would you say now is a bad time to buy? (Boston: health insurance, daycare)

[Whatsnext75]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

If you ever get pneumonia or food poisoning or you get into a car accident and seem to be okay but need to be checked out just to be sure, you'll be more than grateful to have a hospital close by.

People have babies at those places too.

People have babies in the back of ambulances every day as well. Sure, it's reassuring that a world class hospital is there when you go to deliver...however women have been doing this for centuries and I think most hospitals in the world have this procedure under control

If someone has cancer now I can see them wanting to be in this are for the Dana farber cancer center. But for having a baby or getting food poisoning I dont need to be paying what i pay to live here just for a good hospital. But keep trying to justify why this city just keeps getting more and more $$

[bohemka]

Originally Posted by Whatsnext75

Is it really the hospitals that have such an appeal? Unless you're old or sick I don't know that's such an attraction. Sure it's reassuring but doesn't seem like a reason to move somewhere. and yes the universities are some of the best but not everyone who lives in ma ends up going to one of them

If you've spent any time around the Longwood Medical area you'd realize the presence of these hospitals and medical facilities extends far beyond the services they provide to the community. They are magnets for some of the top medical practitioners in the world. Combine that with the universities of the area and you've got a non-stop stream of domestic and international science and medical field students, trainees, interns and professionals.

The influence this has on the community and Boston metro as a whole is impossible to ignore. From high demand for rental units to those who eventually purchase property to reside in or lease as a side venture -- heck, even increased tourism revenues from visiting family and friends -- the economic and cultural impact of Boston's medical industry is significant.

(And side note on: "yes the universities are some of the best but not everyone who lives in ma ends up going to one of them" -- no, not everyone in Massachusetts ends up going to them... but thousands upon thousands will continue to come to the region to go to them.

[Whatsnext75]

I used to work in the Longwood are. Sure, it's an attraction to people all over a world, but not a reason for the COL to be the way it is.

I went to children's hospital ER this past fall with my friend who needed to take her 4 month old. It was a sh*tshow. It was urgent care combined with the ER. We waited almost 4 hours. There were people taken ahead of us all over the place apparently because their needs were more urgent than a 4 month old babies. It was truly a horrible experience and all it told me was dont get sick or hurt or let your kids get sick or hurt. It was an angering experience. If these hospitals are so great they need to get their crap together so wait times arent out of control.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by Steephill2

for those of you who were around in the eighties, do you see any similarities with what china is today vs what japan was in the eighties? wasnt japan buying up american companies and such? not sure if that was considered a good thing or not nor do i know the result of it. im too young

I don't see what Japan and China have to do each other besides the fact that they're both in East Asia. In the 1980s Japan's economy was focused on cars and consumer electronics. China's economy is mainly comprised of farming/agriculture, manufacturing, and construction. Not to mention their governments are completely different.

[mmyk72]

Hospitals are huge employment bases. It may not be obvious to people who don't work in that field but I once worked in a hospital and came to realize that a medical center is its own micro-economical center that aside from being the employer for many doctors and nurses, there are hundreds of professionals that are employed because of it.

Think legal, finance and accounting, engineering, facilities, construction, research scientists in biomedical and core sciences, medical device, pharma, infection control, occupational safety, patient safety, plus hundreds of auxiliary healthcare professionals such as physical therapy, radiation therapy, respiratory therapy, oncology, cardiology, gene therapy, dental prof, pre/post-natal care, pathology, analytical, and hundreds of other fields. This not only means employment for lots of people but also at high professional salaries. That's why there are a lot of people who can afford the high priced homes and keeps the market demand strong.

[Whatsnext75]

I do recognize that yes hospitals provide a place for people to be employed.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by Whatsnext75

I do recognize that yes hospitals provide a place for people to be employed.

They do more than that though. These research hospitals spin off a lot of start ups / technology that create wealth and new businesses... its more than just X number of jobs. It's high paying new technologies and wealth creation.

[Whatsnext75]

Originally Posted by timberline742

They do more than that though. These research hospitals spin off a lot of start ups / technology that create wealth and new businesses... its more than just X number of jobs. It's high paying new technologies and wealth creation.

All good points. Is it still worth it for what it takes to live in Boston?

[Steephill2]

right on queue boston was just ranked number two as most overpriced housing market on the financial website of a major news broadcaster. not sure methodology used but denver won the crown with washington dc #3. surprisingly san fran was only number 5.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by mmyk72

Hospitals are huge employment bases. It may not be obvious to people who don't work in that field but I once worked in a hospital and came to realize that a medical center is its own micro-economical center that aside from being the employer for many doctors and nurses, there are hundreds of professionals that are employed because of it.

Exactly, same with universities. They don't just employ professors! This list is a few years old, but you get the point:

Massachusetts' Largest Employers:
1. Massachusetts General Hospital
2. The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC
3. The University of Massachusetts
4. Steward Health Care System
5. Harvard University
6. Brigham and Women's Hospital
7. UMass Memorial Health Care
8. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
9. Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN)
10. State Street Corp. (NYSE: STT)

7 of the top 8 largest MA employers are hospitals or universities. As someone else said earlier, we'd be a very different state without those 2 sectors.