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I have heard Hull referred to as "Brockton by the sea". Not the most promising description....is this overly harsh? I was surprised that anything in that proximity to Boston would not be relatively nice. (Not that Brockton doesn't have its promising areas I am sure, but I have heard of it being rough)
That's funny...my brother told me that where I was living (North Weymouth) was known as Brockton by the Sea. I don't think Hull is a very nice place. Of course it has it's nice homes and beautiful views but I wouldn't want to live there.
We briefly considered Hull because it was one of the few towns where we could afford an oceanfront home--we even put an offer on a house there, but backed out after weighing our options.
The biggest positive for us was essentially having a private beach--the house we put an offer on was on the alphabet streets, but it was far from Nantasket Beach. I really liked the idea of having a beautiful, quiet beach outside my front door. We found it impossible to find something similar in neighboring towns for less than seven figures.
The biggest negatives for us were:
1. The school system. Compared to all of the neighboring towns, test scores in the public school system were very low. We'd decided that if we got the house, we'd probably have to sell before our future kids became school-aged.
2. The commute. We both work downtown and while there is a ferry, it didn't run as often as the Hingham ferry. We were trying to keep our commute an hour or less door-to-door and the commuter rail was too far for us to achieve that.
3. Distance from anything outside of Hull. It seemed as though everything was at least 20 minutes away--Route 3, the grocery store, restaurants, etc. and I was afraid of being that "disconnected" once we had kids.
4. Summer traffic. When we were looking at houses last summer, it would take us 20 minutes to get from Nantasket beach to the other side of Hull on a Saturday. I would find it frustrating to battle through crowds like that anytime I wanted to leave Hull on a summer weekend.
I did talk to several Hull residents when we were thinking of buying there and they loved it--our would-be neighbors had spent summers there for years, but lived in Brookline (for the school system). They were planning to live year-round once their kids graduated. Also, the sellers' real estate agent lived there for years before moving to Cohasset--she said she missed all the neighborhood kids playing together on the beach in the summers.
I think Hull is a great opportunity to be near the beach on a budget. I think Weymouth would likely be a better option for commuters, though.
I agree with Newfie Mama in all that she said. Hull has also evolved over the years. It used to have a sketchy reputation but I think that has changed. Nantasket Beach is still not the best area but it is not because of residents that it has that reputation. Evenings in the summer, it is a very busy place. The best bet is to live away from that area. In recent years, Hull has seen a large influx in gay population which has had a positive effect on the area.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NewfieMama
We briefly considered Hull because it was one of the few towns where we could afford an oceanfront home--we even put an offer on a house there, but backed out after weighing our options.
The biggest positive for us was essentially having a private beach--the house we put an offer on was on the alphabet streets, but it was far from Nantasket Beach. I really liked the idea of having a beautiful, quiet beach outside my front door. We found it impossible to find something similar in neighboring towns for less than seven figures.
The biggest negatives for us were:
1. The school system. Compared to all of the neighboring towns, test scores in the public school system were very low. We'd decided that if we got the house, we'd probably have to sell before our future kids became school-aged.
2. The commute. We both work downtown and while there is a ferry, it didn't run as often as the Hingham ferry. We were trying to keep our commute an hour or less door-to-door and the commuter rail was too far for us to achieve that.
3. Distance from anything outside of Hull. It seemed as though everything was at least 20 minutes away--Route 3, the grocery store, restaurants, etc. and I was afraid of being that "disconnected" once we had kids.
4. Summer traffic. When we were looking at houses last summer, it would take us 20 minutes to get from Nantasket beach to the other side of Hull on a Saturday. I would find it frustrating to battle through crowds like that anytime I wanted to leave Hull on a summer weekend.
I did talk to several Hull residents when we were thinking of buying there and they loved it--our would-be neighbors had spent summers there for years, but lived in Brookline (for the school system). They were planning to live year-round once their kids graduated. Also, the sellers' real estate agent lived there for years before moving to Cohasset--she said she missed all the neighborhood kids playing together on the beach in the summers.
I think Hull is a great opportunity to be near the beach on a budget. I think Weymouth would likely be a better option for commuters, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beachcomber4
I agree with Newfie Mama in all that she said. Hull has also evolved over the years. It used to have a sketchy reputation but I think that has changed. Nantasket Beach is still not the best area but it is not because of residents that it has that reputation. Evenings in the summer, it is a very busy place. The best bet is to live away from that area. In recent years, Hull has seen a large influx in gay population which has had a positive effect on the area.
I concur with both beachcomber and Newfiemama. There is one thing I'd like to touch on though. It's just food for thought. Be mindful to try to buy on higher ground in hull (if you can.) I say this because every now and again the s. shore coastal towns get hit but good with a nor'easter and wind and water damage (flooding) abound from these storms.
Agreed about buying on higher ground--this is reflected in flood insurance rates as well. We put offers in on a few oceanfront homes and Hull had the highest flood insurance premiums by far. Two of the oceanfront homes we considered in Scituate had premiums around $2K per year. The cheapest we could find in Hull was about $6K per year. This definitely gave us pause.
Info from a Hull resident compared to someone who put an offer in once and others who heard things.
I bought a house in Hull after 6 years of searching for a house with my wife. We wanted to live near the ocean and narrowed our search to Hingham , Cohasset, Hull, and Scitute. I have 1 child who is 2 years old.
I see the respones to your question and wonder why poeple who have no idea of the town find that they have to comment. In my opionin Hull is a hidden gem that keeps improving year over year. Everyone I have met in the town loves living here. See my comments to the concerns (NewfieMama) below.
The biggest negatives for us were:
1. The school system. Compared to all of the neighboring towns, test scores in the public school system were very low. We'd decided that if we got the house, we'd probably have to sell before our future kids became school-aged.
Hull High was ranked 96th out of 383 public high schools in Mass in 2011. Although the school system rates behind Hingham(65) and Cohasset(11), which are two of the best in the state, it is rated higher than most others including Weymouth and Scituate(98), just behind Hanover(91) and Norwell (94) which funny enough are known for having great school systems. The schools are new and overlook the ocean. The school system isn't a concern for me and I have a 2 year old.
2. The commute. We both work downtown and while there is a ferry, it didn't run as often as the Hingham ferry. We were trying to keep our commute an hour or less door-to-door and the commuter rail was too far for us to achieve that.
My wife works in downtown Boston and takes the Ferry daily out of Hull. The parking is free and the ride into Boston is 17 minutes. She saves an hour a day in commute compared to when we lived in Braintree and loves taking the boat. I work in Quincy at Crown Colony and the commute is 26 mins on average. The boat runs weekdays at 6am, 7am, 8am, and 9am and returns hourly in the afternnon/evening. The Greenbush line stop in Cohasset is close by on the Hull/Cohasset line.
3. Distance from anything outside of Hull. It seemed as though everything was at least 20 minutes away--Route 3, the grocery store, restaurants, etc. and I was afraid of being that "disconnected" once we had kids.
Grocery store in town (Riddles) is great for Meats and Fish and has most everyting you would look for. Stop and Shop in Cohasset is 10 - 15 mins away. Hull has excellent resturants as does Hingham center which is on the Hull/Hingham line.
4. Summer traffic. When we were looking at houses last summer, it would take us 20 minutes to get from Nantasket beach to the other side of Hull on a Saturday. I would find it frustrating to battle through crowds like that anytime I wanted to leave Hull on a summer weekend.
Traffic on the summer weekends is difficult but generally we arn't leaving the town during the beach rush hours. We have become a destination for our friends and family due to living near the beach. You learn quickly when there is and isn't traffic, It hasn't been an issue for us.
I am sorry know one from Hull answered your question sooner and all you received is feedback from uniformed individuals that felt the need to answer your question with less than accurate information.
To get to know the town better before we bought we took a winter rental, I would highly recommend this if you want to live near the beach but have reservations about the town. I believe you will be pleasently surprised.
Info from a Hull resident compared to someone who put an offer in once and others who heard things.
I bought a house in Hull after 6 years of searching for a house with my wife. We wanted to live near the ocean and narrowed our search to Hingham , Cohasset, Hull, and Scitute. I have 1 child who is 2 years old.
I see the respones to your question and wonder why poeple who have no idea of the town find that they have to comment. In my opionin Hull is a hidden gem that keeps improving year over year. Everyone I have met in the town loves living here. See my comments to the concerns (NewfieMama) below.
The biggest negatives for us were:
1. The school system. Compared to all of the neighboring towns, test scores in the public school system were very low. We'd decided that if we got the house, we'd probably have to sell before our future kids became school-aged.
Hull High was ranked 96th out of 383 public high schools in Mass in 2011. Although the school system rates behind Hingham(65) and Cohasset(11), which are two of the best in the state, it is rated higher than most others including Weymouth and Scituate(98), just behind Hanover(91) and Norwell (94) which funny enough are known for having great school systems. The schools are new and overlook the ocean. The school system isn't a concern for me and I have a 2 year old.
2. The commute. We both work downtown and while there is a ferry, it didn't run as often as the Hingham ferry. We were trying to keep our commute an hour or less door-to-door and the commuter rail was too far for us to achieve that.
My wife works in downtown Boston and takes the Ferry daily out of Hull. The parking is free and the ride into Boston is 17 minutes. She saves an hour a day in commute compared to when we lived in Braintree and loves taking the boat. I work in Quincy at Crown Colony and the commute is 26 mins on average. The boat runs weekdays at 6am, 7am, 8am, and 9am and returns hourly in the afternnon/evening. The Greenbush line stop in Cohasset is close by on the Hull/Cohasset line.
3. Distance from anything outside of Hull. It seemed as though everything was at least 20 minutes away--Route 3, the grocery store, restaurants, etc. and I was afraid of being that "disconnected" once we had kids.
Grocery store in town (Riddles) is great for Meats and Fish and has most everyting you would look for. Stop and Shop in Cohasset is 10 - 15 mins away. Hull has excellent resturants as does Hingham center which is on the Hull/Hingham line.
4. Summer traffic. When we were looking at houses last summer, it would take us 20 minutes to get from Nantasket beach to the other side of Hull on a Saturday. I would find it frustrating to battle through crowds like that anytime I wanted to leave Hull on a summer weekend.
Traffic on the summer weekends is difficult but generally we arn't leaving the town during the beach rush hours. We have become a destination for our friends and family due to living near the beach. You learn quickly when there is and isn't traffic, It hasn't been an issue for us.
I am sorry know one from Hull answered your question sooner and all you received is feedback from uniformed individuals that felt the need to answer your question with less than accurate information.
To get to know the town better before we bought we took a winter rental, I would highly recommend this if you want to live near the beach but have reservations about the town. I believe you will be pleasently surprised.
The OP asked about the "Brockton by the Sea" reputation and most posters answered that.
Every piece of advice is helpful in making a decision about homebuying. No one, other than you claimed to be an expert about the area.
Too bad you are 14 months too late to the party. The OP would have been left hanging thinking Hull really is Brockton by the Sea waiting for a resident to answer.
I think Newfie Mama made it clear she was offering opinions and her Personal experiences in looking for a hOme. Hull wasn't right for her family it's great that it works for yOurs.
Last edited by Beachcomber4; 05-29-2012 at 08:30 PM..
Agreed about buying on higher ground--this is reflected in flood insurance rates as well. We put offers in on a few oceanfront homes and Hull had the highest flood insurance premiums by far. Two of the oceanfront homes we considered in Scituate had premiums around $2K per year. The cheapest we could find in Hull was about $6K per year. This definitely gave us pause.
I think upwards of 70% of Hull is in a flood zone and requires Insurance. Most companies will not insure and Hull residents have to go through the Government Plan which for 400K of insurance 3 houses from the beach we pay $1,773 a year.
I am not sure what kind of House Newfie was looking at insuring but I am pretty sure $6,000 is inaccurate.
The OP asked about the "Brockton by the Sea" reputation and most posters answered that.
Every piece of advice is helpful in making a decision about homebuying. No one, other than you claimed to be an expert about the area.
Too bad you are 14 months too late to the party. The OP would have been left hanging thinking Hull really is Brockton by the Sea waiting for a resident to answer.
I think Newfie Mama made it clear she was offering opinions and her Personal experiences in looking for a hOme. Hull wasn't right for her family it's great that it works for yOurs.
Better late than never as they say. Facts never hurt a thread, opinions passed as factual, especially from those uninformed, are sometimes inaccurate and missleading. Such as flood insurance being 6k per year and the school system being sub-par.
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Opinion from a Hull resident.
Flood Ins
