Melrose vibes? (Boston, Cambridge, Somerville: crime rate, houses, neighborhoods)

[3cents]

I'm working in north Cambridge, and in an earlier thread I've started, people have suggested Melrose as a good town to consider. On paper, Melrose looks good, and I have more subtle questions now.

We are an Asian family (Chinese). We've just moved to MA for less than a year. Is Melrose welcoming towards asians? I've dug up the following post which is quite worrying:

Originally Posted by deepblue

I think Melrose is a good area in term of its relatively lower crime rate and many quaint little shops in its downtown area. However, if your are a non-Caucasian (especially if you are of Asian descent) then you need to think more before moving there because long-time Melrose residents are fiercely hostile to Asians (Regardless if you are a small business owner or a college professor you will be treated with the same sense of disdain). Just a honest observation about Melrose that is a well-known fact.

Also, are parents in Melrose fiercely competitive with regards to their young kids education? Do play-dates happen? Is it a bedroom community? Are there a lot of "helicopter" parents? Do parents allow their kids to play?

I noticed that most of the house listings in Melrose are quite old, a lot of 1900 or 1920s. Is it possible to find slightly newer like 1950s? I'm not into Victorian housing. Is it possible to find colonials? With a housing budget of 450-550K, are these realistic? Are there areas of Melrose where I should be focusing on?

Thanks!

[unit731]

Melrose has always welcomed Asians.
No issues whatsoever.

As far as older homes.
Most or just about all were constructed to high standards at the time.
All homes newer or older do require maintenance.
I would say that the older homes hold up much better then some of the newer ones.
Older homes have probably had the heating system upgraded. Probably doors and windows upgraded over time.
Older homes have character. Detail. And styling. There is an active Victorian home society in Melrose.
Whether Victorian or Queen Anne or a hybrid - those older homes are just fine.
I would not rule out older homes.
Melrose homes have always had a good resale value.
Melrose is a destination.
The MBTA trains go through Melrose as does the MBTA trolley/subway - near the Malden line.
Melrose does have some areas with "newer" homes on the east side.
Visit the Larchmont Road area and the Country Club Road areas. Or the Mount Hood area for the "newer" homes.
Drive up Vinton Street and around the area of Walton Park. Stop by at the Roosevelt School and view playground. Some beautiful homes there. Nearby is Melrose Highlands. The MBTA has a train stop there.

Yes, you would be welcome in Melrose and find a wonderful life.

[Beantown_mama]

Melrose is a great town. We live here and I have never heard anybody say anything negative about Asians (and there are Asian children in my children's classes who all have many friends) and I find that quote above so strange! Most of the people I have met in Melrose have been very welcoming to people with differing backgrounds (ethnic, sexual orientation, etc).
It is a very walking friendly town and a town where kids play on the streets and to the very many parks in the town. The town has tons of kid friendly activities, as does the Melrose YMCA, right in town.
Many of the older homes have been renovated - some beautifully - and the pevious poster is true that they are all built very well. I remember when I had to have a lock replaced - we had the original skeleton key to our 1900 house- and the door was made of such solid wood that it broke the drill that the locksmith was using to try to drill through the house!
Melrose is also a very easy commute to Cambridge - either driving (no highways needed you can drive through the streets of Malden, Medford, Somerville) or the train - there are 3 commuter rail stations and the T in Melrose.
It is a wonderful town to live in.

[konfetka]

There are a lot of professional, educated, young families with small kids. No doubt they are used to diversity from their college days to their offices in Boston.

As far as kids playing outside, smaller lots and dense neighborhoods with sidewalks will allow your kids to walk or ride their bikes to their friends houses, school, a nearby park or playground, or to Main st. for some ice-cream or pizza. If you stay long enough, there will be less pressure to buy a car for your kids, who will be able to take a train into the city for college, work or fun with their friends.

I wouldn't call it fiercely competitive, because that type of parents would choose different towns, which we all heard of. Melrose is great because it has good proximity and commute to Boston, with old-fashioned cozy neighborhoods and pretty good schools for a good price, due to the fact that there are few Mac-mansions, because they just wouldn't fit on Melrose lots. The houses are old, but with a lot of character and sometimes detail, and most of them have been well-kept and renovated. We had a colonial in Melrose, which was built in 1935. There were five rooms on the first floor with hallways, and after knocking all the walls down, we got a nice open floor plan. There is not much you can do with bedrooms, without going from 3 to 2, so a lot of these old houses have smaller bedrooms with not much of a closet space. But you get used to it, especially if you only spend your sleeping hours there.

Melrose has such a unique character, that you have to let go of some of your expectations to let yourself enjoy the experience.

[3cents]

Thanks to all for your reassuring information on Melrose. Next, I'm wondering how does the elementary school district in Melrose work? I heard that one can choose up to 3 schools in order of preference. But if so, wouldn't every one state the "best" school as the first choice? How often does one get the first preference, are you implicitly assigned to the school nearest your house, and are there anything else that gets considered?

[Beantown_mama]

Originally Posted by 3cents

Thanks to all for your reassuring information on Melrose. Next, I'm wondering how does the elementary school district in Melrose work? I heard that one can choose up to 3 schools in order of preference. But if so, wouldn't every one state the "best" school as the first choice? How often does one get the first preference, are you implicitly assigned to the school nearest your house, and are there anything else that gets considered?

You can pick whichever school you want for your child to go to. They all have different 'vibes' so you can tour them all and see which one you connect with. Though most parents do end up choosing the school closest to their homes, because all the elementary schools are good, and Melrose is a "walking town" - there are no school busses - so many people take their kids to school so it is easiest to pick the school close by (many children walk to school in Melrose). Almost everyone gets into the first choice school - usually there are less than 5 families a year that get into their second choice school. I think this year, everyone got their first choice. There are criteria to school assignments - I think it is siblings first, special needs second, proximity third.

[konfetka]

My advise would be to go to the nearest school, so that your kids can be in school with their neighbors, and could potentially walk there, because as Beantown mama said, they are all pretty good.

[queenbee78]

I'm bumping this thread up because I want to know if there are any areas to avoid in Melrose? How safe is the W Wyoming areas or the E Wyoming areas? Are there many things to do for kids in Melrose? Thanks!

[missionhill]

OP: "Is it possible to find slightly newer like 1950s? I'm not into Victorian housing."

At the risk of pedantry I'll note that Queen Victoria died in 1901 and therefore anything built since then is not Victorian. So no worries!