South Shore Towns (Boston, Weymouth, Braintree: new home, buy, construction)

[KMW717]

Hello Everyone,

I am a current Braintree resident and owner of a small 2 bedroom home. My husband and I are looking to sell and move to a new home hopefully next summer. Unfortunately, with our budget of 500k we will likely not be able to reside in Braintree. We are looking into some other South Shore towns. We are looking for a town that has good schools, a nice community feeling, and relatively affordable homes (500k budget, at least 1800 square feet, move in ready). We know the commute will be tough, but are hoping not to have to move to car from 93 considering we will both have to commute into Boston.

Some ideas - South Weymouth, Abington, Whitman, Hanover.

Any comments on the above communities? Any input on communities and schools.

Thanks!

[raveabouttoast]

What are you looking for in a house? Because $500k seems to be a good budget for Braintree. Plus it meets your other requirements for schools, commute, etc.

[tysmith95]

By move in ready maybe the OP is referring to a recent reno or newish build.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by tysmith95

By move in ready maybe the OP is referring to a recent reno or newish build.

Yes. Nobody wants to move to a property that needs work but sometimes you have to make compromises and buy a house that you'll need to update just for the schools and the commute.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by KMW717

Hello Everyone,

I am a current Braintree resident and owner of a small 2 bedroom home. My husband and I are looking to sell and move to a new home hopefully next summer. Unfortunately, with our budget of 500k we will likely not be able to reside in Braintree. We are looking into some other South Shore towns. We are looking for a town that has good schools, a nice community feeling, and relatively affordable homes (500k budget, at least 1800 square feet, move in ready). We know the commute will be tough, but are hoping not to have to move to car from 93 considering we will both have to commute into Boston.

Some ideas - South Weymouth, Abington, Whitman, Hanover.

Any comments on the above communities? Any input on communities and schools.

Thanks!

Definitely Hanover over the others. S Weymouth would be the best commute but probably the worst schools.

[edsox15]

Hanover is the best of the towns you have listed. $500k would buy you something nice that would be move-in ready.

[KMW717]

Hi All,

Thank you for your responses!

I actually have had a hard time finding something is Braintree with adequate square footage (more than 1800 sq feet) that is not in need of a lot of work. I really want something that is newish so I do not need to do a big construction project.

I do understand about compromises - I just am not in A position to do a major reno at this time so would prefer something I can move into that I could be happy wth. Hence why I am looking at the surrounding communities.

Is Weymouth really as bad as everyone says it is?

[CaseyB]

The schools aren't great. We had a poster on here who lived in Weymouth who was dying to get out because of the drug problems.

[xo_kizzy_xo]

We have friends in Weymouth. Their daughter is in kindergarten. AFAIK they haven't had any issues save the typical he-said-she-said stuff little kid skirmishes during recess. They will probably move once she hits maybe 4th or 5th grade because it's the upper grades which have the iffy reputation.

(FYI I've worked with a lot of Weymouth grads who weren't druggies or such. Many of them were attending area colleges at least PT. The drug issue is there, yes, but you can say the same thing about almost any high school anywhere, even the more *exclusive* ones).

[sal1181]

unfortunately drugs are everywhere even in more upscale communities. We have a bad heroine epidemic here in the Andover area which unfortunately has taken the lives of several Andover High students.