Back to MA (Cambridge, Lynn, Newton: how much, house, good schools)

[AMPL]

Hi,
We lived in Franklin, MA but moved away a couple of years back. We worked in Cambridge and Newton. We had both a long commute and at that time tried to find a house closer to our work as well as a reasonable drive to the beach and NH Mountains but felt priced out.
We decided to move to Colorado south of Denver as it seemed like a nice place and we were able to find a nice and newer house well within our price range at that time. Well we want to move back to MA, and we will work in Cambridge and Newton but later on Danvers. The work in Cambridge is typ. 700am-330pm, Danvers/Newton is 800am-430pm. We would like to live within 15 miles of the ocean and have less than 35miles/50min(not incl. accidents or snow) commute to Cambridge and 20miles/30min to Danvers, but the Newton work location could last 1 year + so it would be preferred if commute to Newton would not be much longer. Our house budget is less than 550k for a newer house (approx 1985+) on a 0.75 acre+ lot with good schools. I was thinking North Reading and that area, maybe up to Boxford and towards the coast could provide what we are looking for? – but I am not sure how the commute would be to Cambridge? - Which main route would generally be the fastest to use to Cambridge 95/ 1/ 93 – In other word on what route is it best to be living on say 30miles from Cambridge. Do you guys have any other suggestions/ better compromise? What beaches are nice on the north shore?
We really appreciate inputs.
Thank you in advance
AMPL

[konfetka]

The best public beaches are in Gloucester, Ipswich, Newburyport, Rockport; for residents only - Singing beach in Manchester-by-the-sea and West beach in Beverly.

Burlington and Lynnfield come to mind, in addition to Reading.

Route 1 would not be as bad for Cambridge as 93, you can take the exit after the toll on Tobin bridge, which will bring you to Memorial drive near Galleria mall. But it would not be convinient for Newton.

Looks like you need to be on 128 between Newton and Danvers, and close to 93 for Cambridge. The closer you are to the beaches further on 128 north, the longer your commute to Newton and Cambridge will be.

In this case looks like Lynnfield is the best match for being closer to the coast, 128, more acreage and newer homes, and route 1.

[wivenhoe]

Parking at Singing Beach, Manchester-by-the-Sea, is for residents-only on weekends during the summer season. Monday-Thursday, non-residents can park there for $25/per day (http://www.manchester.ma.us/pages/ma...n/singingbeach).

There is parking within a mile or two of the beach, but it is limited to 2-hr parking meters and the traffic wardens are hot to ticket too. Many people take the MBTA to Singing Beach. Non-residents still have to pay either $5/person for a daily walk-on fee or $12.50/person for a season pass.

Singing Beach is a beautiful beach, however, the water can be freezing. Sometimes, though, you'll get warm water with a storm front.

West Beach in Beverly is limited during the summer season to residents of Pride's Crossing and Beverly Farms.

Crane's Beach in Ipswich is regarded as one of the best beaches in MA and in the country (Crane Beach on the Crane Estate | North Shore Beach, Ipswich, MA | The Trustees of Reservations). Better off getting a full membership with the Trustees if you're going to visit the beach X many times per year. This is one of the best beaches in the area with little children due to the tide pools, which can get surprisingly quite warm, and lack of waves.

Gloucester has some lovely beaches too - Good Harbor and Wingersheek beach are popular (non-resident parking fee is $20-25/day. Rockport beaches have very limited parking and many of them restricted to residents only.

Other beaches, not mentioned, include Devereaux Beach in Marblehead (which is a bit pebbly), Phillips Beach in Swampscott, Plum Island - Parker River NWR, Sandy Point State Reservation - end of Plum Island (limited parking), Salisbury State Beach (a bit honky tonk).

From Danvers, it's a short distance to many of these beaches, but it's a different story to Newton/Cambridge. Rte 128 is often a parking lot - especially around Burlington/Woburn area and south of it. Rte 1 might be a better bet.

Agree that Lynnfield might be a good match, but not sure with budget and how much new you'll get. Ditto for Boxford on budget and newness. What about Danvers or Hamilton-Wenham or Topsfield? North Reading, Reading, Wakefield area might work too.

[AMPL]

Thanks for your replies!

[AMPL]

In the quest to find a town that would work for us we have been looking at traffic congestion maps last couple of days – morning and evening, and we have a couple of questions pertaining to where route 1 comes into Cambridge and scrolls round and ends up to in New Rutherford Ave. I have noticed this part plus some towards the bridge is very backed up – is this typical? At what time does this back up start in the morning and afternoon? It seem to be worse coming from New Rutherford Ave. in the afternoon than the other way in the morning – is a part of this caused by the Tobin bridge toll? – is it possible to avoid the congestion by having fastTrack? (like it is early on Mass Pike)



Thank you in advance
AMPL