Looking to buy a house near Boston - advice on towns... (Cambridge: apartment, rent)

[dopehead9]

This query is somewhat similar to the post by rand1008 about Melrose vs Arlington. While that thread has some excellent points about Melrose and Arlington, our query is different in that we’re looking for recommendations for other towns to consider. My wife and I are on the hunt for a single family home, 3bed 1.5 or 2 bath with a little yard for the dog; something move-in ready would be perfect. We both work in tech near Kendall Sq in Cambridge and an easy commute is pretty important to us - we can drive in, but we’d also like a decent public transportation option that does NOT involve the commuter rail. We don’t have any kids yet but we plan on it soon, so a decent school district would be nice, but not a deal breaker. Diversity is also pretty important.

We currently have a fully underwritten pre-approval for 800k but we’d like to keep our budget maxed at 750k.
Arlington is a town we love but the sad reality is that our budget may not get everything we’re looking for (we actually got into a couple of bidding wars in Arlington and we lost), so we’re expanding our search area to include other towns and we’d love to get some suggestions/recommendations.

We’re newish to the Boston area and so we’re not very familiar with the pros and cons of the surrounding towns. From what we’ve gathered after talking to friends/colleagues/realtors, here are our options:
Burlington. Pros - good area, lots of activity along the tech corridor, seemingly diverse. Cons - Long commute/traffic to Cambridge. Longer commute using public transport.
Medford. Pros - decent commute to Cambridge. Cons - Seems a little congested, older homes. Not sure about the culture
Waltham. Pros - affordable, diverse. Cons - school district seems lacking (I may be mistaken)
Melrose - After reading rand1008's post and the thread that followed, we'll be adding it to our list.

Are there any other towns that you guys would recommend?

Thanks in advance.

[mwj119]

Right off the bat, I'd exclude Burlington. No public transportation, and though it offers some nice modern amenities near 95, the town is a bit underwhelming to me. A lot of 60/70's homes, sporadic and scattered neighborhoods, no true downtown. Add to that the drive via 95/93 or 95/RT2, and you're looking at 60+ minutes via car. With that kind of commuting time, and that budget, I'd suggest finding a low end home in Concord, or a nice home in Acton. Acton would be 60 minutes via train, and Concord would be ~50 minutes to Kendall. I'd reserve a Burlington suggestion for those that work along 95. Other than that, not sure I see the value (unless you love shopping!). Even if you want to drive, I'd suggest Bedford before Burlington at that price point.

As for Medford and Waltham, it's very neighborhood dependent. Medford is full of locals, with a very average downtown, and not a ton in the way of amenities. The location is the selling point with the exception of the Lawrence Estates area which is very nice. That'd be the only option i'd consider. Waltham is a bit more diverse, but is significantly more active in it's core. Great international food scene, some really nice bars, luxury apartment built on the river. Between the two, the schools are probably a wash, though I'd say Waltham has a better reputation. The vast majority of affluence in Medford is segmented into choice neighborhoods, and those are feeder areas for Malden Catholic. Very few families, with the means, rely on Medford public schools. Sure it will change, but I'm not sure I'd want to be a part of that change with $800k to play with.

Melrose is somewhat self explanatory as you've seen the other posts on the Arlington vs. Melrose thread. It would be my top choice on the list, especially under your circumstances- $750k budget, access to Kendall via the orange line->red line.

All of that said, I'm going to repost what I just added on the other thread:

It's funny, I actually thought that Andover would be the perfect fit, but it would be a tough commute. That said, if you can't seem to find the right house in Melrose/Arlington, I have been a very strong advocate for Reading. A bit further, but if you can eat the extra 25 minutes via your commute, the town would be quite a nice fit. Downtown Reading continues to see nice expansion, and the train is built right into the west side of the main drag. The neighborhoods, specifically West/Southwest in Reading are beautiful. Every bit as nice as Melrose/Arlington. There is a pride of ownership aspect to much of Reading... I don't know what it is, but things are very well kept in the area west of downtown. It's known to have solid schools, and though it has some of that "townie" feel everyones referencing, it's a crazy hot market for new home buyers. Folks between 28-35 are pouring in, so bidding wars are not uncommon in Reading either.

I'm not advocating for these houses, but advocating for the areas themselves. Southwest, in particular the areas like Howard/Prescott/Oak/Pine Ridge/Fairview/Victoria, are wonderful.
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...7_M37372-83658
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...7_M30708-85851
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...7_M42600-83714

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by mwj119

With that kind of commuting time, and that budget, I'd suggest finding a low end home in Concord, or a nice home in Acton. Acton would be 60 minutes via train, and Concord would be ~50 minutes to Kendall. .

They specifically stated they don't want to be on the commuter rail though.

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by timberline742

They specifically stated they don't want to be on the commuter rail though.

Reading is not my strong suit.

[breezy1]

You may want to consider Watertown. You should be able to find something nice for your price range. Very easy commute into Cambridge and Boston via either driving or via public transport (bus to Harvard Sq/Cambridge and then Red-line from Harvard Sq to Kendall Sq). Or you can drive to Alewife stop on Red-line and leave car there, then take Red-line to Kendall Sq. I used to work in Kendall Sq and had a good parking situation, so I drove in every day - easy commute.

[ecraigie]

Look south to Quincy. With your budget you should have no problem finding a SFH that meets your needs within walking distance to a red line stop. One-seat ride, a little over 30 minutes from Quincy Center to Kendall/MIT. Nice neighborhoods, reasonable schools, good diversity and a downtown that is seeing lots of exciting growth.


There seems to be a north/west bias among tech folks working in Cambridge. I find it surprising how coworkers who still want some semblance of urban convenience will readily decamp to suburbs like Burlington sooner than ponder where that Braintree train goes after the familiar Cambridge/Boston stops!



Sure, its further distance-wise than some of the places you've identified, but compare public transit commute times (and ease). You'll be surprised!

[The_General]

Originally Posted by dopehead9

This query is somewhat similar to the post by rand1008 about Melrose vs Arlington. While that thread has some excellent points about Melrose and Arlington, our query is different in that we’re looking for recommendations for other towns to consider. My wife and I are on the hunt for a single family home, 3bed 1.5 or 2 bath with a little yard for the dog; something move-in ready would be perfect. We both work in tech near Kendall Sq in Cambridge and an easy commute is pretty important to us - we can drive in, but we’d also like a decent public transportation option that does NOT involve the commuter rail. We don’t have any kids yet but we plan on it soon, so a decent school district would be nice, but not a deal breaker. Diversity is also pretty important.

We currently have a fully underwritten pre-approval for 800k but we’d like to keep our budget maxed at 750k.
Arlington is a town we love but the sad reality is that our budget may not get everything we’re looking for (we actually got into a couple of bidding wars in Arlington and we lost), so we’re expanding our search area to include other towns and we’d love to get some suggestions/recommendations.

We’re newish to the Boston area and so we’re not very familiar with the pros and cons of the surrounding towns. From what we’ve gathered after talking to friends/colleagues/realtors, here are our options:
Burlington. Pros - good area, lots of activity along the tech corridor, seemingly diverse. Cons - Long commute/traffic to Cambridge. Longer commute using public transport.
Medford. Pros - decent commute to Cambridge. Cons - Seems a little congested, older homes. Not sure about the culture
Waltham. Pros - affordable, diverse. Cons - school district seems lacking (I may be mistaken)
Melrose - After reading rand1008's post and the thread that followed, we'll be adding it to our list.

Are there any other towns that you guys would recommend?

Thanks in advance.

Burlington - Yup
Medford - If you're a 20 something
Waltham - kinda no
Melrose - sure

[charolastra00]

I'll put in a plug for Medford. There are some great restaurants for all tastes and price points, a great coffee shop/roaster downtown and my favorite coffee shop right across from Tufts, and lots of green space. I lived in Medford Hillside until recently and very much miss the ability to walk to Tufts University for a safe place to walk or jog, or to see speakers or other activities that were free and open to the public.

The school system is less than stellar, but by the time you needed schools, the green line extension would hopefully be complete and really help your home value. You could consider whatever you bought a 5 year house and move. That said, I have numerous neighbors who had kids in the public schools who seem to think they're getting better, largely due to young professional families prioritizing living closer to work.

I enjoyed my time there, and wish that rent hadn't increased at such a rate that I was priced out.

[robr2]

Bus service is available from Burlington. You can take the 350 or 351 bus to Alewife. The 350 goes from Chestnut St. with stops all the way to Alewife. The 351 begins in Bedford and makes stops through Burlington and then goes express to Alewife from the Marriott on Mall Rd. Either is 60-90 minutes depending on time of day to Kendall.

Driving will take 30-90 minutes depending on everything.

You may want to avoid the commuter rail but it's an hour trip from Wilmington Station to Kendall using the EZ Ride shuttle.

I've lived in town for 20+ years - the plan was to stay 3-5 years. Your $750K will get you into a nicely renovated home but you'll have to decide quickly as that is the sweet spot for pricing in town. You can spend $500K+ for something needed complete updating but you should get your money out of it.

[Aara5]

If you can deal with the commute described above, Burlington is a good option. Lots of nice neighborhoods and options at your price point, green space for hiking/biking etc, good schools, community feel, more diverse than some of other surrounding towns. No traditional downtown but you are close enough to Winchester, Lexington, Woburn if you need that. Good luck!