What do you know about Webster (Boston, Worcester: real estate market, houses, neighborhood)

[dearmschris]

This crazy real estate market is pushing me further west. Looking for a home under 300K in a safe town. I started along 495 and then started moving west. I saw a great house in Webster by the lake on a nice looking clean safe street. I have a daughter that will be in high school soon. I know Webster is an old mill town. How is it to live there now? I like the quietness of the neighborhood. What's the general vibe like in the town? How's the school system regarded? Any thoughts?

[Boston_Burbs]

Webster is not that great and the schools are pretty terrible.

Do you have to be on the pike? If not, I would look at Westminster. One of the best values around.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by Boston_Burbs

Webster is not that great and the schools are pretty terrible.

Do you have to be on the pike? If not, I would look at Westminster. One of the best values around.

This or settle for less sqft in a Wachusett towns - Holden, Paxton, Sterling. It's getting hard to buy below $300k in these towns, but dated ranches still pop up in the $285k-300k range.

If you need to stay south, I'd head further west into Sturbridge or Charlton.

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by dearmschris

Looking for a home under 300K in a safe town.

Then don't look in Webster.

A 5 minute drive through downtown will answer all your questions.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

Then don't look in Webster.

A 5 minute drive through downtown will answer all your questions.

Yup, est. '16 median household income was $46,379 and the downtown looks it. For comparison: Sutton is $108,762, Sturbridge is $105,455, Charlton is $91,237.

I'm not sure where OP is commuting, but based on their price constraints, it seems like Charlton might be a far better fit - decent homes at their price point and a far better town.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

A 5 minute drive through downtown will answer all your questions.

Webster is perfectly safe. Near downtown isn't pretty, but not going to affect you if living over by the lake..

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Shrewsburried

Yup, est. '16 median household income was $46,379 and the downtown looks it. For comparison: Sutton is $108,762, Sturbridge is $105,455, Charlton is $91,237.

I'm not sure where OP is commuting, but based on their price constraints, it seems like Charlton might be a far better fit - decent homes at their price point and a far better town.

Dudley would be better than Webster and is cheaper than those other towns, if you don't mind a little extra drive. High school is shared with Charlton, and is considered good.

[The_General]

You can get houses under $300,000 in Auburn and Oxford and they're both nicer and on 290/395.

[495neighbor]

Didn't you say you had to drop your daughter off at her private school in one of your earlier posts?

[FCMA]

Webster, Southbridge, and Sturbridge have ‘bad’ schools by snobby MA standards but S Central Mass is actually pretty nice and vibrant and closer to Worcester compared to its equivalents on the Rt 2 corridor. Westminster is a nice value with good schools but your kid would have Leominster, Fitchburg, and Gardner as a basis for larger-town “culture” which might warp her worldview to flyover country backwater standards if you’re not careful.