Live In Arlington - What is it Like? (Cambridge, Somerville: best town, real estate market)

[jan0105]

Originally Posted by semiurbanite

Lastly, I know plenty of people at work who went to schools like UMASS or UVM and do as well or better as the people who spent 250k at Bates and Bowdoin. University name recognition seems to matter less and less these days, with the actual degree and grades being more important. And acceptance to those universities is driven largely by scores, so to say you care about the university is to say scores are important..

You were just touting your kids' teachers' Ivy League master degrees!!

[Whatsnext75]

I think people in MA get ridiculous about schools and it's all the more obvious when I come to this board. Even the people who pretend to be laid back and act like they don't need to keep up with the jones' still get all nutty about schools. I get that people want the best for their kids but a lot of it does seem very snobby and people are like, ew your kids go to bps or quincy high, how sad for all of you, they will never amount to anything. My kids go to weston high and they are going to be amazing people for the rest of lives because of it. Ugh. I am not there yet as my son is only 20 months and it seems parents judge other people and their kids based on where they go or went to school.

I went to private school and I was basically brought up to believe that public schools are not good...but I don't feel that way. I think it's more about the kid and the parents.

[johngolf]

When many in MA say private schools they are referring to Catholic Schools. Not exactly what I would call private schools.

[Whatsnext75]

Well actually yeah a Catholic school IS a private school. Not sure if this is directed at me, but I attended an ISL school...very much a private school.

[scratchie]

Originally Posted by NS-GR

IMO, Arlington is overrated and expensive. Depending on where you work, the commute may be quite difficult. The houses are old and the lots are small. The renovated houses are very expensive. There is no comparison between Marblehead and Arlington. Marblehead is beautiful and elegant. In addition, when one asks advice from older people about spending $1M on a house in Arlington, the response you get is "Really? In Arlington Mass, houses cost $1M???"....

Yes, you should definitely base your housing decisions on what towns were like forty years ago.

[scratchie]

Originally Posted by Whatsnext75

And I'm saying I do not like arlington and I think it's a rip off. Someone might find that useful seeing how I've lived here my whole life.

I'm sure people said the same thing about Somerville in the 80s, but anyone who bought in that town thirty years ago is loving life.

[pennyone]

Originally Posted by Whatsnext75

I think people in MA get ridiculous about schools and it's all the more obvious when I come to this board. Even the people who pretend to be laid back and act like they don't need to keep up with the jones' still get all nutty about schools. I get that people want the best for their kids but a lot of it does seem very snobby and people are like, ew your kids go to bps or quincy high, how sad for all of you, they will never amount to anything. My kids go to weston high and they are going to be amazing people for the rest of lives because of it. Ugh. I am not there yet as my son is only 20 months and it seems parents judge other people and their kids based on where they go or went to school.

I went to private school and I was basically brought up to believe that public schools are not good...but I don't feel that way. I think it's more about the kid and the parents.

FWIW, North Quincy High is ranked 8 on greatschool.org, one point above Somerville. It's at the same level as Milton High.

[NS-GR]

Originally Posted by scratchie

Yes, you should definitely base your housing decisions on what towns were like forty years ago.

I understand that you are being sarcastic...but unfortunately I may not be smart enough to understand the point you are trying to make.
I am not an investor, but I guess, if I wanted to maximize gains, I would not invest in Arlington. I would try to foresee what the next overrated town in Mass would be... My understanding is that investors do not invest in already overrated places...
I understand that, as an investment, Arlington is a great place for those who bought property 10+ years ago. Today, I do not thing that Arlington is a great investment because if I purchase a house that already costs now $1M, I do not see how much more money one could make out of this purchase.
As I said in other posts above, for my family, Arlington may not be the ideal place. This does not mean that Arlington is not nice. It means that it does not offer what we are looking for. So, since we are not buying to invest, I guess I could base my housing decisions on anything and anyone I think could help me take one.

[Shizim]

Originally Posted by NS-GR

I understand that you are being sarcastic...but unfortunately I may not be smart enough to understand the point you are trying to make.

The point was these "older" people are probably basing their opinion on Arlington when they grew up in the 60s/70s. not really relevant now.

Originally Posted by NS-GR

I am not an investor, but I guess, if I wanted to maximize gains, I would not invest in Arlington. I would try to foresee what the next overrated town in Mass would be... My understanding is that investors do not invest in already overrated places...
I understand that, as an investment, Arlington is a great place for those who bought property 10+ years ago. Today, I do not thing that Arlington is a great investment because if I purchase a house that already costs now $1M, I do not see how much more money one could make out of this purchase.

If you are not an investor this is moot. you are buying a place for your family etc.

Trying to "invest" and guess what your potential return might be in 20+ years is a waste of time.

Arlington might not work for you or others. that's fine but to come out disparaging it because it doesn't fit your "ideal" is in poor taste.

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by semiurbanite

Of course that's not the case - 98% do not go on to 4 year schools with the level of diversity is has. It also pretty much guarantees that your class was a bunch of kids that were 98% the same. Still, i'll bet the number going on to 4 year schools among the kids with the same SES as Belmont is the same as Belmont. Then there is the diversity equation and whether you value that. Lastly, I know plenty of people at work who went to schools like UMASS or UVM and do as well or better as the people who spent 250k at Bates and Bowdoin. University name recognition seems to matter less and less these days, with the actual degree and grades being more important. And acceptance to those universities is driven largely by scores, so to say you care about the university is to say scores are important.

Personally I went to a school that was and still is ranked in the bottom 20% in the state. I thrived, and most of my friends did quite well too - it was our parents involvement that made the difference. Not only that, but exposure to so many types of people has made me better at what I do and able to deal with situations and people more adeptly. That said, I wouldn't let my kids go there, it has to be a more balanced mix.

Well I went to UVM for undergrad (best package and they had the major I wanted), and my brother went to Bates, and I don't know what "doing better" has to do with anything, but clearly my brother is smarter and was a better student.

But, while my brother was driven and a self starter and would have done well anywhere, I was not.

What I was was competitive, and in a place like Belmont the cool kids and the smart kids largely overlapped (at least while I was there), there are lots of people like me where the environment encouraged learning and being smart, and my competitiveness fueled it. If I was a student at someplace like Somerville in the late 80s I'm quite certain that while I might have been in a higher ranking of the class body, I would haven't gotten in near the schools I gotten into, nor learned as much in high school as I did, and I certainly wouldn't have pushed myself like I did simply because it was more acceptable to not be smart and good to a good 4 year school.