Pros/Cons - West Roxbury vs. Belmont vs. Arlington (Boston: houses, neighborhoods)

[Pasoa2k]

Can anyone give me some Pros/Cons to the above listed towns/cities?

My wife and I are thinking of buying a single family on these areas. We have checked out the Bellevue Hill are in West Roxbury which seems nice.

We are still quite young, no kids at the moments (2 years or so away) and prefer a single family. We are also trying to find somewhere that a is a bit out of the city, but is yet easy to head back in via public transport, preferably train.

It would also be nice if there are restaurants/bars that are worthwhile walking to within the town itself.

Any insight is appreciated!

[SchruteBuck]

All 3 communities are safe. The more money you're willing to pay, the better the public schools will be. I'm not overly familiar with Belmont but it's definitely the most expensive of the 3 and probably one of the most expensive towns in the state. You won't find many single families pop up here for less than $600K. I know it's got a cute downtown area and a commuter rail stop. Arlington also has good schools, a bike path, walkable downtown areas, and a plethora of stores/restaurants/shops. It's less pricey than Belmont but more pricey than West Roxbury. Unless you live in East Arlington, you'll have to drive/bus to the red line in Cambridge.

You will get a larger and nicer SF for less money in West Roxbury. There are a few commuter rail stops there or you can take a bus to Forest Hills and take the orange line into town. In addition to Bellevue Hill, check out the areas off of Holy Name Parish going towards Weld and Lagrange. These are cute, friendly neighborhoods with easy walking access to Porters and West on Centre (2 great bars/restaurants) and you can also easily get to the Corrib Pub or Kelleher's (2 more townie bars). From these areas, you can also walk to the train, supermarket, and a variety or take out restaurants and boutique shops. As far as driving into the city, there's no straight shot so it'll take you at least 20-30 minutes (no traffic) on the Jamaica Way)

As far as education goes, the city's school system is kind of a mess. The elementary/middle schools in WR are OK, people rave about the Lyndon School (K-8). For high school, your child can vie to get into one of the 3 exam schools or else you might want to go with a private school.

Feel free to message me if you have any questions.

[kingeorge]

Arlington is my favorite for young couples as it has good balance of amenities and proximity to Cambridge and Boston. It is very desirable and competitive RE market in the last decade. Belmont is expensive, too expensive for huge budget and management issues they have as of late. Unless you have already bought there, do not bother, it is not worth it. I would throw in Watertown--very good for younger couples. I would not buy in Boston as you will most likely need/want to move with elementary school years approaching. Not smart to buy if you need to sell in only 5-7 years. It is all up to you, and your needs vs. wants, your commute and your budget. Good luck!

[filaughn]

I'd go with Arlington or Belmont since you're planning kids in the next several years. The schools are much better than Boston city public schools. There is a decent selection of restaurants in Arlington, and it's fairly easy to get around. That said, you will have to take a bus to the train as a PP described, but during the week it runs fairly frequently.

[sharencare]

I went through Boston Public Schools for kindergarten and high school, and I turned out fine. I ran with the nerd crowd, and stayed in touch with my high school friends who all went to damn fine colleges. I came from the public projects, so I was always jealous of the kids who lived in West Roxbury with their nice yards and nice houses. (You might also want to consider Jamaica Plain, which is popular amongst young parents.) There are also some very, very good charter schools in Boston though that you should look into that have really impressive test scores and feed into the exam schools.

Quite frankly, Boston schools will be a little bit more work because of the lottery navigation (which I don't think the new proposals have much improved). If you can get into the three exam schools, especially Boston Latin School, the latter will give your kids more opportunities than some of the posher suburbs if they choose to take advantage of it. The standards at Boston Latin are very high and the school produces graduates that become extremely successful (from signers of the declaration of independence to silicon millionaires). It has a strong, wealthy alumni/alumnae network. But it is stressful and be very soul numbing if you don't give your kids the right support.

[Pasoa2k]

Thanks everyone so much for the feedback.

Sounds like Arlington might be a good fit. Is east Arlington a good area? Would be nice to live near the T (walkable perhaps).

Any areas of Arlington better than others? Overall safe everywhere?

[Pasoa2k]

And are there any other towns/areas we should be considering?

[kingeorge]

Arlington is good, would not worry about East Arlington safety. You could include Watertown also. Similar amenities and growth potential like Arlington, decade ago.

[3cents]

What about Melrose, or Wollaston? You didn't mention your budget and your workplace location.

[Pasoa2k]

I work in Waltham (drive) and my wife works near Harvard square.

$500-600k or so. Prefer single family.