Commuting to Andover for a small family? (Boston: to rent, mortgage)

[rethcir]

Originally Posted by Dm84

If you live in the burbs and have a driveway that isn't perfectly flat it's a lot easier to get an AWD suv out when it snows.

Yeah, but a good set of snow tires is usually fine on a front wheel drive car too. It's not necessarily worth the thousands of extra dollars in cost and gas, depending how well your city takes care of the roads. Just saying it's not absolutely mandatory.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by tenortodd

Thanks for the info. Yes, I'm posting a lot on these forums. We're looking in about 6 different states right now...if a job interests me, I post questions about that area. We would like to own our own home. We are tired of the rat race of the DC metro area.

We're looking for somewhere a little more rural or a more laid back suburb of a city.

It looks like Andover is a bit too pricey for us. We were hoping there may be more rural areas that are within commute distance, but I guess not. I don't mind a 30 minute commute, as long as it's not in stop-and-go traffic.

I'm just wondering -- if you want less expensive and more rural, have you looked at smaller cities? Richmond, Raleigh/Durham, Cincinnati, St. Louis, KC, etc. The commuting issues are nowhere near as bad, and it's less expensive. Or someplace in Maine or NH.

In almost all the larger cities, traffic/commuting has become a real nightmare and housing is quite expensive.

[johngolf]

OP

You say you have other choices. Here in Columbia SC (state Capital) is a good example of house cost:

222 Pewter Dr Unit 68, Lexington, SC 29072 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®

What other locations do you have to choose from?

[timberline742]

Originally Posted by johngolf

OP

You say you have other choices. Here in Columbia SC (state Capital) is a good example of house cost:

222 Pewter Dr Unit 68, Lexington, SC 29072 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®

What other locations do you have to choose from?

What a horrific looking house. Or is that a painting and not a photo?

[jan0105]

Not a real picture. It's to-be-built.

[timberline742]

I didn't think so but was looking at it on my phone. Gross on gross.

[jan0105]

Yeah, it's pretty terrible!

[CaseyB]

It's not bad if you remove the porch. At least it's in Lexington and not Columbia. Those houses are too close together, though.

[chicagoliz]

I didn't think it looked so bad. I'm sure inside is fabulous. If it were in Lexington, MA rather than Lexington, SC it would be a a minimum of 5x the price, and likely 6 or 7X the price.

[johngolf]

The point of my link is to show people that have said they have choices other than Boston, what is available in another other part of the country. It is a rendering as it new construction but some like myself prefer new construction and yes it is on a small lot.

Want lake living:
635 Shelter Bay Ridge Road, Prosperity , 29127

Want cheap living:
350 Charter Oak Ct, Lexington, SC 29072 - Home For Sale and Real Estate Listing - realtor.com®

Both of these properties are within a 30 minute commute (45 at the worst) of all major universities, all major government offices, all major hospitals, all major employers, etc. and one will not need snow tires.

Yes you will probably earn about 60% of what you might in MA....but....remember the OP said they were going to have a $75K salary. While not starvation wages, a family of 4 is not living the good life in greater Boston on $75 per year.

When I see Yankee license plates here (and I am one), I say to myself leave your money and go home......LOL