I REALLY need some help finding the right Boston burb for my family! All input welcome... (Brockton: low crime, house)

[kmann-sherborn]

Southborough is a nice town with well regarded schools & good access to the Mass Pike as well as train service to the Back Bay. But there's not much there in terms of a town center at all. It is home to the Southborough Arts Center, which started a few years ago. I'm not 100% sure they're still open. Their website seems to be down.

[SCW1997]

Of all the towns I saw, I did like Concord the best. But there's SO little housing inventory right now--there was nothing I would want to buy. What do you think about Lexington?

[kmann-sherborn]

Lexington is really nice too & I think has some of the community feel you're looking for. You may run into a similar issue with home inventory as is happening in Concord. We have clients looking in Belmont & Lexington right now and it's surprising how quickly stuff is getting snapped up, even places that don't seem so great. Do you have a buyer's agent helping you? Hopefully they're tapped into what's coming on the market to some degree so you can sometimes get a heads up before houses get advertised in the MLS. It can come in handy sometimes when you're having a tough time finding a place. Have a great night!

[rranger]

Kmann-sherborn captures the state of things pretty well, IMHO. I'm honestly not sure what kind of town would fit your bill. Perhaps it might help if you gave an example of the kind of place you're looking for from another city. I think I know, but Concord wouldn't do it for me, so maybe I'm not "getting it."

BTW: Ain't nuthin' "hippy" about Lexington. I'm thinking something more like Northampton, but then that's not really commutable to Boston, is it?!

[SCW1997]

I LOVE Northampton. Anything like that that would be commutable?

[SCW1997]

[We have clients looking in Belmont & Lexington right now and it's surprising how quickly stuff is getting snapped up, even places that don't seem so great]

Seriously?!? What thet heck is going on? What happened to the slow real estate market? And why has it suddenly turned around exactly when I need to buy a house? Grrr

[konfetka]

You will find a lot of towns with historic downtowns on the North Shore, some of them founded before Boston, and a long time before cars, so they are very walkable. That attracts creative artsy businesses and promotes community events. For example, Beverly is shutting down traffic on Cabot st this Saturday for an Artsfest. It also has an art college in town.

Interesting downtowns to consider - Marblehead, Salem, Beverly, Beverly Farms, Manchester, Gloucester, Ipswich, Newburyport and Rockport.

[brightdoglover]

Don't think there was ever much of a "crash" in place like Concord and Lexington, because they were always high and desirable. I think there's only been a big deflation in marginal towns or properties or condos in same.
I would live in Concord in a New York minute if I could afford it, for every reason. I think that's where Cambridge people go when they want a house/family/etc. The North Shore towns mentioned are also well worth considering, although must say I think Gloucester might be a bit grittier than OP likes (a lot grittier, actually).

[kmann-sherborn]

Originally Posted by SCW1997

[We have clients looking in Belmont & Lexington right now and it's surprising how quickly stuff is getting snapped up, even places that don't seem so great]

Seriously?!? What thet heck is going on? What happened to the slow real estate market? And why has it suddenly turned around exactly when I need to buy a house? Grrr

>>

I know, it's crazy. I really don't think it's representative of the whole market. I think it's that people have been holding off from selling unless they have to, so there's low inventory so the good stuff gets snapped up.

If you're willing to do some updating though you have a better bet of finding something that is hopefully not going as crazy fast.

[konfetka]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

Don't think there was ever much of a "crash" in place like Concord and Lexington, because they were always high and desirable. I think there's only been a big deflation in marginal towns or properties or condos in same.
I would live in Concord in a New York minute if I could afford it, for every reason. I think that's where Cambridge people go when they want a house/family/etc. The North Shore towns mentioned are also well worth considering, although must say I think Gloucester might be a bit grittier than OP likes (a lot grittier, actually).

I think Gloucester is a hidden gem which has a great potential, and it's next in line to gentrify after Newburyport, which you can already see happening.