Potentially Relocating - Few initial questions (Boston, Lowell: homes, to buy, movies)

[495neighbor]

Westford, Burlington, Bedford

[illinoisfamily2017]

Originally Posted by Tightlines

Will he be driving to the airport, using a car service?

Mostly car service, except for quick trips where the cost of short term parking is less than a service (both ways). Currently, any trip that's over two nights warrants a taxi/car service.

[illinoisfamily2017]

I've been all over redfin looking at housing in the various towns mentioned. I thought I had found an initial winner in Groton until I thought to do a search for the closest Target. It's 20+ minutes away!

That will never work for us. We are a stereotypical, boring, (upper-ish) middle class suburban family. We eat at Panera, Chipotle, Chili's and other restaurants with kids menus. We see movies. We shop at Target, Dicks, Nordstrom, Home Depot, and their predictable suburban store cousins. While our current town has a quaint (often called New England-like) downtown with unique little stores, we have easy access to any and every chain store you could want. I wouldn't want to give up that convenience.

Does that narrow down the recommended town list somewhat? I know people turn their noses up at suburbia and Groton with its low prices, huge lots (ours is less than .25 acre now) and open, natural space looked positively divine, but it's not practical if a trip to target is going to take me 40 minutes just in travel time. Ain't nobody got time for that (well, I guess Groton people do)!

It's OK to tell me that metro Boston (are these areas this even considered metro Boston?) isn't like Chicagoland and that I will have to suck it up either put the miles on the car or start buying my shoes from Zappos, but since I didn't say that being close to suburbia shopping heaven was part of my "must haves", I thought I might ask.

[ECPCVC]

Originally Posted by illinoisfamily2017

I've been all over redfin looking at housing in the various towns mentioned. I thought I had found an initial winner in Groton until I thought to do a search for the closest Target. It's 20+ minutes away!

That will never work for us. We are a stereotypical, boring, (upper-ish) middle class suburban family. We eat at Panera, Chipotle, Chili's and other restaurants with kids menus. We see movies. We shop at Target, Dicks, Nordstrom, Home Depot, and their predictable suburban store cousins. While our current town has a quaint (often called New England-like) downtown with unique little stores, we have easy access to any and every chain store you could want. I wouldn't want to give up that convenience.

Does that narrow down the recommended town list somewhat? I know people turn their noses up at suburbia and Groton with its low prices, huge lots (ours is less than .25 acre now) and open, natural space looked positively divine, but it's not practical if a trip to target is going to take me 40 minutes just in travel time. Ain't nobody got time for that (well, I guess Groton people do)!

It's OK to tell me that metro Boston (are these areas this even considered metro Boston?) isn't like Chicagoland and that I will have to suck it up either put the miles on the car or start buying my shoes from Zappos, but since I didn't say that being close to suburbia shopping heaven was part of my "must haves", I thought I might ask.

If you want to be that close to shopping Burlington is your best bet. Although, imo all the other towns mentioned are nicer and have better schools. There isn't a target in each town here, so I wouldn't personally make distance to target a deciding factor in where to raise a family. But, to each his own.

[ramaka]

With a $800K budget you will get:
Bedford<--You will get decent houses with decent yard size.
Westford<--You will get new houses with good yard size.
Burlington<--New house with good yard, but so so schools.
Acton<--Same as Bedford.

[robr2]

Originally Posted by ECPCVC

If you want to be that close to shopping Burlington is your best bet. Although, imo all the other towns mentioned are nicer and have better schools. There isn't a target in each town here, so I wouldn't personally make distance to target a deciding factor in where to raise a family. But, to each his own.

Yeah but Target and Home Depot are in other towns and can still be 20+ minutes away. I live as far away from the shopping area in Burlington and depending on the time of day, it takes me 15-20 minutes to get over there.

To the OP - you're not going to find the typical suburban sprawl as you would in other parts of the country. It may seem like it to us but for the most part, it's concentrated in one area. We don't have miles of shopping with a Target, Home Depot, and Kohl's in every town. But it's all available in the suburbs. From where I am in Burlington, it's 15 - 20 minutes to 2 Home Depots, Lowes, 2 Targets, BJ's, 2 Kohl's, Chipotle, the mall (Macy's, Sears, Nordstroms, etc.) with the latter three actually in town.

[Dm84]

Originally Posted by robr2

Yeah but Target and Home Depot are in other towns and can still be 20+ minutes away. I live as far away from the shopping area in Burlington and depending on the time of day, it takes me 15-20 minutes to get over there.

To the OP - you're not going to find the typical suburban sprawl as you would in other parts of the country. It may seem like it to us but for the most part, it's concentrated in one area. We don't have miles of shopping with a Target, Home Depot, and Kohl's in every town. But it's all available in the suburbs. From where I am in Burlington, it's 15 - 20 minutes to 2 Home Depots, Lowes, 2 Targets, BJ's, 2 Kohl's, Chipotle, the mall (Macy's, Sears, Nordstroms, etc.) with the latter three actually in town.

I live in a town with a ton of shopping. Everything is still, without fail a 15-20 minute drive each way. If OP thinks they can drive 2 blocks and be at Target, they will likely be disappointed.

[timberline742]

You could move to a denser, more developed area, but while these things will be closer, they'll take just as long to get to.

It takes me a good chunk more than 20 minutes to get the 3-4 miles to my mother's house. It's often just as quick to actually run over.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by illinoisfamily2017

I've been all over redfin looking at housing in the various towns mentioned. I thought I had found an initial winner in Groton until I thought to do a search for the closest Target. It's 20+ minutes away!

That will never work for us. We are a stereotypical, boring, (upper-ish) middle class suburban family. We eat at Panera, Chipotle, Chili's and other restaurants with kids menus. We see movies. We shop at Target, Dicks, Nordstrom, Home Depot, and their predictable suburban store cousins. While our current town has a quaint (often called New England-like) downtown with unique little stores, we have easy access to any and every chain store you could want. I wouldn't want to give up that convenience.

Does that narrow down the recommended town list somewhat? I know people turn their noses up at suburbia and Groton with its low prices, huge lots (ours is less than .25 acre now) and open, natural space looked positively divine, but it's not practical if a trip to target is going to take me 40 minutes just in travel time. Ain't nobody got time for that (well, I guess Groton people do)!

I get it--you want to feel like you're in the middle of civilization, and not have to drive for 15-20 min on winding 2-lane roads just to get to a shopping center. I'm definitely of the same ilk.

If that's the case, you should rule out towns like Groton, Acton, Concord, Westford. Focus on Burlington as others have suggested. Chelmsford may work--there's ample shopping, albeit a bit spread out...and the Target in Lowell is close by. I do think Bedford would work, because it's close enough to the Burlington shopping areas. Although if you get away from Rt 4 & the town center Bedford too can have an isolated, rural feel.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

I get it--you want to feel like you're in the middle of civilization, and not have to drive for 15-20 min on winding 2-lane roads just to get to a shopping center. I'm definitely of the same ilk.

If that's the case, you should rule out towns like Groton, Acton, Concord, Westford. Focus on Burlington as others have suggested. Chelmsford may work--there's ample shopping, albeit a bit spread out...and the Target in Lowell is close by. I do think Bedford would work, because it's close enough to the Burlington shopping areas. Although if you get away from Rt 4 & the town center Bedford too can have an isolated, rural feel.

Can you get a half decent four bedroom in Burlington for 800k? I have no idea.