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Old 09-02-2016, 02:14 PM
 
3 posts, read 3,668 times
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Hi:

Starting the house search, and wanted to get some insight on some of the following towns. As a background, at present I work remotely, but I will want access to the commuter rail since in the future I'll be working in Cambridge. Single Family House, schools a high priority. Looking in the 300k-350k range.

Right now our focus seems to be in Franklin, since it seems to hit all of our boxes. Are there "better" sections of Franklin, or is it all the same? Seems to be a bit too good to be true, in that the schools are pretty good and you are close to the commuter rail (even though the commute will still blow, at least it's direct to South Station). Another town I was surprised at liking was Foxboro... I just knew it as a stretch of Route 1 with a football stadium. Any insight into that town?

Can you differentiate between the "M" towns all next to each other(Millis, Medway, Medfield, Milford, Mendon)? I admittedly struggle since they all seem... similar. Medfield seems to be out of range, and Milford seems more urban than the others.

I know nothing about Hopedale. Care to give me the rundown? Seem to have decent inventory there for me.

Thanks!
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Old 09-02-2016, 02:40 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts & Hilton Head, SC
9,898 posts, read 15,466,501 times
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Medfield is very expensive, you won't find anything close to your price range there. Mendon is too far out. Medway could be a possibility, though. Millis has pretty good schools for such a small town.

You're right about Milford. Too many illegals, schools aren't good anymore, traffic.

Hopedale is really small. Supposedly the schools are good. I think we have someone on this forum who lives there. You might do a forum search for Hopedale.

Foxborough? Where did you look in that town. I'm surprised there's much there in that price range.
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Old 09-02-2016, 02:52 PM
 
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I suggest trying the commute from Franklin to Cambridge a few times during both the morning and evening commute (I realize you don't have an exact location yet). You may end up rethinking your plan.
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Old 09-02-2016, 06:20 PM
 
Location: Westwood, MA
5,037 posts, read 6,866,128 times
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Franklin isn't too good to be true. It's just far. It's doable to Boston but would be a bit of a pain to Cambridge. I have a coworker who does just that (lives in Franklin works in Cambridge). He doesn't have kids with him though.

Have you considered Mansfield? The distance is comparable to Franklin but the Providence line is MUCH faster, especially if you can get an express train.
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Old 09-02-2016, 06:22 PM
 
3,176 posts, read 3,663,476 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jayrandom View Post
Franklin isn't too good to be true. It's just far. It's doable to Boston but would be a bit of a pain to Cambridge. I have a coworker who does just that (lives in Franklin works in Cambridge). He doesn't have kids with him though.

Have you considered Mansfield? The distance is comparable to Franklin but the Providence line is MUCH faster, especially if you can get an express train.
Still looking at 80-90 minutes door to door each way under the best case scenario. You know it can take hours if **** hits the fan.
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Old 09-02-2016, 06:40 PM
 
Location: Westwood, MA
5,037 posts, read 6,866,128 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dm84 View Post
Still looking at 80-90 minutes door to door each way under the best case scenario. You know it can take hours if **** hits the fan.
I think the OP was pretty clear that the commute would be awful. It would be awful. It seems like they are willing to exchange commute time for space and schools. Definitely a good suggestion to seriously consider that trade-off.

80 minutes is definitely not best-case scenario from Mansfield, though. Train 808 is 31 minutes from Mansfield to South Station. Best case to work would be in the 50-60 minute range on the express. Trains 825 and 827 are 35 minutes on the way home. That is best case though.
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Old 09-02-2016, 06:45 PM
 
3,176 posts, read 3,663,476 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jayrandom View Post
I think the OP was pretty clear that the commute would be awful. It would be awful. It seems like they are willing to exchange commute time for space and schools. Definitely a good suggestion to seriously consider that trade-off.

80 minutes is definitely not best-case scenario from Mansfield, though. Train 808 is 31 minutes from Mansfield to South Station. Best case to work would be in the 50-60 minute range on the express. Trains 825 and 827 are 35 minutes on the way home. That is best case though.
You are forgetting that you can't just arrive at the train station a minute before the train arrives.

Realistically if the OP has a 5-10 min drive to the train station plus arrives 5-10 mins before the train arrives to park and walk to the platform you're looking at 80 minutes after factoring in the best case scenario on the Red line (10 minutes to Kendall plus waiting for the red line to arrive and walking to the office). On the way home you cannot leave your desk 20 minutes before train 825 leaves if you work in Cambridge. I take it every day and leave my desk at Harvard Square at 5 on the dot and I still struggle to make it many days and have missed it at least a dozen times in the past 2 years.
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Old 09-02-2016, 07:30 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts & Hilton Head, SC
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It really depends what he wants. Franklin is nicer than Mansfield, though. But Mansfield is a legitimate option.
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Old 09-02-2016, 09:00 PM
 
Location: Westwood, MA
5,037 posts, read 6,866,128 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dm84 View Post
You are forgetting that you can't just arrive at the train station a minute before the train arrives.

Realistically if the OP has a 5-10 min drive to the train station plus arrives 5-10 mins before the train arrives to park and walk to the platform you're looking at 80 minutes after factoring in the best case scenario on the Red line (10 minutes to Kendall plus waiting for the red line to arrive and walking to the office). On the way home you cannot leave your desk 20 minutes before train 825 leaves if you work in Cambridge. I take it every day and leave my desk at Harvard Square at 5 on the dot and I still struggle to make it many days and have missed it at least a dozen times in the past 2 years.
No way would I call 80-90 minutes the best case. There were days before my daughters when I'd still be asleep 90 minutes before I was at work. My best case with a 28 minute train ride was 50 minutes there 60 back; typical was 60/70. Worst was not getting there / 3 hours. I'm at Kendall so I'm closer than Harvard Squaee, but if I were taking 50 minutes from South Station in the best case I'd rethink public transit or at least the Red Line.

No matter what you add to the Cambridge portion of the journey, you'll still be much better off from Mansfield than Franklin. The fastest Franklin trip in the morning is 53 minutes to South Station.
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Old 09-02-2016, 09:11 PM
 
3,176 posts, read 3,663,476 times
Reputation: 2676
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayrandom View Post
No way would I call 80-90 minutes the best case. There were days before my daughters when I'd still be asleep 90 minutes before I was at work. My best case with a 28 minute train ride was 50 minutes there 60 back; typical was 60/70. Worst was not getting there / 3 hours. I'm at Kendall so I'm closer than Harvard Squaee, but if I were taking 50 minutes from South Station in the best case I'd rethink public transit or at least the Red Line.
I find the Red Line to be far worse in the evening. In general I can get to South Station in 30 minutes (20 minutes on a good day), but yes it's taken me way longer more often than it should. Yes, it's not as bad from Kendall, usually. I've tried driving to work during rush hour- it takes a minimum of 2 hours each way and that's with every shortcut used and requires my full undivided attention for 2 hours.

Quote:
No matter what you add to the Cambridge portion of the journey, you'll still be much better off from Mansfield than Franklin. The fastest Franklin trip in the morning is 53 minutes to South Station.
For sure. All I'm saying is neither commute is a picnic and the OP should try the commute before buying a house based on it before automatically assuming that the MBTA's schedules accurately reflect how easy the commute will be. $350k won't buy much in Mansfield anymore anyway.
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