N. Attleboro, Attleboro or Plainville..? (Boston, Taunton: for sale, insurance, low crime)

[Exit14]

Hello,
We will be putting our current house on the market next week.

We would like to stay around the $300,000 range on our next house.

We've noticed that we can get more house for our money in N. Attleboro, Attleboro and Plainville -how do these 3 towns rate?

We don't have kids in school so that's not a concern.

We are more concerned with the crime rates (since that will raise car/home insurance rates) and troubled areas, overcrowding, traffic, etc.

We want a quiet neighborhood -where people care about their property and we can safely take a long walk at night.

We are also considering Mansfield and parts of Easton -but Like I said before we think we can get more house for our money in one of those 3 towns.

Any opinions will help --thank you.

[lrfox]

What's the reason for looking at these communities? Are you working in Boston? Providence? Is there anywhere else you'd commute to? How important is access to Mass Transit?

I would rate Attleboro itself last. It's a bit more built up (it's considered a city, but it really isn't) and it may be more difficult to find what you're looking for there. Crime isn't bad in Attleboro, but it's going to be higher than in North Attleboro or Plainville.

North Attleboro is nice. I would certainly suggest looking there. There are plenty of wonderful little neighborhoods in this town. I know very little of Plainville so I won't attempt to anylize it.

Easton and Mansfield are both pretty nice. It wouldn't hurt to look there especially if you were looking to commute to Boston.

I'd also like to add the suggestion of Lakeville if you're looking to commute to Boston for work/ play. Lakeville is a nice town centered around two lakes full of wonderful neighborhoods. It has close proximity to Route 140 and I-495 for commuting and it has its own commuter rail station so you can easily catch the train into South Station. I think your money would go far here as well. It's worth looking into.

[JBTD]

Mansfield is wonderful. Easton is nice, too. Mansfield has the advantage of being very close to rt 495 and 95. I'd rate Attleboro last. Plainville is beginning to boom, but if schools are important to you, you should know that Plainville doesn't have its own high school. North Attleboro is nice, too. Feel free to PM me if you've got more questions.

[Exit14]

"What's the reason for looking at these communities? Are you working in Boston? Providence? Is there anywhere else you'd commute to? How important is access to Mass Transit?"

Thank you both for responding.

We are looking in that area because we feel that we can get more house/property for our money -as opposed to say Walpole or Foxborough.

Also, one of us works in Taunton -the other in Canton. There really is no town where we will both have a quick ride to work.

I work in Canton (right off 128 & 95) and have slightly better hours so I'm willing to have the longer ride -not to exceed 26 miles though.....right now I have a 19 mile ride and I don't want too much of a longer commute.

My mother lives in Mansfield and loves it -we are also considering that town -but there doesn't seem to be too much for sale right now in our price range. We have no children in school - so, schools are not an issue for us.

[theh]

All of the towns mentioned I think would be fine for what you're looking for. They're all about equally nice and quiet with low crime. I don't think any of them would have a terrible commute. Easton and Lakeville I think are the most beautiful. Attleboro's really the only one listed that has a few dumpy areas, but if you stumble on a really nice house in a nice neighborhood there, I don't think it should be completely knocked off your list.

[AandD]

Home prices are really depressed in some of the more expensive communities around the ones you mentioned. There are actually a few houses for sale under 300K in places like Sharon right now. If resale value down the road is a consideration for you, taking a closer look at some of the areas you feel priced out of might reveal a few opportunities.

[gamma4jet]

I live in NA after growing up in Foxboro and "doing" 10 years in Pawtucket. Tho the school system was one of my reasons for moving here I still enjoy it as an "emptynester" Route 1 has become a pain but you can still find tranquility less than a mile away. When comparing tax rates make sure you look into trash fees,etc. Though Attleboro has some nicer areas and commuter rail access it seems that NA has a bit more of a hometown feel. Good luck in your search and if you pick NA welcome to the neighborhood!

[Exit14]

Thank you for all of the replies.

gamma4jet,
Where did you live in Foxborough? I lived on Cocasset Street (a long long time ago) until I was 12 -then we moved to Walpole in 1978.