Downtown Boston? (Sharon: cheap apartments, city hall, condo)

[Patapsco]

Hi-

I have a feeling this is a no-brainer that it's a bad idea, but:

A friend sent me a house listing that looks great, and is downtown. Looks to be near City Hall.

How is this area? How would it be living there?

We have 2 small kids, so I'm not as adventurous as I once was.

Still, it looks intriguing.

Thanks,
K

[momoffive]

i can't imagine where (near city hall) that would be as that area is full of shops and businesses.. any street address??

[wealthtrader]

There are no "bad parts" near city hall.

[litlux]

It could be the North End, the MGH area, which is the former West End, or even Beacon Hill. If a reasonable rent, then it would be the "backside" or North facing portion. It could also be one of the apartment buildings around the City Hall area.

The only way to know is to go and look since there are gems and there are tiny hovels in all the places I have mentioned, some in the NorthEnd actually do not have bathrooms, but shared toilets in the hall. There are some cheap apartments on the backsinde of the Hill and just beyond Haymarket that are right next to the T tracks, like five feet away. Some of the North End apartments overlook the airport tunnel entrances.

Don't want to burst any bubbles....but if it sounds too good to be true....

[haberstroh]

When we came up from NJ, during our house hunting time we temporary lived in the Harbor Towers, in June. I have to say that it was great. I would so live in the city if it was not for the kids. We seriously considered buying something in town. I had long discussions with my husband about it and we both agreed that the kids would grow up a little different then. In a good way I think. They would be able to use all the cultural, educational and historical highlights a city like Boston has to offer. They would be more metropolitan I think. Of course you can offer them all these things living in the suburbs. It just takes a little more effort. And the nice thing in the 'burbs is that you have your neighborhood kids, your ball games, your backyards your nice house....There is also the school issue you will run into in Boston. And the outrageous price of a decent size condo or rental! But I all means....try to make it happen. The kids would love it in town and there are thousands of families doing it and enjoying a great city.

[beachlady58]

Boston is a great city and my friend moved her family from Sharons (3 kids) and moved to Charles river Park. If you lived here you'd be home now. A city within a city - and Harbor Towers is really great.
HOwever, I have also lived in cockroach infested apartments on Beacon HIll - almost same neighborhood. Check it out.