Couple over 60 yrs, lots of cats and want to buy a ranch (Boston: houses)

[Martha Anne]

I can't believe I am posting this embarrassing post. But we take in homeless cats and believe me, if you love animals you don't just dump them if you want to move! So, we will have 8 or 9 cats and a little dog, all rescues, with us when we move SOMEWHERE we can afford in Massachusetts.

We need to pay no more than $300 to $350K and that means no improvements needed.

Plus a 4 season enclosed sun room or porch for the cats.

We'd prefer as close to Boston as is possible, but we are very flexible.

Safe area, near good medical care, etc.

Any suggestions?

[kmann-sherborn]

Why is that embarassing that you're kind enough to take in rescues? It's so good of you.

My cousin is in the same situation and lives in Hopkinton. She a large fenced yard for all the pets. It's about 45-60 minutes from Boston but has good highway access & train access to Boston on the Ashland & Southboro town lines.

[ogre]

I agree with Kmann. There is no reason to be embarassed about this thread. You're just seeking information about a good fit for a place to live, and what you are doing to help abandoned animals is commendable.

When I think of towns in the Boston metro area that are nice towns but still have housing costs that are modest by the Boston area's standards, Kmann's suggestion of Hopkinton always comes to mind. The adjacent town of Holliston is similar. Up to the northwest of Boston, Littleton is another nice town if you like an area with a low population density and some woods and fields scattered areound, which also has some housing prices that are reasonable as Boston area prices go.

There is a user on this forum named Brightdoglover who lives in Littleton if I'm not mistaken. She takes in abandoned dogs, so if she picks up this thread and posts here, you may want to pay special attention to her posts, and ask whether she can post anything about whether Littleton is especially friendly to animals, and to those who keep a number of animals in their houses.

Here are a few other towns which come to mind when I think of suburbs that are either pretty nice or at least basic modest, clean, safe towns, where the housing prices are not through the roof: Grafton, Franklin, Dedham, Burlington, Braintree.

I'm sure there are a bunch of others as well, but those are a few suggestions to check out.

[redsoxwalking]

MLS# 71102561 in Saugus.
A little over budget, but seems to fit your needs. Make an offer? Good luck!

[brightdoglover]

Thank you for mentioning me and my mutt family.
Prices in Littleton easily would suit the OP's budget. I don't think there is a limit on cats. There might be a limit of five dogs per household (I've had up to six) but no issue unless they think you're running a breeding organization or kennel business. (Again, dogs are more of an issue due to noise).
Outdoor cats have a tough time in Littleton. There is a lot of conservation land, and coyotes live there. There are always "missing cat" notices at the wonderful pet supply place (Pet Thingz, an independent animal-loving business in Littleton) and they are usually in the neighborhood abutting the major conservation land.
Emerson Hospital, which is really excellent, is about eight miles from Littleton Center. There is little public transport. The Council on Aging has some sort of transport by appointment, to the supermarket and hospital, I think. You will be car dependent, but not for long distances.
There is a beautiful lake on the modest side of town- Long Lake.
Please feel free to direct mail me if you'd like. I think it'd be a fine place for older people with animals. (Some 30 percent of Littleton is over 65, usually long-time residents). It's a modestly prosperous, unpretentious lovely town with farms and farmstands and orchards within a mile or so. I've been here 18 years, after thinking I MUST live in Cambridge amidst the restaurants, etc. Then I decided I wanted greenery, peace and dogs more than parking problems.
Best wishes to the OP on the move.
One really good thing about Mass., animal welfare in general is way ahead of many other places (a friend who does basset rescue (!) checked out other places to live and was pretty distressed by the animal welfare situation).

[kmann-sherborn]

Good point Brightdoglover. It's definately tough for outdoor cats in this area. Our cats stay indoors. We have fisher cats around here in Sherborn and saw plenty of coyotes when we lived in Hopkinton.