MetroWest - Places to Live & Schools (Boston, Newton: to rent, condo)

[BSL781]

We're planning to buy a home sometime in the next couple of years and are looking at communities in the MetroWest area. Affordability is an issue (looking for homes around $400K), but school system is also a priority (two young kids just about to enter the public school system). We both work in Somerville/Medford, but have family south of the city (who often willingly pitch in for childcare from time to time), so location-wise MetroWest would be ideal. However, affordability is an issue. We are priced out of Newton, Weston, and most likely Lexington and Concord. Waltham is an ideal location and affordable, but I keep hearing mixed things about schools (all new facilities, but unsure of curriculum, etc). Any other insights into Waltham schools? Or suggestions for other communities to look into? (i.e. Natick, Framingham, etc...or even communities slightly north or south on 128?)

I'm sure many people are looking for this -- a community with affordable housing and good schools, that are not overly competitive, but offer challenging curriculum and extra-curricular activities. It seems to me that communities seem to be split into two categories: expensive homes/good but overly competitive schools or inexpensive homes/bad schools. But hopefully I'm overlooking something....

[wivenhoe]

Waltham's schools are meh, imo, or less if you're comparing them to Newton, Weston, Lexington, Concord, but still they're decent. If you're working in Somerville/Medford though, you might want to look into the commute situation. I don't think it would be so easy.

MetroWest is an expensive area; there's not a whole heap around $400k in terms of single family houses. Some people choose to rent or buy a much smaller house or condo for the sake of getting into these towns (Newton, Lexington, or Concord) and a top 10 school system in the state. But there are other options, if you look and weigh the advantages and disadvantages.

Arlington is a bit less expensive than Newton, Lexington, and Concord, though I don't know how much you'll find around $400K as the housing has skyrocketed recently. Brackett Elementary school is one of the top elementary schools in the state.

Melrose is a less expensive option to Arlington. You'll get more bang for your buck in terms of housing. The schools are decent. You'd also have the option of applying to the Mystic Valley Charter School which is supposed to be good. Melrose is on the Orange T Subway line and has two or three commuter rail stops as well.

Reading is another option. Housing is reasonable and the schools are decent.

Natick has less expensive housing and decent schools for the MetroWest area, but I would question the commute. The traffic would be bad.

[BSL781]

Thanks for the advice. I think the other factor is that a job change could be in the future for one of us, in which case we would focus our job search in Boston, which would open up a lot of commuting possibilities, or at least somewhere closer to wherever we buy a home. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm not sure I want to head too far north of the city based on our current jobs, and then be up further from family, etc. (plus, we currently live in Watertown, so I'm already dealing with a similar commute as Waltham now). So commute isn't too much of a factor, as long as it's not ridiculous...

I see another posting about Waltham schools on the board and am curious what others will say. I've done some initial research so far about the schools and am finding some conflicting views. I've had some people say that since all the elementary schools have been redone in Waltham, the buildings are actually nicer than some of the schools in Newton and Lexington. I guess i'm just also curious about curriculum and extra-curricular...and then also the feel of the school itself. I grew up in a very suburban/almost rural area of Mass and don't really want that type of environment for my kids. Something with a little more diverse would be better. Not sure if Natick falls into that category, but in comparison to where I grew up it seems like it might be...I've heard that Framingham schools are terrible, but I'm not sure if that's true or not either.

[tikaram]

I have friends who want to move out of Waltham because they don't like the schools.
If you want to be close to Boston because of possible job change etc, I would recommend Brookline to take a look at. You can get a decent condo, and take advantage of great school system, lots of "to-do" things around the area, public transportation (and have just one car or even no car at all - count the savings! - unless you absolutely need the car for your job)
Newton is another good option, and Natick is a nice town where you can find a nice house (or town home / condo) for under 400.

[BSL781]

Thanks; we're definitely looking for a single-family home, so Brookline is completely out of our budget. Really nice community though.

[massgirl]

Ugh, I hear ya. Reading these boards, it's as if there is no in-between. It's like Lexington/Winchester/Arlington/Belmont/etc or bust. I'm trying to think out of the box about towns in the same general vicinity, but without the huge price tag. We are living in Natick right now and want to get out. I'm sick of living on the Pike and the awful commutes, etc. That's why I, too, am looking at some of the nicer areas of Waltham/Woburn/Burlington, etc. I sort of like Melrose, but my husband hates it and really would prefer to live on 95. I'm just at a loss...

[massgirl]

Oh, and I forgot to mention...sometimes it seems like everyone knows someone who just can't wait to get out of a town and hates it, like was mentioned earlier about Waltham. For instance, when I was still considering Arlington, I spoke to a friend who has two kids in the schools there, and she said under no circumstances would she recommend Arlington because of the schools and people. She basically told me to pick any other surrounding town and I'd do better. So, sometimes it's just seems as if there's going to be a problem with every town, maybe except for Lexington.

[tikaram]

Originally Posted by massgirl

Oh, and I forgot to mention...sometimes it seems like everyone knows someone who just can't wait to get out of a town and hates it, like was mentioned earlier about Waltham.

Point well taken, and I guess it applies to more or less most towns. On the other hand, I've never heard anyone wanted to move out of afore mentioned Brookline, Newton (or Needham, or Weston, to throw them into the mix) because schools were "underperforming". I've met a person moving away from Lexington because schools seemed to be too challenging for their liking. So it goes either way, it seems.

To the OP: if you've really set your mind on a single family for 400K, you have to search further out of Boston. Natick, Framingham, Ashland - to name a few towns out west for example. Waltham seems like a nice compromise geographically, but make sure you do your own research in terms of what defines a "good" school for you versus "not a good" one. Arlington and Belmont have good schools, but again, no SF for under 400 (unless it needs lots and lots and lots of work - if you are willing to take it on).

There's a lot to think about. Not just school system, but also community, transportation options (both public and driving), overall "feel" as well. I have met people who liked Newton's schools system, and stayed there until their kids were in school. Later on, they couldn't wait to move, because they "couldn't stand it". There always will be someone who is happy or equally unhappy about certain neighborhood for a number of different reasons.

[BSL781]

There is a lot to think about -- and luckily I don't have to make a decision right away. One other thing I had read on another board was that sometimes kids are bullied at school if they aren't in the "right part" of these ritzy towns (like Newton, Lexington, etc), especially once they get to the high school level. I had never considered that before, but it sort of makes sense. So I wonder is it better to squeeze myself into a more expensive community, or be one of the more well-off people in a less-expensive community -- and then what would be the impact on my kids either way. Everything seems more complicated when you add children into the equation!