If real estate appreciation was your primary goal, where would you buy a house? (Boston: schools, colleges)

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by semiurbanite

Charlestown? That's an interesting observation, I don't know anyone in the Porter/Davis area that came from Charlestown. By far the most have come from Cambridge in my experience.

I know a few from Charlestown, but I'd include Cambridge as well in that parallel. (And say Cambridge prob is the target of most)

[MrLinderman]

As the resident South Shore guy, I'd say Weymouth or one of the cheaper areas of Quincy, based solely off the fact that anything within 15 or 20 miles of Boston has a very good likelihood of serious appreciation.

At that budget, you're priced out of most of metro-west. North shore makes no sense because your commute would be only half against traffic.

Braintree has already exploded. 2/3rds of Quincy have as well. Milton and Hingham you were priced out of 15 years ago. Just by virtue of location Weymouth will appreciate, even if all of it's known flaws don't approve much.

[chicagoliz]

Detroit.

Running out of places to be the next Somerville around here, but BostonMike is right -- look for towns that border towns that are very desirable.

[Dm84]

I'll throw out Stoughton as an option.

[robr2]

Originally Posted by semiurbanite

Charlestown? That's an interesting observation, I don't know anyone in the Porter/Davis area that came from Charlestown. By far the most have come from Cambridge in my experience.

They may not have come from Charlestown but were priced out of Charlestown when they went looking there.

To the OP, I'd look at Malden or Everett as well as Chelsea as the next Somerville.

[bohemka]

Originally Posted by semiurbanite

Well, that depends. I've seen people here in Somerville do extensive renovations and sell for a net profit.

There are plenty of places in Boston metro — with Somerville toward the top of the list — where you could go bananas with a sledge hammer and sell for a net profit. That has everything to do with location.

I agree with the recommendation to buy what and where you actually want to live. It's nice if your propety holds value or increases, but that should be considered a bonus, not the goal. My two suggestions would be to follow the millennia-old maxim: location, you know the rest; and, go condo (partly due to that's what you could maybe afford in good locations, and because SFHs are a pain). As a side note, if this really is about investing, good school systems help maintain value, so that should be a consideration, regardless of whether you've got kids or not.

A SFH is like an invasive species that starts creeping in on your free time. Before you know it, weekends aren't about meeting up with friends, ballgames or day trips, but rather dealing with maintenance and fighting mother nature. You're not married and you don't have kids. Don't waste the free time you still have on raking leaves and painting bathrooms.

[MrLinderman]

Originally Posted by robr2

They may not have come from Charlestown but were priced out of Charlestown when they went looking there.

To the OP, I'd look at Malden or Everett as well as Chelsea as the next Somerville.

That's really tough with a commute to Quincy. You'd be going with traffic until you're through the tunnel.

[Whatsnext75]

I would say hyde park or parts of Dorchester. Both are in the city which makes them attractive to people, still very possible to get a nice house in both areas for 350 to 360k. Both are near the T. The value can only go up. I mean if people are going to say places like lynn and lawrence why the heck not dot or HP. If i had to make the choice id definitely pick both dot or hp over lynn/lawrence.

People are already priced out of roslindale, west roxburyband jp. If they want to stay in the city there arent many other options.

[massnative71]

Don't understand why Quincy is valued so much lower than Cambridge and Somerville. I understand those places appeal to single kids in their 20s, but Quincy has a much better QOL for those with families (so think that would be a wash). For between that and improvements in the works for Quincy Center (if that ever comes about), I think Quincy still has the most room for growth.

[Southshorebound]

Agreed, I can easily see Quincy prices taking off in the future - especially considering all the planned development.