Acton to Needham Commute Time? (Waltham, Westwood: school, living, buses)

[smarty]

Originally Posted by BigShadow

I have been told that the commute from Ashland to Needham is about 40 mins in morning traffic. I have also been told that the commute from Acton to Needham in morning traffic is about 45mins even though it is more miles. If this were true then for the sake of 5 mins I would probably opt for Acton.

Hence I asked the question here to get more opinions on the commute time from Acton. From your responses, I am assuming that it is not a commute you would want to do.

From Ashland, you travel via local roads (Rt135) to Needham. (14 miles)
From Acton, you have to travel through Rt2 and Rt128. (22 miles) My experience is the travel time using Rt128/Rt2 can vary tremendously. 45 minutes is the low end (no accident/no rush hour traffic). It can easily take you 1.5 hr. Just going through the Concord rotary can take 20-25 minutes at 5-6pm. I suggest you try it for a few days to see if it is acceptable.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by wheelz

Sherborn MA is a nice little town, I haven't ever really checked out the cost of homes there but I've driven through there quite a few times and it definitely has some New England charm,,, whatever that means. LOL!

If you can afford to pay nearly $1 mil for the median house there then yeah, it's a nice place to live =)

[BigShadow]

Thanks for all the input on the towns...and yes affordability is the big issue with Wayland (and even more so, Sherborn). We would really have to compromise and even that may a stretch.

We have decided that my wife will come out tomorrow to look at some of these towns....and yes, she will drive some of the routes during commuting hours. She is the one commuting after all.

So Wheelz, you think the housing market has some way still to fall before it hits bottom?

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by BigShadow

Thanks for all the input on the towns...and yes affordability is the big issue with Wayland (and even more so, Sherborn). We would really have to compromise and even that may a stretch.

We have decided that my wife will come out tomorrow to look at some of these towns....and yes, she will drive some of the routes during commuting hours. She is the one commuting after all.

So Wheelz, you think the housing market has some way still to fall before it hits bottom?

Even MAR (Mass Association of Realtors) is saying mid-2008 will be the bottom. When the realtors who have a vested interest in the market say it's going to end in mid-2008, it's probably going to take even longer than that. However, interest rates are rising so any further price decreases might be eroded by the higher mortgage rates. You're coming from the UK though ... if you pay cash like most Brits do here, then you don't have to worry about the mortgage

[wheelz]

The strange thing about MA right now is people aren't really dropping their prices all that much in order to attract a buyer. I would think that in a year or so prices will HAVE to start dropping more, either that or you are going to see the flood gates open on the foreclosures. There are a lot of people that are maxed out as far as their income/debt ratio goes and either they are going to have to take a bath and lower their asking price or they will wind up losing everything they have. I should probably reword that and say, they will wind up losing everything they still owe a ton of money on. LOL!

When you aren't in decent financial shape, those mortgage payments seem to arrive by the week instead of the month. I am VERY fortunate as I have never bought into the whole bigger is better philosophy, nor do I care what the Joneses are up to.

I own a modest ranch that I bought back in the late 80's and after refinancing a couple times over the years, my mortgage payment is only $567.00 dollars a month. Yes, I most definitely could afford a bigger place but why would I want to do that to myself? The way I'm living now gives me a ton of freedom to be able to travel 5 or 6 times a year and I can afford to buy the things I really like, such as brand new dirt bikes every year and all the latest fancy gadgets, with cash instead of credit. My business' allow me to write off a lot of things so I don't see/feel the need to have high interest payments to write off. If something were to happen to me or the bottom fell out of my business', my butt is covered!

[GettinOuttaHereMA]

Have you looked into Concord, Lexington, Bedford or Carlisle? Acton has nice schools, but thats about it (Please Acton Supporters don't be offended, your town is wonderful. Im not trying to fight anybody.) and if your planning on working in the Needham area your kinda outta luck on the driving unless you go to work at off hours, buts thats just Mass. Its like that everywhere inside the 495 belt. Good Luck.

[BigShadow]

Originally Posted by Parsec

However, interest rates are rising so any further price decreases might be eroded by the higher mortgage rates. You're coming from the UK though ... if you pay cash like most Brits do here, then you don't have to worry about the mortgage

If only that was the case.....unfortunately a substantial mortgage will be required.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by GettinOuttaHereMA

Have you looked into Concord, Lexington, Bedford or Carlisle? Acton has nice schools, but thats about it (Please Acton Supporters don't be offended, your town is wonderful. Im not trying to fight anybody.) and if your planning on working in the Needham area your kinda outta luck on the driving unless you go to work at off hours, buts thats just Mass. Its like that everywhere inside the 495 belt. Good Luck.

I've always thought of Concord and Lexington as nice towns w/nice town centers, but what do Bedford and Carlisle have that Acton doesn't? South Acton's got a lot of nice little shops too and it's not seedy at all.

[DreamworksSKG]

Might Suggest Newton, Dedham, West Roxbury, Canton, Norwood, Framingham, Waltham, even arlington would be doable (its on route 2 and you could easily get to 128 sotuth) Also bedford, lexington, burlington might work, though there can be traffic along 128 in the PMS.
So Dedham, Norwood, Waltham, Newton , Weston or Medfield might be good to look into. All are pretty close to needham.
it would also be a short drive up to route 2 - to get into Alewife Red Line subway station ...route 2 is never really crowded so you can take 128 N to 2 East and go to the end of route 2 to alewife station if you needed to get into the city via subway.

[BigShadow]

Originally Posted by DreamworksSKG

Might Suggest Newton, Dedham, West Roxbury, Canton, Norwood, Framingham, Waltham, even arlington would be doable (its on route 2 and you could easily get to 128 sotuth) Also bedford, lexington, burlington might work, though there can be traffic along 128 in the PMS.
So Dedham, Norwood, Waltham, Newton , Weston or Medfield might be good to look into. All are pretty close to needham.
it would also be a short drive up to route 2 - to get into Alewife Red Line subway station ...route 2 is never really crowded so you can take 128 N to 2 East and go to the end of route 2 to alewife station if you needed to get into the city via subway.

Thanks. We have now rented in Medfield.

My wife did come over and do the Acton-Needham run in morning traffic (7am) a couple of times - 37 mins was the average. However, we took on board the points made here about accidents and adverse weather having a major impact on that commute. Medfield seems to offer two good viable options - into Westwood and up the 128, or through Dover and into Needham and is half the distance.

Appreciate all the input to this thread. Many thanks.