Relocating to MA: Single/No Kids-best towns to buy? (Boston: school, live)

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

The tapas place is decent...you're referring to Pinxto Pincho ...but not worth the perennial wait on weekends in my opinion. Several other decent dining places around, but the center has a decidedly downmarket ambience to it.

There wasn't a wait when I was going, but that was a couple of years ago. The shark dish they had was phenomenal.


Baldwin Bar I don't get the attraction of.

[BosYuppie]

Definitely check out Brighton Center/Oak Square parts of brighton, there are parts of Allston that aren't the student ghetto too that wouldn't be too bad.

How bout Malden? Orange Line access, nice downtown (one of the best breweries in the area there - Idle Hands), Assembly Row/Camberville are right there

Revere and East Boston might be options too - they are a lot safer than they used to be. Revere is safer than the US average. And super fast boston and logan access via Blue Line.

Quincy/Braintree!

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by StoryofBoston

Downtown Medford? decent number of shops downtown. Easy drive to airport.

Walham is nice. Decent amount of stuff on Moody's.

West Roxbury is nice, but there is no real public transportation options. Kinda of quiet.

West Roxbury has several commuter rail stops..

[bohemka]

What about Salem/Beverly? Kind of far from your family, but an easy commuter rail ride into the city, and decent access to Logan.

[BosYuppie]

Originally Posted by bohemka

What about Salem/Beverly? Kind of far from your family, but an easy commuter rail ride into the city, and decent access to Logan.

Salem is a really good option here, the downtown is lively and the commuter rail ride is really quick to north station. A madshow in october, but maybe not so much outside downtown.

[Idontwanttocheckmymessage]

Have you considered Newburyport for its lively downtown with restaurants, galleries, shops and cafes, beautiful waterfront, extensive park system, bicycle trails AND single family homes in your price range? Granted, it's a bit further out than where have been looking, but still doable with the commuter rail to North Station in Boston and the C&J express busses to both the airport and South Station in Boston. Not sure if the extra distance would end up being an absolute deal breaker, but Newburyport really is an exceptional place for a single person to live. It's a very different place than it used to be - now it's upscale and thriving. There's still more to come with a big waterfront project in the works.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Idontwanttocheckmymessage

Have you considered Newburyport for its lively downtown with restaurants, galleries, shops and cafes, beautiful waterfront, extensive park system, bicycle trails AND single family homes in your price range? Granted, it's a bit further out than where have been looking, but still doable with the commuter rail to North Station in Boston and the C&J express busses to both the airport and South Station in Boston. Not sure if the extra distance would end up being an absolute deal breaker, but Newburyport really is an exceptional place for a single person to live. It's a very different place than it used to be - now it's upscale and thriving. There's still more to come with a big waterfront project in the works.

That's a really good suggestion.

[prowlinggoblin]

Hey all, thanks for the great suggestions. I’m going to put Allston, Brighton, Newton and Roslindale on the list. I think other than Roslindale, it will be pretty slim pickings in terms of total number of single family homes in my price range, but maybe I will luck out since I’m not looking for a larger home. I’m also going to keep a close eye on South End and East Boston.

Appreciate the suggestions of Salem and Newburyport! Unfortunately, my friend who worked for a competitor company to mine was up in Salem over the last year and her commute was so hellish that she just moved to Arlington in order to cut it.

Honestly, my top choices would be Arlington or Newton, with Waltham and Brighton close behind and West Rox last.

Separately, I think Moody Street in Waltham has gotten so nice!!

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by prowlinggoblin

Appreciate the suggestions of Salem and Newburyport! Unfortunately, my friend who worked for a competitor company to mine was up in Salem over the last year and her commute was so hellish that she just moved to Arlington in order to cut it.

I don't understand. Your initial post said:

Originally Posted by prowlinggoblin

I work out of the house right now, but will have to drive or find a way into Boston semi-regularly. My career also requires frequent travel (I am usually on 40%) and I prefer to be no more than 30 minutes from an airport. I’ve also grown used to owning near public transportation and using it regularly.

You telecommute and you need to get to Logan a couple times per month. Car access from the north is far better than from Newton. The Turnpike Extension is a disaster. Getting to the Framingham/Worcester train which historically has the worst on-time performance and then silver line at rush hour isn't particularly deterministic.

[prowlinggoblin]

I have major clients in the city of Boston and I can’t time those meetings perfectly or try to squirrel out of 9 ams. I also have to fly fairly frequently. Even though I am switching companies, I am doing the same type of work and anticipate that my schedule will be fairly consistent. Typically I spend about 1 to 2 days a week at an HQ or regional office (now I get to spend it at home) and 3 days at client sites. There are some hell weeks where I am on the road 5 days a week and then about every 6 to 8 weeks, I spend a whole week at HQ. I also daytrip as far west as Chicago and south to Florida, and the thought of having to get up early and drive myself to Logan and back something like 30 to 40 miles each way is too much for me.

I know the commute from Salem to Cambridge was killing my friend from high school. She’s at 15 minutes in Arlington.

Maybe you just have more stamina than I do and can handle it. Right now, I live about 15 minutes away from the airport at my current domicile and the schedule I keep is hard. That said the move to Boston means I will be avoiding the cattlecar public transport commute into the city a couple of times a week, which I know will be a big step up, lifestyle wise.