South of Boston w Commute to BOS & Cape (Quincy: rentals, house)

[HereIsMyUserName]

Originally Posted by michelleeyy

I feel like Braintree might have too much traffic getting to the Cape from the split but I'm not really sure, I guess it would depend on the time of day?

If you hop on to Rte 3 S from the rotary, you won't hit any traffic during rush hour. Same thing coming back, no problems.

If you're working night shift, you would hit traffic leaving Boston at 5pm and it would be heavy up until Weymouth or Hanover.

[GeoffD]

It's way easier to get to the Cape using I-495 than Route 3. How about near the Lakeville-Middleboro train station? It all depends on how far you're willing to be from salt water. You can be at the Bourne Bridge in 25 minutes.

[frazil]

You might consider Hull. We have a similar commute situation, my partner commutes daily to Boston (<30 mins via ferry) and I commute to the Cape ~3-4 days a week (driving ~ 1 hr).

Hull has easy access to Boston (via Greenbush train and/or ferry), as long as you can work with those schedules. And drive is not too bad down Rt 3 to the cape - as it is a reverse commute. I have been doing this commute for over 10 years, and rarely hit any traffic with the exception of summer Fridays, when I usually just work from home.

Hull is a beautiful, friendly, safe, and unpretentious coastal town. Almost no one lives more than a couple of blocks from the beach (though it's worth watching out for flood zones when you are looking for property..) There are a lot of 2 family homes in town, though I don't know cost or what's for sale at the moment.

[MrLinderman]

Originally Posted by frazil

You might consider Hull. We have a similar commute situation, my partner commutes daily to Boston (<30 mins via ferry) and I commute to the Cape ~3-4 days a week (driving ~ 1 hr).

Hull has easy access to Boston (via Greenbush train and/or ferry), as long as you can work with those schedules. And drive is not too bad down Rt 3 to the cape - as it is a reverse commute. I have been doing this commute for over 10 years, and rarely hit any traffic with the exception of summer Fridays, when I usually just work from home.

Hull is a beautiful, friendly, safe, and unpretentious coastal town. Almost no one lives more than a couple of blocks from the beach (though it's worth watching out for flood zones when you are looking for property..) There are a lot of 2 family homes in town, though I don't know cost or what's for sale at the moment.

I'd respectfully disagree on Hull.

It's very beautiful in the summer, but in the winter it's a bit of a dump. Furthermore, in my experience, while there a couple of nice areas (Spinniker Island condos, Allerton) most of the area is a bit of a dump. It has one of the lowest median household incomes in the county, ahead of only Rockland, Brockton, Wareham, and Carver. the OP didn't mention schools, but if they are important Hull schools are pretty bad.

Compared to other South Shore towns, the Hull commute (depending on where in Hull exactly) is one of the worst to the cape. It's about 20 minutes from Rt 3 in most parts. In the summer it's a bit worse. And if you lived in one of the nicer parts, you're further down, and there's only essentially one road in and out of Hull.

I'd say Marshfield, Hanover, Norwell and Braintree would be the best options, although towards the higher end of the budget.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by MrLinderman

I'd say Marshfield, Hanover, Norwell and Braintree would be the best options, although towards the higher end of the budget.

You can find 2 family in those towns?

[jan0105]

Originally Posted by MrLinderman

I'd respectfully disagree on Hull.

It's very beautiful in the summer, but in the winter it's a bit of a dump. Furthermore, in my experience, while there a couple of nice areas (Spinniker Island condos, Allerton) most of the area is a bit of a dump. It has one of the lowest median household incomes in the county, ahead of only Rockland, Brockton, Wareham, and Carver. the OP didn't mention schools, but if they are important Hull schools are pretty bad.

Compared to other South Shore towns, the Hull commute (depending on where in Hull exactly) is one of the worst to the cape. It's about 20 minutes from Rt 3 in most parts. In the summer it's a bit worse. And if you lived in one of the nicer parts, you're further down, and there's only essentially one road in and out of Hull.

I'd say Marshfield, Hanover, Norwell and Braintree would be the best options, although towards the higher end of the budget.

I addressed the Hull stuff in another thread, but I tend to agree more with MrLinderman. There are two affordable two-/multi-family houses on the market in Hull right now, though, so there's that. The two on the market in Marshfield are in the $800,000s. There's one in Norwell for $450,00, but it's a legal in-law, not a true two-family, and one in Hanover for $649,000.

OP, what about Weymouth? There's a three family for $475,000 (although it's been on the market for 239 days, so there might be something tweaky about it).

[MrLinderman]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

You can find 2 family in those towns?

Not a ton out there today, but with patience you can. Braintree had 4 sold in the last 6 months for under 500. 3 or 4 in Hanover (although one was a legal 2 family used as 1) and a couple in Norwell in the last 6 months.

Make take some time, but there are a few here and there.

[n1ey]

Originally Posted by jan0105

What about Scituate? There's a kind of funky building for sale (right on the train tracks) that has two residential apartments and a commercial space for $450,000. Check out 769 Country Way on Redfin. Easier commute to Boston than Marshfield or Plymouth, but longer drive to the Cape.

Are you really going to get the rent? It is hard to judge the tenants in Scituate. I would be nervous about commercial retail.

Bill

[jan0105]

Why would Scituate tenants worry you any more than tenants anywhere else?

[n1ey]

Originally Posted by jan0105

Why would Scituate tenants worry you any more than tenants anywhere else?

Retail does not last long. Scituate is extremely fickle with small shops versus large stable shops.
Many of the tenants in rentals within Scituate are low income.

My old teacher from high school had a house in Abington. The house was assessed more than a house of the same size viewing the ocean in Scituate. Scituate was never the most desired town in the area, but some people pretend otherwise.

Bill