If you could choose any suburb, which one... (Boston, Cambridge: homes, transfer)

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by johngolf

Lynnfield
Andover
Lexington
Belmont
Wellesley
Weston
Cambridge

Somewhere out there, a resident of Lynnfield is very very very excited about this list...

[tysmith95]

Originally Posted by benton55

Appreciate the replies...

I will have to look closer at Brookline. My concern was too much of a city feel vs. suburb feel. I don't want the hassle of street parking, etc.

Appreciate the comparisons to Chicago. We're in Hinsdale and have been focusing on Newton, Wellesley and Natick areas so seems like these compare.

Is it common to see folks out exercising in these towns (biking, running, etc.)? My first visit was on a rainy day so didn't see much activity.

Brookline doesn't allow overnight street parking, so you'd need off street parking. For 2 million dollars you could get off street parking.

Yes it is common to see folks exercising, especially as you get into more urban parts. Anywhere along the Charles always has lots of runners. Also the path around Chestnut Hill Reservoir is a good place to run near Newton/Brookline/Boston border. Jamaica Pond is another good spot.

As far as biking I think Cambridge might have some of the most bikers per capita in the state.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by mwj119

I wouldn't recommend Natick at that price point (at all). That'd be like choosing a less active La Grange over Hinsdale.

Newton will be a good fit, but make sure to check out all of the villages and get a good feel for each. It's urban feel in some areas, and immense affluence in others. Wellesley has developed quite a reputation, though i'm not sure if it's warranted. It's one of the very tip top elite towns in Greater Boston, and I think the reputation is that people from Wellesley make sure you know it.

Again, I'd highly recommend you consider Winchester and/or Belmont too. Winchester is my favorite town of the bunch.

And yes, people will be all over the place in Wellesley/Newton/Winchester/Belmont in nice weather.. Really any of those metrowest/inner ring suburbs bleeding out to Concord. Tons of runners, bikers, yoga on the common, etc.

Natick strikes me more like Schaumburg than like LaGrange.

I really see no reason to look anywhere other than Newton at this point. Then, if for some reason, nothing seems desirable in Newton, then expand to other towns. Working in Back Bay, I just don't see the benefit of going to Belmont.

Originally Posted by mwj119

Assuming the assertion you're directing the OP to is mine, that was meant for Brookline/Cambridge, not Newton.

That makes more sense.

[scorpio516]

To throw another couple out there:

Hopkington and Dover.

Hopkington is out a ways, worse commute(~45-60 minutes to back bay), but very good schools.
Dover is closer, nice, but got to drive further to a train stop.

I'd still pick Newton though

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by mwj119

Somewhere out there, a resident of Lynnfield is very very very excited about this list...

I did not understand that list. Some of the suggestions overall in this thread I find puzzling.

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

I did not understand that list. Some of the suggestions overall in this thread I find puzzling.

Agreed, especially "Hopkington".

But you're right, at $2M with a daily commute to Boston, recommending Hopkinton, Dover, Andover, and Lynnfield simply doesn't make sense. That's like someone getting a job on Wacker, having a $1.5M budget, and recommending Burr Ridge, Inverses, or Deerfield. Nice town, but...

[NS-GR]

After many-many years of living in different places and of research about the best area, I have concluded that the most family friendly area in Mass is the South Shore. The Higham-Cohasset area cannot be compared with anything else because it combines ALL these factors: a) good schools, b) unbelievable number of options for kids' education/activities, c) convenience to take kids at/between activities, d) many commuting options to Boston area, e) the sea, f) the proximity to Cape.
If one wants to visit Boston Children's Museum for example, they just need to take the train and at South station they just cross the street... no need to even think about parking or anything, literally it can be 50 minutes door to door. If one wants to visit the Cape, in 35minutes they are there...they do not even need to think about rush hour traffic. Everyday activities for kids in sports, arts (the south shore conservatory for example)... 30 minutes from Thomasland in Endaville... Many farms and activities for kids related to healthy lifestyle, healthy eating etc... Parks for biking, walking, horsebackriding, even camping (World's end, Wompatuck are in the area within 10 minute drive).
Brookline, Newton in my opinion are nice suburbs, but congested and overrated.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by mwj119

Agreed, especially "Hopkington".

But you're right, at $2M with a daily commute to Boston, recommending Hopkinton, Dover, Andover, and Lynnfield simply doesn't make sense. That's like someone getting a job on Wacker, having a $1.5M budget, and recommending Burr Ridge, Inverses, or Deerfield. Nice town, but...

Although, the commute on the Stevenson isn't nearly as bad as that on E-W Highway/Ike or on the Edens/Kennedy. And I know tons of folks who work downtown and live in or near Deerfield. Personally, with a $2 Million budget I'd live in Evanston or Wilmette. Maybe even the city.

One of the news anchors here in Boston indicated she lives in Hopkinton. I've always found that strange, as usually news anchors make quite a bit of money and can afford to live a reasonable distance from the station. So, I suppose it's all in what you want. But here, OP didn't indicate she wanted a lot over an acre with an enormous house.

When I lived in Forest Park, right next to Oak Park, I freakin loved my commute downtown. I used to have to go downtown most days for court, and I could leave at 8:30. My colleagues who lived in Aurora, Wheaton and Schaumburg had to leave at about 7:30 or even earlier. When I lived in Palatine it was a nightmare commuting downtown. I didn't mind the commute from Skokie or Evanston, but the best was from Forest Park.

In any event, to Back Bay, Newton is probably about as good as it will get. (Still it's sometimes longer than it should be, but it's never 2 hours. Plus you have the T or, if you really wanted it, the commuter rail, too.) I think a commute to Hopkinton would be a nightmare during rush hour. The news anchor does the commute at about 3 AM, so it's probably okay for her. My friend in Medfield refused a job in Boston because it was too far for her.

[sal1181]

Newton
Brookline
Wellesley
Winchester
Belmont

[masshawk]

Originally Posted by porterhouse

Wellesley definitely is a town where I'd spend some time in the local grocery stores and parks before committing to the town.

I noticed this in the other thread and am curious what you'd see that's so interesting? I haven't spent much time there, but the one time I stopped in at their branch of The Local recently I didn't notice anything outrageous. Maybe a higher percentage of young moms dressed to the nines tottering around on 4 inch heels, maybe overall preppier clothes on everyone, but it's not like everyone was treating the wait staff like dirt or eyeing me up and down in my hoodie and jeans or anything.