Calling all who wish to move to MA!!! (Boston, Quincy: rental homes, credit)

[DarlingCat]

So I am moving back to MA (lived there for 5 years while going to WPI) from CA. My family is joining me and my mom has a job waiting for her in Marlborough. So we are looking for a home in a nice, clean, safe, cute little town around Marlborough to settle down. Does anyone have any recommendations?

We are looking at Holden, Marlborough, Framingham, Clinton, Charlton, Sterling, West Boylston, Milford, Lowell, Westborough, and others. I know the area a little bit, but mostly I just stuck to the Worcester city area during my college days. And I know for sure that I do not want to be in Worcester! LOL

Any insight would be great. We have no kids, so school locations are not an issue.

[1979]

Originally Posted by DarlingCat

I am from So Cal as well...and nothing (but NY) seems to be more expensive to live in than CA. I can't believe that I can buy a 5 bedroom, 3 bath house with 3,000 sq ft home WITH a basement on 1 acre of land for $300-400k!!! That's amazing! I live in a 4 bed/2 bath 1,800 sq ft home (no basement or attic) on a postage stamp size land (6,800 sq ft) and my house is valued at $775K, even with the down turn of the housing market! Plus the taxes in Cali are higher than MA. I am definitely counting down my days till I am back in MA. I lived in MA for 5 years while I went to WPI and I fell in love with the seasons and the NE area. My family and I just cannot wait to get back out there.

I would like to see this "5-bedroom, 3 bath house with 3,000 sq ft home on a 1 acre lot you speak of in Massachusetts for between 300-400K?? First of all, Worcester is a dilapidated run-down city with high crime AND NO JOBS. The city of Worcester has very very few 1 acre 5-bedroom homes. And if you could find one for the price you speak of, it will probably need about 100K in renovations.

It is not fair to compare one particular house, let's say in Orange County and compare it to one in a slum in Mass. Even Massachusetts has slums you know. The Worcester metro area is very depressed. I could make the same kind of comparison. I could compare a home in Wellesley, Cambridge, Weston, Belmont, Newton, Needham, Dover etc. etc. with some blown out home in East L.A., and say, "Wow, what a bargain compared to Mass!"

[puffle]

Anyway, DarlingCat....Not all that familiar with that area except neighboring towns like Stow, Bolton and Sudbury with the first two less expensive and more rural. We went to Bolton yesterday which is next to Marlborough, to go apple picking and I thought it looked like a charming little town with many family farms in the area and right by the 495 and Boston Post Road.
Where in California are you moving from?

[DarlingCat]

Originally Posted by 1979

I would like to see this "5-bedroom, 3 bath house with 3,000 sq ft home on a 1 acre lot you speak of in Massachusetts for between 300-400K?? First of all, Worcester is a dilapidated run-down city with high crime AND NO JOBS. The city of Worcester has very very few 1 acre 5-bedroom homes. And if you could find one for the price you speak of, it will probably need about 100K in renovations.

It is not fair to compare one particular house, let's say in Orange County and compare it to one in a slum in Mass. Even Massachusetts has slums you know. The Worcester metro area is very depressed. I could make the same kind of comparison. I could compare a home in Wellesley, Cambridge, Weston, Belmont, Newton, Needham, Dover etc. etc. with some blown out home in East L.A., and say, "Wow, what a bargain compared to Mass!"

I wasn't looking in Worcester...I know Worcester is a dumb...I lived there for 5 years! LOL I am looking at Holden, Marlborough, Framingham, Clinton, Charlton, Sterling, West Boylston, Milford, Lowell, Westborough, and others. I have found many homes similar to what I described for sale in these areas via zipreality.com. Check it out if you like. I was just saying that the COL for MA is cheaper than CA, at least in my opinion, especially since I have lived in both states. Of course, maybe things have changed drastically over the last 4 years to make the COL higher in MA? If so, I would really love to hear/know about it. Thanks.

[DarlingCat]

Originally Posted by puffle

Anyway, DarlingCat....Not all that familiar with that area except neighboring towns like Stow, Bolton and Sudbury with the first two less expensive and more rural. We went to Bolton yesterday which is next to Marlborough, to go apple picking and I thought it looked like a charming little town with many family farms in the area and right by the 495 and Boston Post Road.
Where in California are you moving from?

Newport Beach, Ca is where I am at currently. We are moving due to my mother getting a job in Malborough...and we have been wanting to move back there for about 3 years now. So we think at this time, we will be moving to MA around July/Aug '09 timeframe...the hottest time, which sucks. But then we get the Fall and Winter as a reward. I can't wait to smell fall and watch snow coming down. I really miss that. I also miss going for a swim or canuing down a fresh water river. Sigh...I wish I was there right now.

[ChrisA70]

Try it for a few years in Florida, it's terrible. NOT paradise... It never felt like Christmas, New Years, or Thanksgiving there. I hated it there. I was so happy to get back here in MA after being in FL for 15 years, I came back this past Wednesday.

Originally Posted by 1979

No seasons? It sounds like paradise to me. To experience New Years Eve wearing shorts and a T-shirt, it would be heaven.

I also like Salem, it has a very strong New England feel to it. It does get visited by witches from all over the world. So realize there are quite a few wickens here. There was even a raven-haired witch who ran for mayor. I can remember my first trip to Salem was on a field trip in the fifth grade, we went to the Salem witch museum which was very interesting. I remember seeing witches, or people dressed like witches walking down the sidewalk.

[puffle]

I know how you feel. Boy, Newport Beach is one of the nicest and busiest places in Socal. You know a million people here would gladly change places if they knew what Newport was like, at least on the surface, which is really was Newport Beach and neighboring areas are all about. I lived in Westlake Village in Ventura County..different town, same story.

[indigorose]

Six days and counting! I am leaving AZ in six days and starting the long trek to MA. I will be making a pitstop in MI so the trip will take longer than usual. I hope to be in Salem by Halloween. Wish me luck and I will keep everyone posted on what I find there (hopefully nothing but good).

[JBTD]

I have lived in MA all my life and I'm dying to get out. While I love the 4 seasons, I can't stand the sky high taxes. I can't stand Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and the rest of the democrats on Beacon Hill.

[Roo20]

Originally Posted by indigorose

Six days and counting! I am leaving AZ in six days and starting the long trek to MA. I will be making a pitstop in MI so the trip will take longer than usual. I hope to be in Salem by Halloween. Wish me luck and I will keep everyone posted on what I find there (hopefully nothing but good).

Have a great trip and best of luck! My plan is to move there June 2009 - it will be here before I know it, time is flying by!

Again best of luck, look forward to hearing how it goes!