Quincy (Boston, Hingham, Hull: real estate, apartments, for rent)

[SWP]

I will be relocating from the PNW to somewhere in New England. I have two cities in mind, both in different states.

I have done some research on Quincy and this may be a good choice for me. I am a self-employed artist and desire a location in a small city with close access to a large metropolitan area such as Boston. My lifestyle requires that I am in close proximity to water, parks, paved bike paths. In summary, I need diverse outdoor recreation opportunities. I also like to have photographic scenery within walking distance or a short drive away. I enjoy photographing at zoo, botanical gardens, arboretums, urban/architecture and nautical themes.

I will be purchasing a home prior to relocation. Safety is important to me. I also want to be near quality art fairs, book fairs and locate in an area with a downtown that gets enough foot traffic from locals and tourists for a retail gallery/gift shop.

[goyguy]

Quincy might well be a good choice, as would parts of the adjoining Boston neighborhood called Dorchester. In particular, the section of the Savin Hill area also known as "OTB" ("Over the bridge," that bridge being the I-93 overpass) is well worth considering. The boulder-strewn and "unimproved" (except for some grass-mowing) Savin Hill Park provides a spectacular vantage point for views of Boston Harbor. The neighborhood itself is a collection of brick-box and "three-decka" apartment houses - many condo-converted - and charming Victorian and early-20th-century homes. It's a sleepy and serene pocket of the city that one might even call bucolic. Near the bottom of the hill are the recently restored Malibu (no joke) Beach and the Savin Hill Yacht Club (the term's used loosely - it's no place for the vulgar rich, LOL.)
Then there's also Clam Point, a "secret" enclave on a small peninsula east of 93 and closer to Quincy. While this is a tranquil community as well, the housing choices aren't as varied or appealing as those in Savin Hill OTB.
A condo/apartment community popular with artists is the Baker Factory in Lower Mills. The former manufacturing plant for Baker's Chocolate is now a large collection of apartments, townhouses, and lofts, many of which have floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Neponset River. The river is well on its way to being fully developed as an outdoor recreation area. The goal is to have walking/biking paths in place all the way from the headwaters to the ocean, with canoeing and fishing on the river itself.
Depending on how much money you have to play with, Hingham might be an alternative also. It's at the upscale WASP/yuppie economic level, and adjoins the town of Hull with its famous Nantasket Beach. Within the town's boundaries there are several sizable conservation areas, my favorite being World's End (!) with its "endless" vistas and uncrowded trails. A newly-reopened commuter rail line promises to bring more visitors and would-be residents to the area, and it has a "quaint" town center where the tone of the retailers is markedly skewed toward the moneyed. (After all, Muffies the world over know Talbots' headquarters is in Hingham.)
The true "magnet" for nautically-inclined artists in this neck of the woods is Rockport. Situated at the end of a commuter-rail line (about 75 minutes from North Station), it's a town I enjoy making day-trip and long-weekend "escapes" to. You've heard of "Motif #1," the red boating shack which is said to be one of the most-painted subjects in the world? Rockport is where you'll find it. The artistic community there is active and thriving; galleries line the sidewalks throughout the shopping district but camaraderie prevails over competitiveness from what I've observed. Bearskin Neck - ground zero for tourism - is going through some challenges with the economy's being what it is. When I was there in early April there were at least a half-dozen retail spaces up for rent. That sounds like an opportunity for hanging out a shingle which shouldn't be overlooked. In addition to offering myriad landscapes and houses begging to be put on canvas, and several beaches which IMHO aren't all that great, much of Rockport has remarkably escaped the bulldozers. You can tromp all around the wooded hills in the northern and western parts of town and never encounter another human. At the northeastern tip of the community lies Halibut Point State Park, a draw for hikers and birders - and clandestine divers looking for a cheap illegal thrill by taking a dip in the water-filled former granite quarries. (Why d'ya think they call it Rockport?) At least one working farm is still in existence; while walking past it one day I heard my first and so far only bobolink! There are many 18th-Century homes in the town, along with unremarkable suburban-style houses of more recent vintage. Because Rockport is "just far enough away" from Boston - and also lacks natural-gas lines and public sewers - real estate prices are tantalizingly low for New England.
Not to take anything away from Quincy, but put the other places I've mentioned in play.

[camer]

Originally Posted by SWP

I will be relocating from the PNW to somewhere in New England. I have two cities in mind, both in different states.

I have done some research on Quincy and this may be a good choice for me. I am a self-employed artist and desire a location in a small city with close access to a large metropolitan area such as Boston. My lifestyle requires that I am in close proximity to water, parks, paved bike paths. In summary, I need diverse outdoor recreation opportunities. I also like to have photographic scenery within walking distance or a short drive away. I enjoy photographing at zoo, botanical gardens, arboretums, urban/architecture and nautical themes.

I will be purchasing a home prior to relocation. Safety is important to me. I also want to be near quality art fairs, book fairs and locate in an area with a downtown that gets enough foot traffic from locals and tourists for a retail gallery/gift shop.

Great choice. We've been living in MA for 17 years and I've been watching Quincy grow in wonderful ways. I frequent the city often to visit patients in their homes. Each trip puts a smile on my face. Despite the huge economic growth over the years, it remains friendly and down-to-earth. Go see the ADAMS Estate/Museum. Awesome. Goodluck.

[SWP]

Thank you for all your input on this area. I will definitely check into the other places mentioned.