What about Woburn/Stoneham, etc.?

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by Cato the Elder

I suppose it depends on how you define move-in and turnkey. If you mean cherry cabinets with granite countertops, stainless appliances, front-loading washer/dryer, and gutted bathroom, no, it's not turnkey. The 1.5 baths have older, original tile and porcelain fixtures but they're perfectly functional. The kitchen has older white cabinets and appliances but it's not decades old. It has hardwood floors but they haven't been refinished recently. It's a solid, well-maintained house that just hasn't been "HGTVed" recently. The owners happily live in the house and might update parts of the house down the road but are in no rush.

Being long time home owners, we do not require the kind of turn-key that means new. I used the wrong term, I now realize. We want the kind of house that has great bones, is move-in ready and not depressingly shabby - and we don't give a hoot about a new bathroom or kitchen if it is older but still quite decent and pleasant. We love our current 1990 kitchen and yet it is not "up to date", for example.

I was looking at houses in Stoneham. We stayed at the Marriott near there several times in the past and went through parts of Stoneham. For our taste, it's charming because it is older, few monster houses, older houses mostly, and quite affordable - yet close to Boston.

But my first choice would always be Watertown. I actually think that Arlington is not all that convenient. At least Stoneham is right on 93. So is Woburn. My husband is a retired industrial chemist - water and oil treatment - and looked at the Woburn water issue - he says it is not that much of a worry, not as much as people claim it is. It is being dealt with properly.

We are driving up this summer to look around for a few days. To get started.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by tickybox

If public transportation is important to you, Stoneham has only the single busvline (132) to get you to the Orange line. Somewhere like Melrose has a few more options, with at least four bus lines, and 3 commuter rail stops.

If public transportation is not an issue, Stoneham might be a better way to go then somewhere closer in.

West Medford has some beautiful houses, but I think for the 300s, they will not be turnkey, or what you're looking for.

Sorry it took so long to reply.

All you say is helpful to read. I was living, when in Massachusetts, in places not close to that area and am not as familiar with the transportation. (Although both of my parents grew up in Cambridge, my friend lives in Arlington, etc.). I lived in the part of Dorchester near Adams Village and also St. Mark's church, as well as Brighton, etc. And went to B.C. to grad school - that end of "town" is what I know.

I LOVE Newton Corner and yet it is a bit too high.

We might be willing to pay low 400's, by the way.

For a single family (not condo).

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by ogre

Do you especially prefer to look north and northwest of Boston? Braintree comes to mind when I think of pleasant suburbs reasonably close to Boston with modest housing costs by the Boston area's standards, if you'd be interested in looking south of Boston.

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Thanks for the suggestion, but we want to kind of stay near the metro Cambridge side of things. I grew up for 23 summers in Scituate, by the way - know Braintree. Not all that interested. OTH, I know you can get a good deal there - but it doesn't spin my spurs <s>. Thanks, though.

I had thought of Sharon, a bit, as I have a life long friend there and know it a little - have been there - I like that it has a more educated populace than, say, Braintree or Quincy.

But it's south and we are not that keen.

Love the idea of being near the Cambridge spokes of the wheel.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by missionhill

West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Roslindale-- these districts have lots of small houses at relatively moderate prices. Not as close to Cambridge but certainly within Rte 128.

Being someone of Irish ancestry and having grown up summering in Scituate for two decades, I know West Roxbury well! (For those who don't know, Scituate and WR used to be heavily Irish and my summer friends lived in WR, Belmont etc. predominantly. <ss> I love WR! Have been to Friendly's there many times, was an intern grad student at the West Rox VA Hospital in the stone age... many years ago. Great area. Lots of Irish immigrants (like in the part of Dorchester where I lived after grad school.) I am considering it if we can't find something near the places I wrote about, west and nw of Cambridge. I like that there is a bus to the orange line and the communter rail right there, too.

Also, it's an easy drive up the Arborway to the hospitals and the Fenway area (where I attended undergrad). Home for me....beloved area...

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by jewels922

Woburn's water is the most tested water in the state. The area of East Woburn that this site is near is on MWRA water. I don't glow at night or anything! JEEZ!

Correct. I will show your post to my husband who worked for over 25 years as a water and fuel treatment chemist.

How do you like living in Woburn?

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by missionhill

West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Roslindale-- these districts have lots of small houses at relatively moderate prices. Not as close to Cambridge but certainly within Rte 128.

I am a "madrina" (Godmother)to a little girl whose first language is Spanish. I love her and her family. They are from South America, very low income and my friends for years. But the poverty issue in much of Roslindale (which I understand to be an issue - many lower income people of Hispanic background) worries me - there is more crime when there is more poverty. This may not sound tolerant: It is. It is reality. I spend a lot of time in poor, Hispanic neighborhoods. Gangs. Like you wouldn't believe it.

Please correct me if I am wrong about all of this. I like the location of "Rozzie".

Some parts of Roslindale are close to West Roxbury and I might consider it.

I would not go to almost all of HP, again: just look up the crime statistics.