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Old 11-24-2013, 10:39 PM
 
Location: K.T.
454 posts, read 1,582,297 times
Reputation: 243

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My job may be relocating me to the NE area for a project that is estimated to run until mid-2017. We have never lived in the NE before, originally from SoCal and we currently live in Houston, TX. My project scope will run between Hartford, CT and Boston, MA so we are looking at possible locations for our family to relocate in both regions.

We have 2 young children, K-5 ages and will want excellent school districts to place them in. I have been looking for any rental properties since the project scope is around 3-4 years and I am not sure I would want to buy right a way, but I am having problems locating a single family rental home. Budget for the rental home would be around $3500/mo or so, we could go more for the right house, neighborhood, school district, etc... I am just looking for some guidance on where to focus our search on. My wife works remote and only needs to have decent access to the airport from time to time, nothing critical, but hopefully no longer than an hour away from the airport (assuming no rush hour traffic). House wise, we would be looking for a 4bdr/2-3ba and a 2-3 car garage.

We would love to be closer to town, but from what I've read on here the public schools inside of Boston seem questionable. I looked at Lexington, but nothing for rent even near our price range. If anyone has any information that may help us out, I would greatly appreciate the assistance. I also looked into the Dover area, but again....I think it's out of my price range that I would feel comfortable with. Plus there is a very limited selection of single family homes for rent. I read that Acton, MA had good schools I believe, but it looks quite a ways out there and I'm not sure I want to have that much of a drive.

Thanks in advance.
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Old 11-24-2013, 11:43 PM
 
34 posts, read 72,200 times
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Connecticut as a whole is a wealthy and safe city, but Hartford CT is a pit. Boston Public Schools aren't great, but the school system in all the towns West of Boston (Wellesley, Newton, Brookline) are great...but the towns are super expensive.

Quincy is cheap, has a decent school system, and is just a little bit closer to Connecticut then Acton. Also has public transit and a shuttle bus and ferry to the airport.

Providence is almost halfway between Hartford and Boston, and has an airport that is less trafficky then Boston's. Attleboro is also almost equidistant and is nicely suburban.

Lexington and Acton seem rather random places...far from Hartford and far from the airport.

The culture shock won't be nearly what you experienced between California and Texas, but the weather will be colder then you are used to.
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Old 11-25-2013, 12:02 AM
 
Location: Massachusetts
6,301 posts, read 9,605,971 times
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I would pick something between Hartford and Boston, closer to Boston than Hartford, since the traffic will be much more dense on the Boston commute. I would stay close to the intersection of 495 and the Mass Pike, in one of these towns with reputable schools: Hopkinton, Westborough, Northborough or Grafton.
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Old 11-25-2013, 06:08 AM
 
Location: Camberville
15,832 posts, read 21,349,172 times
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Single family homes harder to come by in the rental market. If you were open to townhouses or even two family properties, you would have a wider selection. Believe it or not, garages are often a luxury additional item in our older housing stock. Not what I was used to at all coming from Georgia!

Right now, there are two properties that meet your specifications in Acton. I'd recommend looking in that area since the schools are great and there tends to be more newer construction and single families versus older construction multiple families. For instance, there are several homes in Weston that fit your criteria, but they're all over $5000 a month.
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Old 11-25-2013, 06:44 AM
 
2,439 posts, read 4,813,848 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charolastra00 View Post
Right now, there are two properties that meet your specifications in Acton. I'd recommend looking in that area since the schools are great and there tends to be more newer construction and single families versus older construction multiple families. For instance, there are several homes in Weston that fit your criteria, but they're all over $5000 a month.
Hard to go wrong with Acton. If you need to get into Boston the there's a commuter train with connections to the Red Line at Porter and to the orange and green at North Station. You're close to the highway system. You're close to the walkable town centers in Concord, West Concord and Maynard. Great children's resources in Acton-- the Discovery Museums. The area is loaded with beautiful parks, lakes and forests for outdoor activity.

One of the pleasant surprises of New England in general is large house lots, much larger, on average, than in many places, especially SoCal, where your lot is big enough for only a driveway and small lawn in front and a patio in back. People are right on top of each other out there. Here you have a lot more mowing in your future!

A radically different possibility is the West Roxbury-Roslindale neighborhoods of Boston. If you're here only a few years you'll have only the elementary schools to navigate, and people seem pretty happy with the grade schools in that part of town. From there the access to downtown Boston and Logan Airport is incomparably easier and the neighborhoods are walkable. House prices seem to be rising fast around there and I don't know about rentals.

Last edited by missionhill; 11-25-2013 at 07:00 AM..
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Old 11-25-2013, 07:11 AM
 
Location: Needham, MA
8,536 posts, read 13,944,734 times
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Nothing against Acton, but if you're possibly commuting to CT living northwest of Boston is not going to make that drive any shorter. I would personally only look at towns either along the MA Pike (I-90) or very close to it.

OP, are you going to be in Boston or Hartford more often or will you be spending equal amounts of time in both places?
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Old 11-25-2013, 07:19 AM
 
Location: Beautiful Rhode Island
9,248 posts, read 14,817,561 times
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Rhode Island is between MA and CT and ideally suited for a fast trip to the airport. Also has great swimming beaches. Your budget is very doable for a 4 bed house rental. Suggest you look at East Greenwich, Barrington, Jamestown, North Kingstown, Lincoln, Little Compton, Foster, Glocester (although the last 2 might be too rural for you). RILiving.com has a way to select rentals and communities, but be aware not all landlords list their homes with realtors for rent. Most will be on Craigslist. I have several single family rentals (occupied) and never use realtors.
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Old 11-25-2013, 09:30 AM
 
Location: K.T.
454 posts, read 1,582,297 times
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I will be spending the majority of my time on the Boston side of things from the sounds of it...still waiting for final confirmation on whether this is a go or not, hopefully should know more by the end of the week.

I agree that looking North of Boston is not the best option, but in my preliminary research it seemed that the schools in Acton, Lexington, etc... where considered better than a lot of other locations. I'm not as concerned about a testing rubric or that type of concern since I know how my children think and learn and home, and so far they are both on the advanced side of the spectrum. I'm more concerned with finding a good school system with good class sizes, nicer facilities, active parents involved in their children's education, and hopefully a very family friendly area where they can be welcomed. When schools begin to focus their teaching curriculum on the standardized testing materials and such I think they actually lose some of the educating factor that is more important. I'd rather a critical thinker, than a good test taker. But the schools receive money based on testing and that is unlikely to change anytime soon.

Regarding the political makeup of the Boston or surrounding areas, my family and I tend to be more socially liberal, but fiscally conservative....so if I could find a community that is more of that same mindset I think it might help the adjusting period for the family and I to build relationships up there. I'd love for politics to play zero role in my life, but I don't want to live in an ultra-conservative or progressive area either where people do allow for their beliefs to impact their schools or city politics. Again, not super important to us, but pending what options are available to us it could help the decision making process as well since we tend to become friends or would like to become friends with our children's friends parents. Texas has some hard core conservatives that can just drive me batty...but Cali had equally wacky progressives as well that are hard to talk to.

Thanks in advance for the advice. If renting becomes too cumbersome, we may consider buying. Is the housing market on an upswing, downswing, etc...? Advice on areas where a 3-4 year commitment might not be a bad idea when it comes to a home purchase?
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Old 11-25-2013, 09:47 AM
 
Location: California
53 posts, read 94,964 times
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I personally love the Westwood and Norwood area. The school systems are good and it is close to Boston (20-30min out). Those are also great towns to raise children in.
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Old 11-25-2013, 09:23 PM
 
Location: Needham, MA
8,536 posts, read 13,944,734 times
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There are many towns in the area with top notch school systems that will give you a better commute than Lexington not only into Boston but also to Hartford. Keep in mind, the public school systems in general are quite a step up from some of the other places you've lived. Our mediocre schools are better than a lot of the top schools of some states.

I would also add that renting in the 'burbs of Boston is a tall order. There just aren't that many rentals available. Many are not in the greatest of shape either. Plus, in many of the towns with the most well regarded school systems your budget will be on the modest end.

You could definitely find a modest rental (probably a split level house in OK shape) in Needham in that budget. In Natick, you could probably find something somewhat nicer at that price level. Both towns will give you pretty easy access to I90. Further away from Boston you could check out Southborough, Westborough, and Hopkinton. I definitely feel the towns that will give you the easiest access to both locations are along I90.
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