House shopping south/west of Boston... (Worcester, Newton: rent, condos, prices)

[vintageviolet30]

My husband and I are looking for our first hosue. Our budget is about 250k... We both commute into downtown Boston for work, so we're looking to have an hour or less commute but also easily be able to get to Worcester where we have family and friends. We're looking to stick within the arc from rt 2 to 93. Any ideas for towns?

We rent in Newton(Auburndale) currently and have gotten spoiled by the ease of commute both ways. I love the feel of Newton as a city, but there's no chance of finding a house here in our price range. Also, before you say it, Condos are out. My husband is a musician, so I don't want to have to worry about angering neighbors with noise.

I've been looking anywhere from West Roxbury, to Dedham, to Framingham...
Thoughts?

[brightdoglover]

Unlikely in the arc you describe.
If you want to be closer to Worcester, how about outside the arc- like Lunenburg or Leominster (train to Boston)?
Shirley. Maybe Littleton. (train to Boston)
You need some space around your house for music sounds, being right next door probably wouldn't work either (if he's amplified).
I'd look outside 495 along Rt.2. At least, that's the area I'm familiar with, and I think there's a lot available. Inside 93/2 is almost as bad as inside 128.
Best wishes.

[gf2020]

The median home price in the Boston area was $360K in June 2010, up from $336K in June 2009.

With a budget of $250K you might want to consider some of the border towns in Rhode Island. You could get a 1 hour train ride in to South Station and have a decent drive to the Worcester area for family and friends.

[reno76]

If $250k is your price range and you want to be within an hour of the city and Worcester, I would recommend Reading (not North Reading), Wakefield, or Tewksbury. Truthfully though, I think they are a lot closer to the city than they are Worcester, but as you get closer to Worcester the more the prices fall out of your range as far as I know.