Culture, Quality of life in Arlington? (Boston, Cambridge: for sale, real estate, 2013)

[LYLAS]

Join Date: Jan 2013
1 posts
Reputation: 10

Hi all,
How is the culture in Arlington and Winchester? I also am searching the area for a good home. We want great public schools for a smart kid,a well educated parental community who supports by being involved and volunteering, a decent (30 min or less) commute to Waltham, for about 430,000. We are working with real estate agents and shopping around but would appreciate input from this forum. THANK YOU!!

[Brave Stranger]

Well, you will not find a single home in Winchester for 430K. If you do find a house in Winchester for that price it most likely will be a tear-down. As for Arlington.....430k might get you an ok house, but nothing special & it will need a lot of work.

There's a home for sale now in Arlington for about 400k that says you should bring along you contractor. Not good

As for culture I can only speak of Arlington since I own rental property there & have had family who still live there since the 1940s. Arlington is a town in transition: the middle class is being replaced by the upper middle class as Arlington has been "discovered". Without getting into the good & bad of it all IMO Arlington schools are much better than they were 15 years ago. The town buildings (schools, fire, police, are all in great shape ) the location is fantastic: close to Boston, Cambridge, and Route 2. You might mean something else when you mention culture....so I don't know if I have the answer you are looking for. As for quality of life: good schools. Good location. Good shops & places to eat.

My concern for you is this: your price-point of 430k, if you are lucky, might get you something decent in Arlington, but will not get you into Winchester. Have the real estate agents' you have been working with explained this to you ?

You might have more luck looking at codos in that price range in either Arlington or Winchester. Good luck

[kingeorge]

Arlington is getting rap as "Cambridge, but with trees" recently as many young families went out of Cambridge in search of more affordable housing. Arlington has very attractive with its location, schools are getting better too. Can be bit competitive in housing market. I can see 430K buying nice renovated 3-4 bed upper-floor condo or older smaller home that needs some work.
Winchester is bit more upscale, good location, no trash and recycling pick-up (haul it yourself type of town), good schools. 430k will not go far there.

[kingeorge]

Arlington is getting "younger" with big influx of young families in the last 10 years. It has many shops, restaurants, parks and playgrounds, nice library, and fairly easy public transport. It is also lively, and you can actually see people walk, and make some use of sidewalks. In rush hour there is heavy traffic (almost gridlock) through the Mass Ave., Lake St. of the RT2., and RT. 16., but it does clear up afterwards. Other than rush hour traffic, Arlington is very pleasant place to be, with many very educated parents who care. Brackett Elementary School neighborhood is very sought after.
Winchester has bit older, more established population. Beautiful and well used downtown, much smaller than Arlington. It is more tucked away and quiet. I would think it is bit sleepier and more suburban, comparing to Arlington, which has very nice semi-urbane feeling to it. Arlington is bigger and more bustling.
Winchester has easy access to Middlesex Fells reservation which is quite a treat to visit, if you like nature and hiking. Arlington has smaller Menotomy Park and Turkey Hill Reservation for nature walks.