Moving to Boston, Need input. (Cambridge, Newton: apartment, rental, school districts)

[movingin08]

I am taking new job in Boston, IT position in Education.
If it pans out I am moving the family up from Florida. My daughters are 7 and 10 so of course good schools are important.

The criteria:
I will be working in Back Bay.
Possibility of my wife finding work (legal background) without having to also go into the city.
Rent no more than ~$1500.
Good Schools.
I'd love to have to not need a car, walk to the train.
No more than an hour commute.
Walking community.
Good Community, Activities for Kids, open spaces, town center, etc.

Basically after 15 years of Florida and it's ever growing sprawl we want to keep it simple.

I have done some reading on this board and been looking at rents on craigslist, Winchester looks to mostly fit the bill but is on the outer envelope of the rent and commute time envelope. I figure there have to be plenty more but, its tough, there are so many communities.
Where else should we add to our list?
Thanks

[holden125]

Winchester is lovely, I lived there for a time as a kid, but it's gotten very expensive and, for a public transit commute into the Back Bay, it's a little bit in the wrong direction. You'd have to take the train to North Station and the T from there. It would be quicker to take the commuter rail directly to Back Bay station. Communities with trains going there include Needham, western towns like Natick or Framingham, towns on the Franklin train line like Norwood, and towns on the Attleboro Providence line like those next to the Route 128 station and Canton. Brookline and Newton are good for getting to the Back Bay via Green Line or commuter rail, but are mostly more expensive than you're looking to pay, though you might find a nice rental near West Newton station.

You're right to want to take the train to work as traffic and parking would be rough going to the Back Bay each day. It was not clear from the question if you're looking to ditch the car altogether, which would pose challenges in most towns outside of Boston, especially those with good schools in the rent range you're looking at. Though you might be able to walk to the train in Needham or West Newton, depending on where the apartment is.

Lots of good school districts around Boston, but good schools are in the eye of the beholder. Some of them occupy rarified air with corresponding price tags. It's up to you what you're looking for. For example, many would say the Winchester schools are better than those in Framingham, but that doesn't mean that the schools in Framingham are bad by any stretch. The bar has been set pretty high in Greater Boston and it's all relative.

[movingin08]

Thanks for the response Holden125. I'll look into the towns you have mentioned and those along that line.

I did lookup the MBTA schedule and saw that I'd be train hopping from Winchester to Back Bay. It would be nice to ditch the car all together, all though I wouldn't be. I'd be keeping it just wanting to use it less. My current commute puts in the drivers seat for 3 hours a day. Making the the change to Boston I want to get to the reverse of that as I can. If I wind up needing it on the weekends to get groceries or take the kids to the library, not so bad I guess.

The schools are relative as long as they "good" I know allot of people want their kids in the "best" schools but, I think the kids pay the price for that ultimately. As long as they are at grade level and happy is what matters. I don't kid myself or them that they are honor students, rocket scientist, or gifted. It's up to them, they are in 2nd and 4th grade for goodness sakes.

I read almost half the posts on this board last night. Some other places are on the maybe list now, a couple that you mentioned. Newton, Cambridge, Natick, and West Roxbury.

My final interview is next Monday, I will be flying in Sunday afternoon, going to try to take a T to as many areas as I can and have a look see while I am there.

[holden125]

Just a couple more words. West Roxbury is a nice area but it is within the city of Boston and the reputation of the Boston schools is quite poor, though I have no kids and no first hand knowledge. My understanding is that a good education can be had but it requires a lot of research and jockeying for the right schools and such, and then crossing your fingers. Cambridge is a great city but most parts of Cambridge you'd want to be in, near the train and all, are going to be a lot more expensive than your quoted price range for 2 or 3 bedrooms. The Cambridge schools are also considered better than Boston but not fabulous.

Another possibility is Dedham, just next to West Roxbury but a separate town. A friend of mine grew up there. There are two stations on the commuter rail there that get in to Back Bay Station in about 15-20 minutes, and there's also a downtown area and some lovely old colonial mansions on the west side of town that are nice to look at. Lots of stores.

[holden125]

It just occurred to me re-reading the original post. If you are coming up alone perhaps you're keeping a place in Florida for the moment? If that's the case and you do bring the kids up later, maybe you'll have a somewhat higher housing budget then? That's the single biggest issue in the Boston area, finding a decent place to live that's affordable. Other people rightfully point out the challenges and frustrations of living there, but I love the place and don't think any of the less expensive places compares, so I'm coming back this summer (now stuck overpaying for NYC). Good luck.