Saco, Scarborough or OOB? (Portland, Biddeford: skateboarding, new house, neighborhoods)

[Tatka2181]

What is the best place to buy a house for a family with children?

[lrfox]

Depends on your budget and what you're looking for. Scarborough has the best schools of the three but Saco isn't far behind. I haven't heard wonderful things about OOB's schools, but a site like greatschools.net can help clarify.

If it were me, I'd buy in Saco. Saco has a wonderful town center, an amtrak station, beautiful high school, and diverse housing stock (and range of prices). All of these communities are safe and family oriented. Scarborough has some nice homes (a better new housing stock than Saco) and good schools and serclvices. It also has nice beaches and is just about 10 minutes from downtown Portland. It has no distinct town center.

OOB is an active summer community but quite quiet during the Fall, Winter, and Spring. The school system is smaller than both Saco and Scarborough. There is a town center and nice water views. Prices are reasonable here too. While the town certainly has an upside, it's not exactly the most family oriented community.

I would go with Saco first, Scarborough second (close second) and Old Orchard a distant third.

[elston]

I agree with Irfox.

We looked at property in all three towns.....of the three Saco would be my first choice by a long shot.....but Scarborough has a lot going for it too...(just less of "town") The house lots in OOB anywhere near the water are very small and it is a resort--very crowded and very very busy and congested all summer; "honky tonk/boardwalk" but for many families it is their absolute fav. vacation destination) If you look away from the water...I didnt find much in the way of neighborhoods.

So Saco a really nice town with history and character and lots of development; Scarborough....great location and convenient to everything.....OOB not so much as a year round community.

[lookinforahome]

OOB is very odd. Or at least I find it that way. During the summer, the population swells to (I think this is it) almost 200,000 at a time! Other than that, it is 9,000. That might be wrong though, I'll check. Anyway, during the fall, winter, and most of spring, it is completely closed up and desolate. A few bars are open, but other than that, its very quiet. The highschool is not very nice either if you ask me. It is a large barn with a few add ons. The pluses of living there would be it is quiet, a lot of parks (espiecially Memorial Park downtown, which is beautiful), decent schools (again, I don't like the highschool but mostly because of how it looks ). But it is also VERY crammed in.

Scarborough is quite suburban. It is very spread out, but never really becomes "rural," just always single family homes spread apart. It is not pedestrian friendly at all. There are a lot of houses going up though I think. The highschool is superb though. Very, very, focused on academics from what I have heard. I think the math program there is highly praised. Anyways, Scarborough would be good if you like suburban living and having to drive to get anywhere.

I might be biased because I live there, but I think Saco is your best bet. Lots of new houses going up, good schools, GREAT highschool, where I go now (Thornton Academy). There are new houses going up around the intown area, where you can walk to places for groceries and even a few restaurants downtown. Across the bridge is Biddeford, if you want to dine out. There are quite a few athletic programs too, for your children to play in. Pedestrian friendly, not too busy. Parts are suburban, parts are rural, parts are a little more city-ish (but not really like a city, just for the area). The one complaint I have about Saco is the lack of parks. The city took down one across from my house, and the two only basketball courts. The police virtually banned skateboarding. So if your kids like skateboarding or outdoor basketball, that wouldn't work. Overall though, Saco is your best bet!