little further north - Burlington and Reading.

The Metrowest (Natick, Framingham, Wellesley, Wayland, Weston, Sudbury, and a bit further to the west) area is a great place to live, but the commute can be long. We lived in Framingham for 5 years; you can get a decent house in this town, but the schools are not the best. It is about 20 miles into the city on the Pike, but it can take up to an hour to get in during rush hour.

We are now in Sudbury, which is a great town with excellent schools, but also on the pricey side, and again, it would be quite a commute to Cambridge.

Feel free to email with questions! Best of luck to you!! This is a great place to live; there is so much to do and see. And you will survive your first winter here!

~Colleen
Mama to Julia 1-10-02
Baby GIRL! due 7-23-05
http://lilypie.com/baby4/020110/3/4/0/-5/.png

http://lilypie.com/days/050723/0/25/1/+10/.png

[pb&j]

Hey, I'm also a Wellesley alum! :)


-Paige,
mom to Emma, s/b 11/04/04
and Max, edd 01/15/06 - it's a BOY!

http://lilypie.com/days/060115/3/25/1/-5/.png[/img] ([img)

[momma_boo]

I'm a Wellesley alum as well! Class of '99 to be exact.

Of course, it would be nice if one of my girls went to Wellesley as well, but DH keeps saying they'll go to Princeton (he didn't go there, but he really likes it for some reason).

[pb&j]

class of '96 here! I told DH that the only disappointing thing about having boy is that I'll have to "settle" for Harvard. ;)


-Paige,
mom to Emma, s/b 11/04/04
and Max, edd 01/15/06 - it's a BOY!

http://lilypie.com/days/060115/3/25/1/-5/.png[/img] ([img)

[aliceinwonderland]

Can it be because Princeton does not allow their undergrad students to take our loans?? That would be a major selling point for me, as a parent, LOL

[aguinn]

I'm not sure how housing costs compare between SD and the greater Boston area, but I hope you look into it before you move so that you are not surprised.

We live on the North Shore, about 25 miles north of Boston. When I worked in Cambridge, I loved taking the commuter train in - it sure beat driving in the crazy, non-stop traffic we have around here! I also lived in Cambridge prior to meeting DH (both Porter and Central Squares) and I have to say there are some awesome neighborhoods in that area. Boston itself is not what most would consider a "big city" - it's extremely walkable and, once you know your way around, its easy to find the back streets to places (which, with the Big Dig still going on, is usually the best way).

I agree with PP's about Belmont, although housing costs might make it out of your range. As an example, we paid $380K two years ago for a two-family in a moderately nice neighborhood with a "handkerchef" lawn. I thought that price was ridiculous at the time, but the prices just keep going up - our house recently appraised for $435k!

Good luck! If you would like a recommendation of a realtor on the North Shore, please let me know - we LOVE our realtor!

;)amy
proud momma to DS
and cutie #2 due 9/9/05 - it's a BOY! (Please come earlier! School starts on the 12th!)

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030729/1/5/1/-5/.png[/img][/url]

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see." ~ Neil Postman

[anamika]

OMGosh, thank you thank you so much for taking the time to give me such detailed replies and such a welcome. I was dreading the move mainly b'cos I thought I would miss my friends but now I'm actually looking forward to it. Can't wait to meet some BBBers IRL!
I'm so touched :)
I will definitely keep you posted about our doings.
Thanks again,

[aguinn]

FYI, we have a Boston-area Yahoo group, although I think we've all been too busy to try to get together in recent months. Email bbbmassachusettsgroup - subscribe@yahoogroups . com to join (removing all spaces)!

;)amy
proud momma to DS
and cutie #2 due 9/9/05 - it's a BOY! (Please come earlier! School starts on the 12th!)

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030729/1/5/1/-5/.png[/img][/url]

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see." ~ Neil Postman

[colleenfs]

Hey, fellow alums! I'm class of '93. I was a Blue Note!

~Colleen
Mama to Julia 1-10-02
Baby GIRL! due 7-23-05
http://lilypie.com/baby4/020110/3/4/0/-5/.png

http://lilypie.com/days/050723/0/25/1/+10/.png

[jk3]

We have no intentions on moving at the moment but if I could live anywhere, my top pick would be Wellesley, besides Hawaii that is! It's a beautiful town and the schools are excellent. There is a small town feel but it's close to the city. I think the college adds to the locale as well.

I student taught in Lexington back in the day and I was impressed by the school system there as well. Concord also has wonderful schools. Hope this helps!

Jenn
DS 6/3/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030603/2/5/1/-5/.png

[calv]

how could I join? I tried looking the group up in yahoo and couldn't find it. TIA.

[heatherlynn]

I can't help you much w/ housing in Boston, but I just wanted to say that we moved from the SF Bay Area to Central Mass and I have met the best friends of my life in the 2 years we've been here. I miss the nice CA weather, but other than that, we love it here. DD doesn't want to move back, but DH and I miss our (well, mostly his) family.

Anyway, just wanted to say not to worry about moving here. I think you'll love it!

Good luck!

H-
Heather
dd 3/98
ds 8/04
and #3 edd 11/05 (it's a girl!)

[jacksmomtobe]

Where in Cambridge will DH be working? That could impact some recommendations. I live in Newton now. We just moved from Brookline. Brookline is nice but you get a bit more yard for your $ in Newton than in Brookline. Though neither is cheap you can find more of a range of house prices in Newton. Both Brookline & Newton have great schools. Brookline is more urban but has great hidden parks. I consider where we are in Newton (Newton Highlands near Crystal Lake) to be the best of both worlds. We live in an area with a neighborhood feel (&lake)but still have the urban conveniences up the st. Newton has a lot of "villages" where there are shops and restaurants. Newton however may be difficult to get to Cambridge depending on where he will be working in Cambridge. Though my ds just started a job himself in Cambridge. I grew up in Wayland which also has good schools but for anywhere in the metrowest you would want to have access to the commuter rail because the traffic driving into Boston from that direction can be horrendous. Some good recommendations that other people made are Arlington, Belmont, & Lexington. Lexington is a great town. I also like Winchester especially near Winchester Center where there is close access to the Commuter rail however Winchester is another expensive town. Acton is nice just further out. Definitely check out www.newenglandmoves.com or www.hammondre.com Hopefully coming from CA the prices won't seem as bad to you. As you do some more research post here on specific towns that interest you & I'm sure you'll get the same amount of feedback.

Good Luck!

[calv]

I tried joining the other day and still haven't been approved. Is the yahoo group active at all? THNX!

[aguinn]

sorry, I've been laid up and didn't see your question. there hasn't been much recent activity, but you can email toomanystrollers (Pam), as she's the moderator/owner of the group.

;)amy
proud momma to DS
and cutie #2 due 9/9/05 - it's a BOY! (Please come earlier! School starts on the 12th!)

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030729/1/5/1/-5/.png[/img][/url]

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see." ~ Neil Postman

[anamika]

hi all,
just wanted to thank you again for taking time to reply. i'm busy with wrapping up work and planning our trip to maui (mmmmmmmmmm.......heaven!) so i will get talk to you more when we get back and get down to the nitty gritty.
thanks again,