Best commuter town (Boston, Brookline, Natick: townhomes, neighborhoods, buy)

[NHGal1]

Hey everyone,

My husband and I currently live in Concord, NH. He works in the Longwood area of Boston and the commute is getting to be too much for him. We are toying with the idea of moving to MA to be closer to his job. I lived in MA for many years but have been out of state since 2004.

This is what we're looking for:

Pretty, safe town
Vibrant town with things to do
Close to the highway
Access to shopping
Good school district
Maximum 1 hour commute
Our budget is up to $400,000 - I realize that areas near Boston are very expensive but I'm hoping there's a hidden gem out there somewhere

Are there any towns that fit our criteria? Thank you for your help.

[Nobodybody]

Originally Posted by NHGal1

Hey everyone,

My husband and I currently live in Concord, NH. He works in the Longwood area of Boston and the commute is getting to be too much for him. We are toying with the idea of moving to MA to be closer to his job. I lived in MA for many years but have been out of state since 2004.

This is what we're looking for:

Pretty, safe town
Vibrant town with things to do
Close to the highway
Access to shopping
Good school district
Maximum 1 hour commute
Our budget is up to $400,000 - I realize that areas near Boston are very expensive but I'm hoping there's a hidden gem out there somewhere

Are there any towns that fit our criteria? Thank you for your help.

I analyzed this almost exact same scenario for myself, and decided on Natick. It hasn't let me down. Addressing your criteria in order 1) The town is very safe, and has a variety of neighborhoods and pretty areas, from the town center to the Charles River and many others. 2) Great highway access - route 9 or the Mass Pike directly into Boston, as well as a commuter rail train that takes about a half hour to reach Boston. 3) It does feel like a vibrant town, mainly in a family sense. The town common and center always has some life and activity going on, kids sports are huge, people are frequently out and about in many neighborhoods, and leading into 4) the access to shopping has to be one of the best in the state. The Natick Mall, combined with shoppers world and everything else route 9 has to offer really offers almost every store known on the planet. It's all right there, and traffic can be a bit heavy around the holidays, but the cool thing about Natick is - all this is very close when you want it, and easily avoided when you don't. This time of year, I hit the stores either very early or late to avoid the crowds. 5) Natick has the reputation of a great school district, almost on par with the big money school districts that surround it, and they are trending upward - whatever all that means. From personal experience, coming from out of state, our expectations for school quality and extracurricular opportunity have been far exceeded. Plus, a new high school was built that looks really impressive. 6) Your husband's commute should be well under an hour. Route 9 into Brookline is a straight shot, with heavy traffic in peak commute times, but even so, I would think it would remain under an hour. Also, the commuter rail stops at Yawkey (Fenway) which may be within walking distance of where he works. 7) You can still buy in Natick for $400k. Some of the homes in that range may need some work but would be livable. Townhomes are also an option, some of the row houses are under $400. If you can bump up to $450k (perhaps by what you might save in commuting costs?) you would open up more opportunity, but again, $400k is do-able if you give yourself enough time to search for the right place.

Good luck - and happy to help further if you have any further questions about Natick!

[Dm84]

If you're willing to settle for average schools you'll have more options. Otherwise an SFH in a town that checks all those boxes will be tough to find.

Anything outside Route 128 is going to be more than an hour door to door. Even Natick will probably run you an hour by the time all is said and done.

[Steephill2]

Dedham Norwood or if you are lucky Canton.
All those stop at Ruggles via commuter rail. Or you can commute drive through West roxbury/jp. Both will be less than an hour commute. All are close to Route one shops, legacy place and university station, all are close 93/95/1/1a. Canton might be a little better w the schools but you might be stuck with a smaller cape w the budget.