Families, if commute was no issue, where would you live. (Boston: apartments, to rent)

[arizonatransplant1978]

We are in a unique position of wanting to try some place new, but don't have to worry about a commute. We have 3 kids, so need to find a place big enough for that. But in the Boston area, where would you and your family live if you worked from home?

[MikePRU]

I'm really happy living in Needham. However, if I didn't have any kids and money was no object I'd probably live in the Back Bay. Even when commute is not an issue, I would still want to live close to Boston because it's the cultural hub of our state.

If you're looking for a place to live though, it's not realliy important where I or anyone else on this site wants to live. What's important is where you want to live. If you're asking because you're not familiar with the area, tell us what your ideal town is like and I'm sure people will chime in with what they feel are close matches. Also, home values vary quite a bit depending on area so don't forget to include your housing budget.

[arizonatransplant1978]

We're looking to rent because this would be a pretty big change from what we're used to (cookie cutter neighborhoods, no character, etc.. in a suburban Arizona city) so we're not wanting to buy at first. In a perfect world, we'd live in a walkable neighborhood with stores/restaurants/etc., the school our kids go to ideally would be in walking distance. We have a dog, so a place near some dog parks. We're basically in a position to change things up. We can afford up to about $2600 a month. We have romanticized the idea of the east coast because of being able to explore areas we've never been to. But we do understand that it's greatly different than the areas we've already lived as well.

I'm a SAHM and my husband is a lead computer programmer for a small company and he works remotely.

We're liberal, but we don't care about the demographics around us, as long as the majority is respectful of a difference of lifestyle/choices/opinions/ethnicity etc. We're not religious but we understand the important of religion in other peoples lives, as long as others are respectful of our thoughts/choices.

We have 3 girls, ages 8, 6 and 3. A dog and two cats. I'm 34 and my husband is 39. We're not into sports, but we love being outdoors and being active and listening to music and going to see shows. We love to cook and visit new restaurants. So that's just about us in a nutshell.

The only 'winters' I've ever experienced are in Wyoming. Sort of harsh, dry, windy. We'd like the chance to experience a winter, even if we may not like it. We really really hate it here in Az. And we're ready to go.

[donewithpretty]

What a great question! These are the towns that I would love to live in (if not for the commute):

Manchester (North Shore)
Marblehead (North Shore)
Andover (northwest)
Plymouth (South Shore)

All have great schools and are quaint New England towns with stuff to do.

[sfosyd]

Donewithpretty has a great list. I'd also add Newburyport, Rockport and Duxbury to that list. The coastal towns in Mass are great, very safe with lots to do but you do have to be careful of schools. Salem and Gloucester are great but the schools are not as good as the others.

[495neighbor]

Sadly, $2,600 a month for a place large enough for a family of four isn't going to go very far in most of the fun or nice places in Massachusetts. Hope I didn't burst anyone's bubble, just a reality.

[donewithpretty]

There are 3-bedroom places (houses and apartments) in Andover and Marblehead in the OP's budget on Craigslist right now. $2600 isn't a bad budget for a 3-bed once you're past the inner ring of burbs.

[kingeorge]

For urban flair Brookline or Cambridge; for more rural ambiance Lincoln, Harvard, or Sherborn; for coastal living Manchester By the Sea, Newburyport, or Duxbury.

[495neighbor]

If money were no object, mine would be vibrant areas with tree lined streets, interesting architecture, parks and other green spaces, and proximity to fun, independent eating places and stores: Lexington, Brookline, Cambridge, Jamaica Plain (Pond Side) and Hingham.

[G-fused]

Originally Posted by kingeorge

For urban flair Brookline or Cambridge; for more rural ambiance Lincoln, Harvard, or Sherborn; for coastal living Manchester By the Sea, Newburyport, or Duxbury.

First, 495neighbor is correct about needing to up that budget. Second, I like kinggeorge's list. I live in Brookline and can't say enough about it, but it'll cost ya. Newton and the other places west of Boston are OK too, just quieter and less exciting but still plenty to do. They are all very family oriented. Brookline is the most walkable and vibrant, and provides the best access into downtown (T ride away). Lots more to say about towns but I think the bottom live is that you will likely need to up the budget if you want a nice place with a good school system.

I would suggest to look on tha map, do some research, narrow down to some possibilites, then take a vacation and then drive/walk around. Maybe even meet with a realtor.

Best of luck