Is Boston an option with $650k budget? Balancing rural vs commute (Milton: mortgage, houses)

[Boston_Burbs]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Guys. Rhode Island, Andover, Newbury, West Newbury, etc. are not short commutes to Boston.

Coach co. out of the Newburyport park and ride is pretty quick.

Full Line Run

[Amontillado]

Are you really ready to trade Florida weather for New England, with winter just coming? The first snow fell today, and it won't be the last.

New Hampshire has high property taxes because there's no state income or sales tax there, so the towns have very limited sources of revenue. It's still considered a low-tax state.

You'll just have to work out a compromise on commuting versus rural feel. What you're looking for is what a lot of people are also looking for, so you're going to have to accept something less than perfection. Nothing will beat coming here and taking a look, and maybe winter is the best time for it so you know what you'll be facing. Tell your wife that no, there aren't any volcanic phenomena here to keep her warm (and eating horses is against the law). We do have trees, though.

[johngolf]

La viande de cheval is against the law in MA? I always found it to taste like sweet beef, closer to bison.

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by Boston_Burbs

Coach co. out of the Newburyport park and ride is pretty quick.

Full Line Run

On what planet? Look at the peak rush hour runs. They're all at least an hour to an hour and 20 minutes each way, plus travel time to/from the pickup/drop off spot.

[Parsec]

You'll get into a desirable suburb at $650k, but that price point puts you in the ring of towns that range from 1 - 1.5 hr commute to downtown Boston. Andover, Littletown, Acton, Sudbury, Medfield to name a few. It really depends on where your wife will be working though. If she ends up working outside of Boston/Cambridge like 75% of us do, that will make your house hunting picture more clear. The last thing you want to do is buy a house in Andover and end up commuting to Taunton. That's one reason why I've always lived west of Boston - I can commute anywhere downtown, North, West, and South. If you live either South or North of Boston, then it's nearly impossible to work on the other side of Boston.

[scitu8]

Originally Posted by NewfieMama

South of the city I'd say Norwell is a good bet for somebody who wants a commutable city with good schools that feels rural. And a $650K budget would get an average house. The large lots (1+ acre) offer privacy that makes it feel slightly less suburban, but you can still get to the city in an hour during rush hour (taking the train).

I thought of Norwell, too. But property taxes are astronomical...

[bohemka]

As others have said, the specific work location really is a major factor in the commute. More so than just about anywhere else I've lived. It certainly won't be foolproof, but you could crunch some commutes based on your wife's field (finance, biotech, etc.), just to get a general idea. The commuter lines terminate at North Station or South Station, and never the two shall be connected.

Once you leave the Boston/Cambridge core, I'm partial to the North Shore due to its beaches, the proximity to Cape Ann (if not part of Cape Ann), easy access to Logan, and other reasons. But honestly there are great communities all over. It just takes a lot of work to solve the riddle of desired amenities/character/affordability/commute/schools/etc.

I think with your countries of origin you'll feel quite at home here, and it is certainly easier to get back to Europe. Best of luck.

[Boston_Burbs]

Plympton, MA if you job is in the S. Station area. The Plymouth/Brockton bus and Halifax MBTA are close by.

[SalamanderSmile]

These answers are literally all over the map. Most people choose where to live based on specifically where they work or tend to work. Very specifically. So it is hard to answer without knowing where your wife will commute to. The reality is that much of greater Boston would be perceived as "rural" but that doesnt mean a giant lot, it means: no sidewalks, well water, septic systems, trees and few streets therefore all streets are relatively busy streets. You need only go one town/city beyond 128 and poof! it can feel rural in many directions. I specifically think north and west of Boston feel more "New England" and can both be rural enough without being too far away to commute from.

The problem is that the way the commuter rail works is TWO hubs and very few spokes, but the two hubs are not well connected and adding a single extra connecting step onto your commute can add alot of time, esp. in the winter. So most people would like to walk or drive to the station and then walk directly to work from the train. The west of Boston offers the most flexible commuting options because both hubs have a train line that comes in from the west. In the west of Boston if you need the north hub but live south of that line you'd just drive a town north to get the north line, same with south. But living north or south of the city marries you to either the north hub OR the south hub, but not easily changing between them.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

You'd really have to know where your wife would be working first. And what do you mean by rural? How much land? We have a 2 acre lot which most of the posters here would consider rural but I don't. Your budget is okay.

This is the only possible response. There are lots of work locations where trying to live in a semi-rural place would give you a soul-crushing commute and you'd absolutely want to live near the office to avoid that even if it means high density suburbs.