Small coastal area with cute downtown?? (Boston, New Bedford: for sale, rentals, condos)

[rritter.rn]

I know this is really very broad, but i'm looking for recommendations...

My hubby and I would like to buy a home & start a family here in MA. We've lived in Boston & on the North Shore recently. We'd like to live somewhere coastal, hopefully with a cute downtown & friendly people but not too big/busy or lined with big box stores and malls. We'd like a home with some acreage (minimum 3-4 acres) so that we can have small animals (dogs, chickens, rabbits). He needs to be able to commute to Boston via car or commuter rail. Bonus points for areas with bike trails, farms, and a yarn store (I admit it, I'm a knittaholic!).

Generally, we've been considering the lower end of the South Shore (? Duxbury, Plymouth), the upper Cape (? Sandwich, Bourne), and the North Shore (from Ipswich & Essex up to Newburyport).

I realize what an expansive area this is, but I'm looking for anyone who lives in any of these areas to share their life experience and words of wisdom... Just FYI we are visiting these places for vacations and when we narrow it down more we'll rent and experience the location before buying.

I'm looking forward to your thoughtful responses as the posts I've read on this forum so far have been lovely & quite helpful. Thanks in advance!!

[Beachcomber4]

A budget will help to narrow down suggestions. Not only are the areas you are asking about world's apart geographically, some are in regard to housing costs as well.

South Shore:
Best Downtowns: Hingham, Cohasset (Duxbury is smaller but still existent), Plymouth (large and bustling)
Beaches/Water: Duxbury, Cohasset, Plymouth, Hingham, Kingston
Large rural lots: Plymouth, Duxbury, Kingston, Hingham, Cohasset
Affordability: Plymouth, Kingston
Commutability: That's a tough one. All these towns will have areas that are so far off the beaten path, it will add a substantial time to your commute.

Give thought: Pembroke, Hanson/Whitman- rural, can have good access to route 3 but also might not. None are coastal but there are some lovely pond and lakes and all 3 are more affordable than the other towns save Plymouth.

I lived on the south shore most of my life and seriously considered Scituate before moving to the Cape. The commute to route 3 was the deal breaker. That and the fact we saw an overwhelming attitude of materialism on the south shore and just wanted to get away from that. Spend an afternoon at Derby Street- a place I thoroughly enjoy but the entitlement that exists is palpable. While the more affluent communities on the south shore, like Hingham where Derby is located get the blame, it is not only residents of those towns that are guilty of those behaviors.

[seeriously]

I can't say enough about Newburyport! It has everything you need with shopping close enough yet far enough away at the North Shore Mall.

[NewfieMama]

I can relate to wanting to have some space and be in a coastal town because that was exactly what my husband and I wanted when we started searching. I think the problem you're going to have is choosing between being on the water (or within a few blocks) vs. acreage. Unless your budget is massive, it's really difficult to get privacy and be walking distance from the beach.

I feel like a good option is Scituate, but west of 3A. There are homes on 2+ acre lots in Western Scituate, but it's still a small coastal town with a great downtown. Western Scituate doesn't have the same feel that coastal Scituate does, but again, it's a matter of the tradeoffs. And Scituate has commuter rail access, which is a plus. I feel like Western Duxbury (near Pembroke line) is simlar--you get large lots, but still technically in a coastal town with a great downtown. But the commute is a little tougher.

I also really like Beachcomber's suggestion of Pembroke. Not coastal, but you could get some land. We chose to buy in Norwell, which is somewhat similar. Not coastal (used to be part of Scituate), but within 5 miles of the beach and offered us acreage.

I'm not familiar with the North Shore at all, though I love Newburyport. If I was wanting some acreage, I'd probably look at Boxford.

[Valerie C]

I'm sure many of the answers you get will concentrate on one area or another, as very few can claim to be experts on all seacoast communities. I've lived in the North Shore for much of my life, and personally, I think that you can't go wrong in the greater Newburyport area. It has almost everything that you are seeking: access to major routes (95/495) plus the commuter rail. It even has a yarn store I would include the nearby town of Amesbury as well, as they have nearly as good access to the coast as NBPT, a very active downtown and great community feeling. Nearby towns that might have the acreage that you are seeking: Merrimac, Groveland, West Newbury, even parts of Haverhill. I also prefer to go out of town for any big box or mall shopping, and from both Newburyport and Amesbury, you can easily get to the North Shore Mall down in Peabody or tax free to NH in Newington or Salem (both 30 minutes or under).

Since you mentioned it in your post, I'll assume that you've previously visited Newburyport and driven through downtown/Market Square area. Did you know that there are festivals and events held in Waterfront Park throughout the warm-weather season? Very family friendly, yet enjoyable for adults as well. Free concerts, art shows, etc. Yankee Homecoming is a weeklong celebration with sidewalk sales, various stage shows and so much more, concluding with fireworks over the river on Saturday night, and a parade on Sunday. Even when (or maybe especially when) there is nothing going on in town, we enjoy walking along the waterfront with the dogs, watching the boaters, the gulls and seeing the assortment of others who are doing the same thing. There are plenty of places that you can launch a boat from (we use the State Ramp at Cashman Park). Plenty of places to launch a kayak to explore the Merrimack River, also there are walking/biking trails throughout beautiful Maudslay State Park (be sure to do a thorough tick check immediately afterwards!)

With all of it's great features, there's just one thing: Newburyport is not actually a coastal town. There is easy access to Plum Island, which does have some limited beach area, but 2/3's of the island is a wildlife refuge for migratory birds, with very limited access to the beach due to nesting birds. An excellent place if you are into nature photography, or bird watching. Swimming/surfing? Not so much. The other nearest beach in Mass would be Salisbury Reservation (bikable, from Newburyport).


A previous poster made a good point: what is your budget? Any town with amenities (like Newburyport) will be significantly higher priced both for purchase and rental. Also, rentals move lightning fast, and even in this slow market, well-priced homes in good condition don't stay available for long. Just something else for you to keep in mind...

Originally Posted by rritter.rn

My hubby and I would like to buy a home & start a family here in MA. We've lived in Boston & on the North Shore recently. We'd like to live somewhere coastal, hopefully with a cute downtown & friendly people but not too big/busy or lined with big box stores and malls. We'd like a home with some acreage (minimum 3-4 acres) so that we can have small animals (dogs, chickens, rabbits). He needs to be able to commute to Boston via car or commuter rail. Bonus points for areas with bike trails, farms, and a yarn store (I admit it, I'm a knittaholic!).

[rritter.rn]

Thanks so much to all for the helpful advice.

With regard to budget, I thought perhaps it would be passe to post that online, but suffice it to say that a smallish home Newburyport is within our price range. We won't be living in a mansion, but should be able to afford something modest. We realize that higher priced and coastal areas will mean we get less space/amenities for our dollar & this is a compromise we're willing to make.

As far as non-coastal areas, I'm so grateful for the words of wisdom & will file them away in my memory banks, but right now we're not interested in considering anywhere off the coast (although the 5 miles that was mentioned is not bad at all!). It doesn't have to be short walking distance, but of course closer is better.

Valerie, I appreciate your notation that Newburyport is not a coastal town. In fact, Plum Island extends to mid-Ipswich, right? There also seems to be some sort of island in front of Essex in Essex Bay as well. What is your impression of how this affects the coastal feel of this whole area? Do you think I might be able to find any acreage in Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Magnolia, or Newbury? Any thoughts on the weather/ocean/storms/safety and how that might influence your decision of where to buy (re: on/near the water or further away)? We have been to Newburyport many times :-) and we really like the area (& Tendercrop Farm of course!). In fact, we looked at condos there a few years ago but the timing wasn't right for us. We lived in Salem for quite a while & loved it but wouldn't buy there--it's just too busy for us.

Beachcomber4, thanks again--I love your posts. Any recommendations for the Cape itself (not South Shore)?

Thanks also to iPoetry and NewfieMama!

Rachel

[Beachcomber4]

Originally Posted by rritter.rn

Beachcomber4, thanks again--I love your posts. Any recommendations for the Cape itself (not South Shore)?


Rachel

You are welcome! The commute to Boston is what makes Cape living difficult. Personally, I would probably not want to go much farther than exit 2 maybe 3 if I had to commute to Boston daily which would keep you in Sandwich or Sagamore. That would present a problem in regard to your budget and wants. You will find in these areas you will most likely have to compromise on acreage. You are close to the water and highway and as such, land is at a premium.

A cautionary note: from many homes in that area because of wind direction and proximity you can often hear route 6 traffic. We looked at a home that was billed as "close to route 6 and upon further investigation- a walk through the yard- we saw a guardrail behind a few trees and lo and behold there was route 6. It wasn't just close to 6 it was ON it.

[konfetka]

Originally people who wanted to get more acreage on the North Shore settled in Hamilton, Wenham, Topsfield and Boxford.

Hamilton (and the adjacent part of Ipswich) has a large horse community and polo shows on the weekends, and has a small cute downtown.

Boxford has a 2 acre minimum for residential lots, but not much of a downtown. Beaches are within 20-30 minute ride from those towns.

Ipswich has some of the best beaches on the North Shore, weekend concerts on the lawn at the Cranes estate, and sand castle festivals on Cranes beach. Ipswich has the most period houses in the country, a train station and a lot of shops and restaurants downtown.

Between Ipswich, Newbury and Essex you will find some of the best views on the North Shore.

You would probably be more likely to find bigger lots in Newbury, than Newburyport, but you would still be close enough between Ipswich and Newburyport to enjoy everything they have to offer.

You may also find bigger lots in Salisbury, which is known for it's own beaches. I remember seeing a small farm for sale there and a compound with several building structurtes on it.

And if you end up close enough to Beverly, there is a yarn shop right in downtown on 1A Actually, you can also find some large lots in Beverly, mostly former 19th century summer estates of the wealthy Bostonians, which you will find all along the North Shore coast, but they come with a nice price tag, too.

[elnene2k]

Originally Posted by rritter.rn

I know this is really very broad, but i'm looking for recommendations...

My hubby and I would like to buy a home & start a family here in MA. We've lived in Boston & on the North Shore recently. We'd like to live somewhere coastal, hopefully with a cute downtown & friendly people but not too big/busy or lined with big box stores and malls. We'd like a home with some acreage (minimum 3-4 acres) so that we can have small animals (dogs, chickens, rabbits). He needs to be able to commute to Boston via car or commuter rail. Bonus points for areas with bike trails, farms, and a yarn store (I admit it, I'm a knittaholic!).

Generally, we've been considering the lower end of the South Shore (? Duxbury, Plymouth), the upper Cape (? Sandwich, Bourne), and the North Shore (from Ipswich & Essex up to Newburyport).

I realize what an expansive area this is, but I'm looking for anyone who lives in any of these areas to share their life experience and words of wisdom... Just FYI we are visiting these places for vacations and when we narrow it down more we'll rent and experience the location before buying.

I'm looking forward to your thoughtful responses as the posts I've read on this forum so far have been lovely & quite helpful. Thanks in advance!!

Well, what you're looking may be here where wife and I live in Fairhaven, MA...

Small town center with a couple restaurants, people are nice, and yes, there is a nice knitting store that sells everything for the knitter in you!

There has been talk of extending the commuter rail to New Bedford which is across the water from us but it's still in the works...For now, there is a commuter rail your husband can take in Attleboro...

Not so sure you can get a huge amount of acreage where we live in Fairhaven we live in the town center but for us, we like being able to walk to everything (library, schools, town hall, church, beach, restaurants, bars, stores)...Maybe other parts of Fairhaven you can get more acreage...I know some places in Dartmouth where you can get a fixer upper with 1 + acres in the $200s...

Good luck in your search! You will find some great places you never heard of!

[elnene2k]

Oh yeah, forgot to mention we also have a nice bike trail that is due to expand in the future...It's called the Phoenix Bike trail and right now, it goes to the next town over in Mattapoisett...It is due to expand and go from here to the Cape...It starts from one end of our waterfront and goes along the small bays with some offshooting path that go to private water bays with views...

The Fairhaven section is completed and Mattapoisett has about 1 mile done and more to be completed in the near future...Just waiting on money making Marion to get with the times...