Charlestown (Boston, Cambridge, Newton: real estate, apartment, condos)

[divehpu]

We are considering taking a job in Charlestown and we'd like to here opinions of living right in Charlestown. We're from out of state and have limited knowledge of the area so the more info the better. Relevant info includes:

1. Schooling (public and private) for our four year old daughter
2. Crime and Safety
3. Affordable Housing - $500 - $600k is our budget
4. Politics and Demographics
5. Things to do and walkability


Thanks

[HowGoesIt]

Charlestown is really nice. Great architecture, overall great vibe, and walking distance to the North End. Charlestown is part of the Boston Public School system which is absolutely horrible. You would have to send your daughter to a nearby private school. You should be able to get something pretty nice for 600k. It won't be huge, but you can get a 3 bed/2 bath condo for that price. Check the Boston.com real estate section.

There are two very large housing projects in Charlestown though. Overall, the area is kind of safe, but there are a lot of car thefts, property damage, and stuff like that going on. I don't think there is a lot of violent crime in the area though. Check Boston PD crime stats.

[Akhenaten]

The only place I know well in Charlestown is the car lot near the T stop that I've had to go to when the city towed my car for one retarded reason or another.

[mikeb1073]

divehpu, Charlestown, like many other parts of the city, has it's good parts and it's bad parts. As far as safety goes, I would call the Boston poloce and ask them. Any good real estate agent won't be able to answer that question legally.

[rapking of boston]

Was a Racist area in Boston . I am a Charlestown High School Class of 1985 and that was the worst 4 years of my life.

[CityGirl52]

I'm from the town originally and think you should put more thought in to moving some where else especially where you have a daughter to think about down the road. You can do what you want though, it's actually up to you in the end. I had my windows smashed on my car a few times & the kids on the corner hanging out stole some things out of my glove compartment & back seat, it was so annoying, I learned my lesson! I had to start putting the car right in front of the apartment where I was visiting so we could see it all the time. Back then though I foolishly had my out of state plates on the car then too, so remember that when and if you move there. Get your Mass plates on your car ASAP IF you intend to live there, even working there, make sure there's a safe, secure parking lot for a car, I'm serious about this one. Take it from me when it comes to cars in that neighborhood, you have to have your street smarts turned up with this issue there. Tires get slashed too a lot here and there are quite a lot of car (& home) break-ins, especially if these nutcakes see "out of state" plates, look out.

If I were in your shoes I would check the small city of Melrose out. It's on the orange line of the MBTA at Oak Grove, the Bunker Hill Community College subway stop is right along Rutherford Avenue, as well as Sullivan Square's subway stop if the job is down at that end of Charlestown in or near the Schrafft's complex.

www.mbta.com

You know, Melrose is a charming town with a really nice town center. A lot of Charlestown natives moved there to get out of the town, so remember that, especially if they had kids as they wanted them in better schools, the Boston Public School system still has a "reputation" of not being that great unfortunately. When I grew up there every one that could afford it sent their families to private and parochial schools. Even at that you have to do your homework on the schools you use. There's a lot of reputable, outstanding private schools in Boston, Cambridge & Newton. It's up to you, there's a lot of beautiful, stunning homes in the neighborhood if that's where you have your heart on living and there are a lot of families that choose to stay there and raise their families there by sending there children to private or parochial schools.

If I had to do it over again it wouldn't be any other way. I'd move as close to Boston as I could get without being in one of the neighborhoods of Boston. Melrose comes to mind and if you took a ride some day soon to the area GO see it, then you'd know what I mean, it's very charming. Their exquisite Victorian homes are stunning with much more character than any of the brick row houses in Charlestown, trust me on that one. They're pouring money in to Charlestown's homes/condos, but quite a lot of them are way way over over priced and with a lot of them, there's no parking and if there is there's one spot, (whoopie!) and for 500 thou to a million and one that's a little too ridiculous to me, don't you think? You really would get more for your money in a city like Melrose. Especially great where you have a child to raise. It's extremely important to think of education, safety and her well being, you know what I mean. A better environment needs to be at the top of the list. Melrose is only 7 miles north of Boston, how convenient is that if you or your husband are working in Charlestown, it would be ideal where it's not a bad commute at all on a daily basis. Your quality of life will be much better here too. You wouldn't have to worry about your home getting broken in to or worrying about your car out on the street, day in and day out or worry about a drug addict harassing you as you walk home in broad daylight! Yes, that can happen any where but the town has an issue with it going on, trust me. Melrose has way more open space and recreation facilities too, which is a plus. Ell Pond is a large natural feature in Melrose's center. There's also tree lined streets and parks with much more open space. It's like a garden city with a commercial, quaint downtown area to boot. You won't find that in Charlestown's square mile, it's more urban if that's what you prefer. You would be happier and better off in Melrose all around. They have "Turner's Seafood Restaurant" which is awesome and right across the street is this place called "Stearns & Hills Bistro" which is quite a place AND Bobby C's isn't too far away for great restaurants, so remember that:

www.turners-seafood-Home
Stearns & Hill's Bistro - Melrose, Massachusetts
Bobby C's Restaurant: Call today to order 781.662.5472

Melrose also always had a long-standing tradition of being self-sufficient to support residents' housing, education, employment, health, shopping, entertainment, recreation and leisure needs. IF I were you? I'd be checking this town out big time.

Okay, that's my two cents for the day. Good luck researching this particular town outside the City of Boston, I know you'd like this one more than Charlestown and I'm from the town, so remember that when you make your actual decision, reread this post till it sticks! The previous poster was right about it as far as the schools were concerned, but remember that was 25 years ago and it was the Boston Public Schools at it's worse time in the history of Boston. To be perfectly honest with you, the schools and the neighborhood have come a long long way since then; as far as racial diversity is concerned. It "grew up" since the 70's and 80's of busing and all that.