Advise on buying home in Dorchester (Boston, Quincy: oceanfront, houses, neighborhoods)

[finch04]

Hello!

I have seen varying posts on this subject before so I apologize for any repetition but there seem to be lots of Dorchester experts out there so I wanted to take advantage of your knowledge.

My boyfriend and I are looking to purchase a home in Boston (has to be in Boston Proper). We are interested in Dorchester b/c we want a 3-bedroom but need to stay within the 350-400k range and is more conveniently located for us than going further south to West Roxbury. I work right next to North Station so would like to be able to get to work easily via bus/T rather than driving and paying to park. We are looking at the Neponset area but I am wondering if it would be better to go closer to Ashmont station? It seems walkable to Ashmont but if I take a bus/T the MBTA website said the commute would be over an hour from Neponset. It seems that people think Ashmont Hills is a nice area - would this be a better option?

It is also important for me to be in an area where I can run outside safely. I saw something about the Neponset trail - is this safe? Are there other parks/running areas that are nearby.

Thanks for any feedback!

[bostonguy1960]

I think that the Neponset area would be about 1 mile or so to Ashmont station.

Seems the Neponset Trail is adjacent to Pope John Paul Park, part of the Harborwalk? Ch. 5's "Chronicle" mentioned these areas along with canoeing on the Neponset River nearby as good recreational opportunities.

Lower Mills area on the Milton border may be an option, as well as Savin Hill and Jones Hill (Sawyer/Cushing/Windemere streets). Melville Park and Wellesley Park near the Shawmut T are very nice, but too close to bad sections, as is Jones Hill.

Port Norfolk, on the other side of Morrisey Blvd. and the Neponset section, near N. Quincy, is pleasant and may be worth a look. Adams Village, near Ashmont Hill and Pope's Hill, is also desirable.

[goyguy]

The best areas for a 3-BR house in Dorchester are Cedar Grove, Codman Hill, and Lower Mills. At least that's where you'll find the most to choose from. (You've probably noticed that "Dot" has more than its share of three-deckers and big rambling homes.) The first two neighborhoods on that list of three are the closest to the Red Line. Cedar Grove has its own station on the trolley line that connects directly to the train into town while Codman Hill is a short walk west from Ashmont. Lower Mills is due south of Ashmont and a bit of a hike down Dot Ave from there.
In terms of "flavor," Lower Mills and Codman Hill are multiracial enclaves with no significant trends toward any specific group increasing its numbers. Cedar Grove is ethnically somewhat diverse (Irish, Polish, etc) but mostly if not entirely White, as are the communities north of Gallivan Blvd in that corner of town (Adams Corner, Popes Hill, Neponset, etc.) You'll find mostly 1950's ranch houses in Cedar Grove, while in the other two "spotlighted" areas there are many well-constructed Colonials from a decade or two earlier.
The commercial hubs thereabouts are along Morrissey Blvd, around Neponset Circle and Adams Corner (Adams St & Gallivan Blvd), and on Dot Ave south of Gallivan. A lot of energy is going into rejuvenating the district immediately adjacent to Ashmont Station also, with a couple of yuppie-oriented restaurants (Ashmont Grill, Tavolo) opening in recent years.
The new trail along the Neponset River is perfectly safe for visiting/jogging during the daytime - emphasis on "daytime." Lower Mills and Cedar Grove are more closely situated to it, with another advantage being that when you cross the river you're in suburban (and hilly) Milton for wider-ranging explorations on foot. Just beyond the expressway to the east, recently spruced-up beaches and oceanfront walkways await. Things start to get sketchy only to the west of Washington St and up around Fields Corner.
My personal favorite part of Dorchester, lately, is Savin Hill - especially the portion called "OTB" (short for "Over the Bridge," the bridge being the overpass carrying Savin Hill Ave over the expressway.) I've shown it plenty of love in multiple other threads so won't repeat much here. MBTA proximity? Check! Scenic beauty? Check! (Malibu Beach and Savin Hill Park, the latter "unimproved," in other words left in its natural state except for some lawnmowing.) Great neighborhood dining/drinking? Check! (Shanti, McKenna's, Banshee, DBar...) Good luck finding a single-family house there, though.

[finch04]

Sorry for delay but thank you to you both for your comments. I have been making trips to Dorchester to get more familiar with the area and can definitely see myself living there. I have been looking for something to open up in the part of Savin Hill you are referencing so I could check it out, but so far it is only the other side of 93. I had not heard of Codman Hill or Jones Hill and will definitely look into those. I drove through Adam's Village and that seems like it has lots of nice options for restaurants and such. It is fun but overwhelming to look for an actual 'home'!