A turn key house (Boston, Worcester: new home, living in, price)

[Martha Anne]

I know Boston and Eastern Massachusetts very well. I lived and worked there for many years. I don't really need advice as to where to live when it comes to getting to activities and things. I know the routes and transportation system almost completely. I also know what Massachusetts has that I want and I wasn't looking for advice in that arena. I was just trying to figure out the prices of ready to move in houses as close as possible to Boston these days.

[massnative71]

Just be sure you consider the fact that it's not the same state you left.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

What would you be doing with your time as a retiree other than making use of Boston?

See my original post! I lived and worked in Eastern Massachusetts, metropolitan Boston area. My friends and many relatives are there and I know what I would be doing ,completely !!

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Martha Anne

See my original post! I lived and worked in Eastern Massachusetts, metropolitan Boston area. My friends and many relatives are there and I know what I would be doing ,completely !!

Right, but in your first post, the only thing you express is access to Boston and a desire to see the symphony. I had BSO season subscriptions. That’s a night or two per month spread over 6 months. A location with a turnkey $400k single family home is probably far enough out that you’re not going to be in Boston every day. Where you pick kind of depends on how you envision spending all those days you’re not in Boston doing city things.

[495neighbor]

OP are you still in possession of a dozen cats? I recall last time you were on here looking for a place in Boston area one of your requirements was having a kennel or pet house in the yard for many rescue pets.

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Right, but in your first post, the only thing you express is access to Boston and a desire to see the symphony. I had BSO season subscriptions. That’s a night or two per month spread over 6 months. A location with a turnkey $400k single family home is probably far enough out that you’re not going to be in Boston every day. Where you pick kind of depends on how you envision spending all those days you’re not in Boston doing city things.

Don't you love when people ask for help and then get testy with the very people who are trying to help them?

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

Don't you love when people ask for help and then get testy with the very people who are trying to help them?

Indeed.

The thing is, it’s possible to live as a retiree in Massachusetts in that $400k house and have OK Boston access. It’s just not going to be midweek at anything remotely close to rush hour. I’m 60 miles from South Station. I can get there in an hour most of the time midweek if I hit the Southeast Expressway at noon. I can get home from the BSO at 10:30pm in 70 minutes. A bit farther than the OP wants but it’s in their price range because you can’t reasonably commute to a Boston job. I’m not going to recommend my zip code or others a bit closer without knowing the OP’s essential check boxes.

[MrLinderman]

Originally Posted by Martha Anne

That is such a low price for a (small) house in (safe, liveable) Braintree! I had no idea you could get a decent house there for that price! Unbelievable. My friend lives there now! (I know that area, having lived on the South Shore, among other places.) Yes, it's terrifically convenient to Boston. Thank you for the link and suggestion! I thought Braintree was mid 600's for anything decent.

It's cheap because it's on the "wrong" side of Quincy Ave on a small, hilly lot. My aunt has lived a few streets over for 50+ years and while it's one of the less desirable parts of Braintree it's totally fine.


The one thing I'd consider if you are retirees though are the stairs. Eventually they will become an issue, and those stairs look steep and narrow.

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Right, but in your first post, the only thing you express is access to Boston and a desire to see the symphony. I had BSO season subscriptions. That’s a night or two per month spread over 6 months. A location with a turnkey $400k single family home is probably far enough out that you’re not going to be in Boston every day. Where you pick kind of depends on how you envision spending all those days you’re not in Boston doing city things.

Understood, but I am capable of deciding all of that. I lived in metro Boston for many years. I honestly want to leave any discussion of what I would do and how often come to Boston out of this. I know the distances and traffic problems. That is not my question - at all. I just mentioned the Symphony but there is far more that we would do in Boston/Cambridge. I was trying to find out where a turn-key (and I really mean turn-key, nothing to be done) house could be found for $400K, but actually, could pay more like $500K (but not wanting to). Sure, we might come in to Boston a few days per week, other times not.

I am thinking now it might have to be as far out as Worcester or thereabouts. Have friends in Worcester, too.. Have been there several times...

[Martha Anne]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

OP are you still in possession of a dozen cats? I recall last time you were on here looking for a place in Boston area one of your requirements was having a kennel or pet house in the yard for many rescue pets.

You recalled right on the number but wrong on the requirements. I would never put my animals in a kennel or pet house on the property. We "do" have a large cat enclosure which the cats freely exit to from the house at will. It is not a cat house or a kennel! They live inside.