What's the RE market in Waltham like? (Boston, Cambridge: condo, crime)

[LexWest]

Bedford is essentially "Lexington-Lite," for those who desire Lexington, but are priced out. It's (barely) more affordable in comparison. Burlington is another alternative, albeit exchanging some "charm" for more shopping amenities. No, there isn't a downtown in Burlington, but you can get what you need within the commercial area near Burlington Mall.

Having mentioned that, with Waltham's location and job opportunities right in the City, as well as other amenities, I can't imagine someone NOT being able to sell in Waltham. Plenty of professionals would love the easy access to work and other job opportunities.

[htfdcolt]

Very useful input, everyone. Burlington definitely appears to have the most inventory in our range, and newer stock, albeit I'm stupefied by so many houses with 1-car garages or no garages at all.

As I said, we've gotten to know Waltham a bit through our temp living arrangement. The location is tough to beat...close enough to access Watertown, Burlington, Lexington center, and even Cambridge.

[mechgator]

My dad lives in Waltham, in North Waltham to be specific, in a SFH on an oversized lot, one minute from route 128/95 and three minutes from Route 2. He bought it a couple years ago for about 40% less than what a house of similar size/lot would cost in Newton or Lexington.

The thing about Waltham is the strong commercial tax base, which helps keep the residential RE tax at a reasonable level. This is a big plus, in addition to its affordability (relatively speaking) and access to the all the highways.

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by Dm84

I'm working under the assumption that you recognize the realtor has ulterior motives to say things like that.

Yes, the market in Waltham is hot and will probably stay that way for the foreseeable future. Remember, a house should be a place to live, not an investment.

It just puzzles me why so many people's first instinct is to bash any real estate agent mentioned. In one sentence you vilify the agent for saying the market is hot. In the very next sentence, you agree with the statement.

Originally Posted by tysmith95

No one can predict the future of the real estate market. Buying in a good school district does carry a premium that may not be worth it if you don't have any kids. Homes in the northern section of Waltham are much cheaper than the homes in Lexington even though many of the neighborhoods look similar. Ditto with towns like Woburn.

No one has a crystal ball when it comes to the RE market. This being said, historically speaking suburbs with more sought after school systems tend to have less volatile RE markets than 'burbs with less well thought of school systems. They also tend to be the first places to recover after a downturn.

So, yes, you pay more for homes in those towns but you can feel somewhat safer that you'll get that money back (historically speaking and we have some very recent history we can look at).

Originally Posted by LexWest

Having mentioned that, with Waltham's location and job opportunities right in the City, as well as other amenities, I can't imagine someone NOT being able to sell in Waltham. Plenty of professionals would love the easy access to work and other job opportunities.

Many successful professionals also strongly desire good schools for their kids. Look at all the threads on this forum that say "are the schools in [insert name of MA town here] good?" It never fails. Almost every post on here asking about living in the 'burbs brings up the subject of schools.

[Louisville Slugger]

Mike, would Westborough be considered one of those towns with a "sought after school system"?

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by MikePRU

It just puzzles me why so many people's first instinct is to bash any real estate agent mentioned. In one sentence you vilify the agent for saying the market is hot. In the very next sentence, you agree with the statement.

I'm not getting paid commission. Would a realtor showing a house in Brockton or Chelsea tell a prospective buyer that the schools are bad and the neighborhood is dangerous? Unlikely. They'd probably say it's up and coming or some other ridiculous statement that encourages an offer to be placed.

[SalamanderSmile]

Waltham is a safe economic bet despite the schools. The highway/MBTA access have everywhere else beat and you can actually live and work a decent white collar job in Waltham. Not to mention the stellar proximity to everywhere interesting: Belmont, Arlington, Cambridge, Somerville all 10 easy minutes away in one direction, with the bucolic Metrowest ten minutes in the other with charming Lexington to the North; all while having amazing Green space for an urban environment.

You have the Charles, the Charles river bikepath, the Gore Estate, Stonehurst, Lyman Estate, Prospect Hill Park.

To a PP who said there was more 'stuff' in Burlington- yes there is but it is not the stuff (chain restaurants, strip malls) that I want.

As far as a "hot" market- we sold our house in Waltham in two days the week before Christmas- in 2012. So four years on I can't imagine it's less hot.

[timberline742]

Not sure I get the hate on Chelsea, two of my lady friends live in the area of the Pollo Campero and have for several years and really like their condos, esp for what they paid. For a family with the schools, well that's different. It's definitely been gentrifying, albeit slowly. If I didn't need to get to Westborough it would be on my list.

[dravogadro]

We went with Waltham because of:
- public transit access to the city
- no-driving commute when working in Waltham
- low taxes
- lots of green space
- bike trails
- nice down-to-earth people
- local farm
- local museums and arts activities

Also, parts have a less urban feeling than Watertown. Bedford and Burlington do have that nice woodsy feel but I feel living there requires a commitment to using a car every day.

There are some neighborhoods that hold their value better than others, where you would never have an issue selling. Warrendale and Cedarwood come to mind. You will likely find older housing stock though.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Thanks for the insights, Mike. Somehow, neither my wife nor I found Bedford too appealing away from the Rt 4 commercial area. There are some very nice condos in the Huckins Farm area that meet all our requirements, but the locale is a bit too far removed from everything for our liking.

That's where the whole relative aspect comes into play. I love that feeling of being removed from everything, but can hop in my car and find myself in Burlington, or at the mall, in less than 10 minutes.