Commuting to Cambridge from Shrewsbury: Bad Idea? (Boston, Belmont: houses, find a job)

[nunesvetpath]

Thank you all! Hey, no offense taken from the "man up" comment. I did not have a lot of time to put down all the info in the OP.

Anyway, the kids may take a while to be let themselves into the house, they are going to 2nd and 4th grade, my understanding that the 4th grade is the last for elementary in MA, so that's why I'm looking at quality of middle schools too.

I know there are good options midway just outside I-95 but we would like to at least try get something decent inside the loop on our budget, right now thinking of Arlington, Belmont, Newton, Waltham. Those are places that I can bike to Alewife in bad weather or maybe bike all the way to avoid traffic depending where we settle. Lexington looks very expensive and too far for that. I think we may be able to stretch our budget over 600, maybe 700-750 but it depends how our house sale goes here where I live now in OH. I hope that budget will give us better options, maybe I'm getting the wrong impression from my limited online house search, but there are quite a few houses in those cities inside I-95 that look very decent in the 600-700ish range, small but OK and actually have been on the market for a little while.

[jan0105]

My brother in law lives in Grafton and work sin downtown Boston and his commute is about 90 minutes each way.

I agree with Parsec that it's so important to have one parent "on the ground," working in the town (or very nearby) where the kids are in school. At one point my husband and I both commuted and it was miserable -- if a kid got sick at school/daycare, they'd have to sit in the nurses office for an hour while one of us drove home. We missed school performances, etc. because it took too much time out of our work day to attend. I spent my life feeling guilty.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by nunesvetpath

Thank you all! Hey, no offense taken from the "man up" comment. I did not have a lot of time to put down all the info in the OP.

Anyway, the kids may take a while to be let themselves into the house, they are going to 2nd and 4th grade, my understanding that the 4th grade is the last for elementary in MA, so that's why I'm looking at quality of middle schools too.

I know there are good options midway just outside I-95 but we would like to at least try get something decent inside the loop on our budget, right now thinking of Arlington, Belmont, Newton, Waltham. Those are places that I can bike to Alewife in bad weather or maybe bike all the way to avoid traffic depending where we settle. Lexington looks very expensive and too far for that. I think we may be able to stretch our budget over 600, maybe 700-750 but it depends how our house sale goes here where I live now in OH. I hope that budget will give us better options, maybe I'm getting the wrong impression from my limited online house search, but there are quite a few houses in those cities inside I-95 that look very decent in the 600-700ish range, small but OK and actually have been on the market for a little while.

You're thinking right.

Shrewsbury is a great town, but better suited for those working off 495, those splitting time between the teaching hospitals in Worcester/Boston (common), regional sales reps (central access to Worc, Bos, Prov, CT.), etc.

[Partial Observer]

Originally Posted by nunesvetpath

I hope that budget will give us better options, maybe I'm getting the wrong impression from my limited online house search, but there are quite a few houses in those cities inside I-95 that look very decent in the 600-700ish range, small but OK and actually have been on the market for a little while.

"Decent" is all relative. By city-data standards, $600-700K will get you a house on the other side of the tracks, and you will be a blight on the neighborhood, dragging all the other property values down. To the other 99% of the population, "decent" would be an understatement.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by Partial Observer

"Decent" is all relative. By city-data standards, $600-700K will get you a house on the other side of the tracks, and you will be a blight on the neighborhood, dragging all the other property values down. To the other 99% of the population, "decent" would be an understatement.

So so true, you can get a perfectly nice house in Belmont (which is convenient for commute, and has very good schools) for that or less.

[gf2020]

Originally Posted by timberline742

So so true, you can get a perfectly nice house in Belmont (which is convenient for commute, and has very good schools) for that or less.

Really? The MLS currently shows two single family homes for sale in Belmont for under $700K.

[Parsec]

Originally Posted by gf2020

Really? The MLS currently shows two single family homes for sale in Belmont for under $700K.

Where are you seeing this? My search is turning up 0 single family homes under $700k. There are a few 2 bedroom condos though.

[nunesvetpath]

I know. The inventory for 600-700k looks inexistent right now for houses in Belmont but there are a few condos below 600K available. My guess is that it's just the low season, hopefully some options will become available in late spring when we will be active on the market.

[jan0105]

17 single family homes with three-plus bedrooms sold for $700,000 and below in the last 12 months. They were all small and needed updating, but if you can hold tight until the spring market hits, you may be able to find something.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by gf2020

Really? The MLS currently shows two single family homes for sale in Belmont for under $700K.

A condo is a home to me. But I know plenty of people in Belmont still ( I grew up there and have family there ) and know of single homes that sold for this in town; one of a family friend which was for sale by owner.

Originally Posted by Parsec

Where are you seeing this? My search is turning up 0 single family homes under $700k. There are a few 2 bedroom condos though.

And a 3 and 4 bedroom condo as well.