Affordable towns (Boston, Springfield, Framingham: crime rate, homes, purchases)

[seldomseen]

The cost of living in in MA. is high...the higher pay-rates are typically only found within the Boston Metro area. And this higher payrates do not mean that you will earn $100,000 per year!! How much you make depends greatly on your skills-sets/education/field of work etc. For the most part, the average earning MA, and Boston still doesn't pay enough to manage the high cost of living in MA.

[jgarrett0218]

Im a paralegal so i'm not too sure how easy it would be for me to find a job, considering that I learned all of the laws for tennessee and they will differ some in Massachusetts. My husband is an LPN so I think he would have an easier time finding a job than i would!

Thanks to everyone who posted replies.... you have all been a great help

[bunnyrider]

I don't know, maybe I'm in the minority here but I've lived in eastern Massachusetts all my life and don't find it as dreary and hopeless as others.

Yes, it's pricey. No doubt. Yes, some towns are unaffordable. But isn't that true in most states? Yes, your salary will depend on your skill set and education, but isn't that true in most states?

As I said, I grew up around here, went to college in Maine, and haven't been unemployed a single day. I rented apartments all around the North Shore from 1991 to 2001, when I bought my first home - brand new 2000-square foot modern townhome 20 minutes Noth of Boston. On a single income. Got married, and my husband and I built a nice home 3 years ago in a different town, also about 20 minutes from Boston.

We're not corporate CEOs, not brain surgeons, but have had steady employment and made smart real estate decisions.

While it is more expensive here than in most areas of the country, I don't see it as a "no-win" situation.

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by metaljaybird

The economy is a bit more stable in CT. If you visit Western Ma, swing by Central CT. All of the towns surrounding the Hartford area are pretty upscale, but you can still find some safe communities with a relatively lower cost of real estate.

Metaljaybird is pretty much correct.

Housing prices in New England vary greatly in such a compact area. But in general prices will be higher then western Tennessee.
The highest real estate will be in greater Boston, Southwestern Connecticut in Fairfield county (close to New York), Cape Cod, Worcester and lastly Providence RI.

Western Mass is actually near the nationwide average for prices for existing homes- Outside of Springfield places like Hadley, Westfield and East Hampton are very pleasant New England towns; but are only 1.5-2 hours to Boston.

Greater Hartford Connecticut has a median home price around 255K- but has a better economy then Springfield, and the city is further along in its revival. There is also a large demand for those in the legal field .There are many attractive towns of high quality both east, west, north and south of Hartford.

Eastern Connecticut-roughly half way between Providence and Hartford is very traditional ' New England', quiet and rural- with housing prices on average of last then 250K.

So, there are affordable places in New England that really 'bump' up to very expensive locales within a relatively close distance.

Consider eastern Connecticut (Tolland and Windham counties)- A very nice area to live. Close to the ocean, with many cultural amenities close by- and will provide the same New England living as in Massachusetts you seem to desire.

Do PM me; or ask for more information on the Connecticut forum.

[findingmesomeday]

Anyplace inside the 495 belt is outrageously expensive, if you're comparing to TN--and even outside 495 is spendy, too. You do get lots of land, but you pay premium taxes on that land, and excise tax on your cars and lots of other hidden taxes in Taxachusetts!

[um1111]

Originally Posted by bunnyrider

I don't know, maybe I'm in the minority here but I've lived in eastern Massachusetts all my life and don't find it as dreary and hopeless as others.

Yes, it's pricey. No doubt. Yes, some towns are unaffordable. But isn't that true in most states? Yes, your salary will depend on your skill set and education, but isn't that true in most states?

As I said, I grew up around here, went to college in Maine, and haven't been unemployed a single day. I rented apartments all around the North Shore from 1991 to 2001, when I bought my first home - brand new 2000-square foot modern townhome 20 minutes Noth of Boston. On a single income. Got married, and my husband and I built a nice home 3 years ago in a different town, also about 20 minutes from Boston.

We're not corporate CEOs, not brain surgeons, but have had steady employment and made smart real estate decisions.

While it is more expensive here than in most areas of the country, I don't see it as a "no-win" situation.

Your "smart" real estate decisions is nothing else than luck - you bought just before the housing market went crazy.

Whoever missed that is worse off. Finally the housing mania stopped and, luckily, now can only get down. Whoever buys anything now (with shorter than 15 years persective) is plain nut case (like all people who bought after 2002-2003 depending on the area).

[CaseyB]

How do you know if the poster made smart real estate decisions or not? I know plenty of people who have made stupid ones.

[um1111]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

How do you know if the poster made smart real estate decisions or not? I know plenty of people who have made stupid ones.

Oh, I don't know. Buying in 2001 was generally good idea, that was before housing price inflation.

Of course, I do know plenty people who made stupid decisions and are upside down now. Well, they have their homes and as long as can service their debt they should be fine, but they are stuck there.

Sorry for thread hijack.

[seldomseen]

What I was pointing out was...a person's/families' income/dollar doesn't buy them as much in Ma., as it would in say, Charlotte, NC, or Portland, ME, and it's a known fact that the cost/expense involved to reside in Ma, or the Boston area is very high. This has been published in various reputable publications. Can people "survive" in Ma because of this fact? Yes they still can. If I remember correctly Harvard University published a study about a year or two ago, determining that Ma is has one of the highest population voluntary attrition rates in the United States because of two main factors: High-Cost of Living, and Mediocre Employment Market, and a few other key factors.

[findingmesomeday]

For the OP, who is coming from TN, don't forget to factor in the high cost of heating your home, not to mention the long, long cold winters and non-existent spring.