relocating to Boston

[puffle]

Are you asking where to live in the Santa Barbara area? Is SBCC a Santa Barbara city college? Not really familiar with that area other than the prices are beyond expensive,beyond Boston expensive, especially on a teachers salary. Have you been to Santa Barbara? If not it is a mix of very rich, very rich college students, poor immigrants and homeless that always hang around downtown Santa Barbara. Why is your daughter interested in going there with all the great schools in your area and less expensive being in your state? Sorry, I know it is none of my business. I guess it is just being here my whole life and your family being in Ma. Why wouldn't your daughter go to a junior college in Ma. and then transfer to U.C.S.B. if accepted? Makes more sense economically to me.
In regard to the Boxford area....from what I have read it seems to expensive and to rural for our tastes. I think my son would be bored and get in too much mischief. He is not doing well with the move at all. Promised to make our life a living hell if we move. So far he has done an excellent job. I think once he realizes that we will not give in to his manipulation and will move, he will back down and accept it without too much of a fight.
We are considering Needham,Newton,Brookline,Belmont,Hingham and Marblehead/Swampscott at the moment. I had suggested Andover which did not go over well. Too far from the city for the hubby. He has a thing about being close to the city and I have a thing about being near the ocean for allergies,clean air,recreation,less snow, cooler temps in the summer and good schools.

[smarty]

Originally Posted by puffle

Why wouldn't your daughter go to a junior college in Ma. and then transfer to U.C.S.B. if accepted? Makes more sense economically to me.

Have you seen the acceptance rate for out of state students for the UC system? You have to be in the top 1% with a 3.8GPA. The requirement is much harsher than in state students. (Going to school in MA is not cheap either.)

[work4fun]

I was also originally from MI and relocated to Boston area for grad school. I have friends who grew up around Boston and stayed all their lives, here's his story:

" One day, his professor (a Boston transplant from Maryland for just over two years), invited my friend to dinner at his house. My friend promptly agreed to go. During the dinner, the prof said "What's wrong with me?" My friend said, "why?" The prof said, "I have been trying to invite people to my place but only you wanted to come." "

My friend said typically "New Englanders" tend to be more individual, it's just the way it is, but that doesn't equate unfriendliness. It took some time to getting use to the customs. Boston area is diverse, dynamic and full of colors. If you like 4 seasons, which I do, you'll love it.

In regards to where to live, homes are pretty much pricey in and around Boston area. I have 3 kids and my wife stay at home, I have chosen Winchester because of proximity to Cambridge. It is a very small quiet town, with very good public schools, accessibility to transportation is limited. Commuter rail is an option. There's also no trash pickup, you need to get a transfer station permit and bring your trash there. House prices in my neighborhood are 800k minimum, most of them in 1M-2M+ range. It really depends on your financial situation. My income is in the range of $450k per year and I have a mortgage, but live comfortably with lots of disposable income for savings and investments. My neighborhood is classified wealthy according to US census. Other neighborhoods of Winchester, towards East Side, is less pricey, but still costs at least 300k. There are 3 Nobel prize winners living in Winchester and they all said it's the school system.


Diversity is very poor in Winchester, mostly whites, single digit percentage from Asian heritage of which I am one of those. My neighbors are very welcoming and help each other out. My wife once locked herself out with babies inside and I was unreachable by phone. Our neighbor's husband who lived across the street brought tools to break the porch windows for her to get in. You need good, helpful neighbors, diversity is helpful.

So I hope this gives you better sense of what I know.
Neighboring towns like Arlington, Lexington have very good school systems. So shop around and talk to more people before making decision.

God bless.

[work4fun]

I was also originally from MI and relocated to Boston area for grad school. I have friends who grew up around Boston and stayed all their lives, here's his story:

" One day, his professor (a Boston transplant from Maryland for just over two years), invited my friend to dinner at his house. My friend promptly agreed to go. During the dinner, the prof said "What's wrong with me?" My friend said, "why?" The prof said, "I have been trying to invite people to my place but only you wanted to come." "

My friend said typically "New Englanders" tend to be more individual, it's just the way it is, but that doesn't equate unfriendliness. It took some time to getting use to the customs. Boston area is diverse, dynamic and full of colors. If you like 4 seasons, which I do, you'll love it.

In regards to where to live, homes are pretty much pricey in and around Boston area. I have 3 kids and my wife stay at home, I have chosen Winchester because of proximity to Cambridge. It is a very small quiet town, with very good public schools, accessibility to transportation is limited. Commuter rail is an option. There's also no trash pickup, you need to get a transfer station permit and bring your trash there. House prices in my neighborhood are 800k minimum, most of them in 1M-2M+ range. It really depends on your financial situation. My income is in the range of $450k per year and I have a mortgage, but live comfortably with lots of disposable income for savings and investments. My neighborhood is classified wealthy according to US census. Other neighborhoods of Winchester, towards East Side, is less pricey, but still costs at least 300k. There are 3 Nobel prize winners living in Winchester and they all said it's the school system.


Diversity is very poor in Winchester, mostly whites, single digit percentage from Asian heritage of which I am one of those. My neighbors are very welcoming and help each other out. My wife once locked herself out with babies inside and I was unreachable by phone. Our neighbor's husband who lived across the street brought tools to break the porch windows for her to get in. You need good, helpful neighbors, diversity is helpful.

So I hope this gives you better sense of what I know.
Neighboring towns like Arlington, Lexington have very good school systems. So shop around and talk to more people before making decision.

God bless.

[jphelan4]

I have lived in the Brookline (Coolidge Corner area) for tens years and hopefully I can sum it up for you. The housing is very expensive in this particular area. This area is very pedestrian friendly - you can walk everywhere and trains are easily accessible. Easy access to Rte 9, Commonwealth Ave, Mass Pike, Storrow Drive, Memorial Drive, Rte 93, basically everything. Lot of parks as well. To buy a house a house in this area (3/4 bedroom) it could range anywhere from $600,000 - $2,000,000. If you like the walking culture and enjoy the Environment, Starbucks, and Trader Joe's you'll fit right in.

[maggiekate]

pick newton, or maybe norwood, chestnut hill area with west roxbury, on the roslindale line I even like J.P.
the value will go up.maybe bedford.money wise, I pick J.P. a dime in the bank will not hurt!

[findingmesomeday]

MA has one of the best ranked public school systems in the country. Of course, there are great school districts and crappy school districts just like anywhere else, but in general, a more poorly rated school district in MA is probably as good as or better than a highly rated school district from a poor state with underfunded schools.

That said, I'd advise you to stick to the larger towns. I live in a small town (10,000) and though it's great, we have ONE elementary, ONE middle and ONE high school. If your kids were small, I'd say definitely move here. But with a high schooler? By the time these kids are in HS, they've all known eachother since kindergarten, have played all the same youth sports programs, gone to the same schools, etc. I would think it would be hard to move in here as a high schooler, though people have done it.

We're thinking seriously about moving out of state and we also have a high schooler. However, where we're looking, people are pretty mobile so I don't think my high schooler will stick out as much as "the new kid".

[matransplant]

Hi, I hope you find a nice place in MA. I am from Woburn and have to say in my neighborhood, people are very friendly to the transplants from other area's. I am in a neighborhood of tree lined streets, and annual block parties, where the new people are welcomed with flowers etc... Woburn Schools are ok, but the private ones in Winchester (right next door) are very good. The secondary private schools in the area are exemplary as well. Houses in this neighborhood are under $500k. I wish you luck in your search

Originally Posted by mjkw3

Our family may be possibly relocating from Michigan to the Boston area. We have lived in Michigan all of our lives and do not even know where to start looking. We have a 15 year old son entering high school in the Fall and our priority is not to scar him for life . My husband will be working in Boston but I assume we will want a nearby suburb...some of the ones I have looked at online just based on affordabililty of the houses are Brookline, Walpole, Westport and West Bridgewater. OUu priorities are excellent schools and a friendly town. Is it an Urban Legend that New Englanders are unfriendly to outsiders? If so, which are the "friendliest" towns with more "transplants"? Any info on places to look as well as places to stay away from would be greatyly appreciated!!!