Relocation Advice (Boston, Worcester, Brookline: real estate, rent, condos)

[sevdie]

**I originally posted this on the New Hampshire Forum**

I am a Native New Yorker who currently lives in the midwest and would like to relocate to New England. My husband and I have no children and are very much into fine arts. We are looking for a quiet place that's more suburban than rural and far away from but still within driving distance to the cities. We want to live some place SAFE and small, near the beach (preferably the ocean) with lots of snow and mild summers. We want to own our own performing arts theater someday in a nearby city from where we would be living and would love to be able to commute to that city where residents would support the arts.
We are an interracial couple (AA and Latino) moving to NE from the midwest where it can sometimes be very bigoted. Are there any towns in MA with the qualities I listed above and where racism is not such a big problem? Please let me know. Any info at all would be greatly appreciated.

[winnie]

Originally Posted by sevdie

We are an interracial couple (AA and Latino) moving to NE from the midwest where it can sometimes be very bigoted. Are there any towns in MA with the qualities I listed above and where racism is not such a big problem? Please let me know. Any info at all would be greatly appreciated.

Check out the Amherst/Northampton area. It is not a beach town but it is about an hour from the ocean and close to the Connecticut River, the Quabbin and numerous lakes. It is home to UMASS, people there are accepting of other cultures and sexual orientation, and also very much into arts and culture. It is relatively safe there, unless the basketball team won or lost a major basketball game then they have some issues on college campus...the usual teenage BS.

I am only familiar with Western Mass. There might be a burb of Boston that is safe and meets your criteria about the bigotry issue (I am sure most of MA towns would) and is also near the beach, but then you will be sacrificing a little because cost of housing in MA is much higher once you get east of Worcester.

If you want to know more about western MA, I can gladly get you more info RE things to do, where to live etc..

You should ask about RI as well.

[sevdie]

Thanks for your reply. I will look into boston burbs to see if their are any relatively safe neighborhoods there. It will be worth the higher home prices if I can find a place in NE to call home.

[nighthawk2325]

MASSACHUSETTS: Cape Cod Area: Sandwich,MA.,Plymouth,MA.., North Shore Area :Rockport,MA. South of Boston: Scituate,MA,Cohasset,MA.

Western Mass not really near Ocean /Beach area at all...Allthe the areas above will give you your Winters,Summers...Beaches ,Ocean...Close enough to Boston..Good Theater,Arts..

I don't think the bigotry/interracial thing is a problem out here anymore..might be for some ,but you'll get that anywhere.,honestly most people don't have a problem with it

Be advised....MA is expensive to live in...nickname used to be TAXachusetts..Good luck

[sevdie]

Thanks. I'll add these cities to my list to research.

[RichCapeCod]

Check out the lower Cape Cod area (Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown). Folks here are very welcoming and your ethnic make-up will have no impact. Housing is expensive (you'll be spending from $500K and up), but it's a very relaxed life style.

[sevdie]

How is the crime rate in that area? Do you know?

[maggiekate]

Originally Posted by RichCapeCod

Check out the lower Cape Cod area (Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown). Folks here are very welcoming and your ethnic make-up will have no impact. Housing is expensive (you'll be spending from $500K and up), but it's a very relaxed life style.

WAY TO GO!
I live in the So called Sunshine State, from MA.

8 years ago it was nice, now?

i

[maggiekate]

Originally Posted by sevdie

How is the crime rate in that area? Do you know?

on Cape Cod very little crime. Yarmouth, is closer to Boston, which is more money! check out real estate on the web, and read the Cape Cod Times, and yup, the Boston Globe..

[Baltic_Celt]

Hello Sevdie -

For your research, I'd like to suggest the following very safe, quiet, family-oriented MA suburbs, all mainly upper-middle class to upscale communities. These areas are predominately low-key/friendly white families (as opposed to fast-paced, brusker, inner-city folks) & in my personal experience do include/embrace a large percentage of racially-mixed, immegrant & minority couples/families. I also agree with a previous poster that suburbs surrounding most large cities have changed as there are so many mixed families now (nationality, heritage & religion due to marriage/adoption/etc). Are there harsh words passed between folks here? Yes, urban Bostonians aren't particularly friendly compared to other areas (I've lived all over the US), but it's usually due to perceived rudeness by one party.

Dedham - 10-15 mi south of Boston, good schools, mostly families w/kids including families from Africa/Iran/Lebanon/Carribean/Middle East & a smaller % from India/China. More pros? Everyone blends rather nicely & neighbors look out for each other. Houses $250K & up. No bad areas, so to speak. Lots of shopping/huge multi-screen cinema/restaurants - from low-end to mid-range, including many ethnic grocery stores/bakeries/restaurants. Also, this area has a lovely square (Dedham Square) with mid-scale establishments & the Dedham Community Theatre (indie/foreign/art films & they offer a comedy show now & again). It feels very safe, calm & friendly when walking around/shopping. People here still take after-dinner strolls thru the streets. Very little crime.

http://www.dedhamcommunitytheatre.com/

The con? Less available public transportation than other cities, so most folks are drivers & shuffle kids about to/from school/after-school activities. Few, but nice parks (including the huge, quiet, gorgeous Millenium Park w/6 soccer fields, tiered trails, overlooking ALL of Boston/Charles River), but need to drive to them.


Brookline - 7-mi west of Boston (large, diverse town), great schools - many private or Jewish-affiliated, large Jewish & Russian populations, lots of hardworking students (quieter grad-school types). % of racially mixed families. More pros? LOTS of public transportation just a few short blocks from everywhere - including 3 major train/trolly lines & some buslines, small parks sprinkled throughout the town, several large Whole Foods stores, alot you'll need to access will be within walking distance, many restaurants/shops - from low end to upscale. Kosher/Irish/Japanese groceries/bakeries/restaurants. Very little crime. Also, this area has a very peaceful feel to it & it's very walkable with several little squares with a nice congregation of mainly mid-range to upscale restaurants/coffee shops/hairshops which are even safe in the evening (Washington Sq., Coolidge Corner, Cleveland Circle, Brookline Village). Lots of mom & pop biz's. This area has the Coolidge Corner Cinema (indie/foreign/art films). http://www.coolidge.org/

The cons? No overnight street parking in the town (if you don't have off-street parking, many local biz's like gas stations, rent spaces in the $75/wk avg). All single family homes have them, some condos/apts may not. Houses/condos in the $350K & up range.

*** See Part II in next post ***