Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Massachusetts
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 06-28-2018, 12:28 PM
 
4,998 posts, read 3,847,971 times
Reputation: 4497

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by n0tsomuch View Post
I wonder why is Newton so much more affordable than others when it's so close to Boston. It seems that is the closest match, if we want to live closer to the city.
To buy? You'll be very, very hard pressed to find a SFH in Newton for <$1M. In the examples that exist, they are either too broke to fix, too expensive to fix, or is in a very urban/mixed-use area on main roads. It's one of the toughest housing markets in Greater Boston. That said, if you see a house without any huge red flags, I'd buy there in a second.

As for renting, I'd totally believe that it's no more expensive than any other town. Maybe even the cheapest. It certainly will offer more rentals than the other suburbs (outside of Cambridge/Somerville/Brookline). But, I highly doubt you'll find a SFH for rent at that price point. So, don't be fooled by the price tag.. It's cheaper because of what you get.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 06-28-2018, 12:43 PM
 
652 posts, read 743,170 times
Reputation: 848
Quote:
Originally Posted by n0tsomuch View Post
I wonder why is Newton so much more affordable than others when it's so close to Boston. It seems that is the closest match, if we want to live closer to the city.
Newton is a large city with a diverse housing stock. On the north side and down by Needham you can still find modest non updated homes and 3-deckers being offered. The top notch school district buoys even the worst listings (tear downs probably start around 450 right now). But there’s a lot of houses where people have been holding on for 50+ years.

Those other towns are pretty fully “fancy” - single families, McMansions, actual mansions.. a lot of people who can afford to drive into the town or work on 128.

Also.. don’t give up hope for finding a <1mil SFH in Newton. If you are diligent you can definitely still do it. There will be compromises but that’s always the case with home buying.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-28-2018, 12:45 PM
 
Location: Westwood, MA
5,037 posts, read 6,871,790 times
Reputation: 5960
[quote=n0tsomuch;52325073]
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayrandom View Post

Awesome! Small world! So, you understand! Yay! Louisiana is like no other. We're not sure how things will work out with his interviews, etc, but we're doing all of our research just in case. I've been learning about the west cost/CO this whole time. I didn't' expect to find tech in Boston. We just want to be prepared. Side question - how's the food in the Boston area in comparison to NOLA/Baton Rouge? What has been the biggest culture shock for you? As for a car, we'd have one for the family fo sho, but we'd be debating on my husband keeping his if he'd just be using it for work, etc.
I never lived in New Orleans, but I highly doubt the food is better here. New Orleans is probably top to bottom one of the best places in the world for food. If you come here looking for Cajun, Creole, or Southern food you are going to be severely disappointed. You might be able to find it, but you'll probably have to look for it and it will be rare. It seems like there are a bunch of upscale southern restaurants which doesn't quite make sense to me, but it's there.

There's plenty that they do well. The biggest difference is that the food here is a lot healthier. I left BR in 2000 and I've gone back south a few times for work and my stomach cannot really handle the grease anymore.

In terms of culture shock the biggest thing is that people aren't nearly as outwardly friendly. A lot more reserved. Especially as you get out into the suburbs, people mostly stick to themselves and aren't overly welcoming to new people.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-28-2018, 03:20 PM
 
Location: East Coast
4,235 posts, read 3,676,702 times
Reputation: 6458
Quote:
Originally Posted by n0tsomuch View Post
I wonder why is Newton so much more affordable than others when it's so close to Boston. It seems that is the closest match, if we want to live closer to the city.
I don't think I've ever seen someone say that Newton was much more affordable, compared to anything.

If you can afford Newton, move there.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-28-2018, 03:52 PM
 
Location: Westwood, MA
5,037 posts, read 6,871,790 times
Reputation: 5960
Quote:
Originally Posted by chicagoliz View Post
I don't think I've ever seen someone say that Newton was much more affordable, compared to anything.

If you can afford Newton, move there.
Rent? I could believe that. The rental market is thin in the suburbs with "good" schools. Especially for SFH.

Also, don't mistake her enthusiasm for Newton with some sort of universal notion that Newton is the best place to live in Massachusetts. It's got a lot going for it, but a) it's not for everyone and b) you pay for it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-28-2018, 04:56 PM
 
Location: East Coast
4,235 posts, read 3,676,702 times
Reputation: 6458
Quote:
Originally Posted by jayrandom View Post
Rent? I could believe that. The rental market is thin in the suburbs with "good" schools. Especially for SFH.

Also, don't mistake her enthusiasm for Newton with some sort of universal notion that Newton is the best place to live in Massachusetts. It's got a lot going for it, but a) it's not for everyone and b) you pay for it.
I haven't looked very hard, but the rentals I've seen for SFH's have been pretty high. But, I'm sure there are some condos one could rent. In some parts of Newton, there certainly would be more of those than there would be in some of the other towns, such as Wellesley or Winchester.

I didn't really see "enthusiasm" from her for Newton. For many people, there certainly are towns that they would like better for various reasons. I've no doubt and don't dispute that it isn't for everyone.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-28-2018, 08:43 PM
 
880 posts, read 810,170 times
Reputation: 907
Quote:
Originally Posted by mwj119 View Post
To buy? You'll be very, very hard pressed to find a SFH in Newton for <$1M. In the examples that exist, they are either too broke to fix, too expensive to fix, or is in a very urban/mixed-use area on main roads. It's one of the toughest housing markets in Greater Boston. That said, if you see a house without any huge red flags, I'd buy there in a second.
Just listed sfh in newton for 850k

What faults do you see(from photos, description). Location? Small lot? North is kinda busy street yes...

https://www.redfin.com/MA/Newton/20-.../home/11493552
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-29-2018, 06:19 AM
 
73 posts, read 76,284 times
Reputation: 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by mwj119 View Post
To buy...
...As for renting, I'd totally believe that it's no more expensive than any other town. Maybe even the cheapest. It certainly will offer more rentals than the other suburbs (outside of Cambridge/Somerville/Brookline). But, I highly doubt you'll find a SFH for rent at that price point. So, don't be fooled by the price tag.. It's cheaper because of what you get.
We'd be renting. I see Newton has lots of rental options. We are trying to be smart about this and figure it all out. There are so many differences between the east coast and the south. We'd have a lot to learn, fo sho!

1. Amazing public transportation - and the amount of distance one can live from one's job. In Louisiana, there's nothing like that. There are no reliable trains or subways that transport people to and from jobs. There are busses, but one would sometimes have to take several to get to where they're going, and it can take hours, and it's all within the parish (county)/in or surrounding New Orleans. And, wealthy people in my town, at least do not usually take public transportation - though, in NOLA, it's more common to take the streetcar. It really changes everything.

2. High cost of living - that's the overwhelming part. We rented a 3 br home 1850 sq foot home in the most desirable location in our town for around 2200k. It was updated, and there were certainly no issues with lead or dilapidated conditions, and our landlord was awesome - fixed everything. Oh, and we have central AC/Heat. We always have central heat and A/C. I can't imagine being without my a/c. We keep it on 70 degrees during the summer at night. Though, we rarely use the heater. We've been married 18 years, but if we move there, we'd be like babies, starting over, trying to figure out a new budget and getting used to higher housing costs. I would assume other things are more expensive, as well.

3. People - I don't necessarily want to know my neighbors. That can be trouble if you are getting to know your neighbor and it's too late to turn back and want to un-know them. However, we have 4 kids and are pretty active in our community. We like attending community events, and my older girls are involved in Girl Scouts - even the eldest. They are always going here and there - to festivals, beach volleyball, church, camping - we love camping!! - and of course the mall! We like going to community gatherings and meeting new people and hearing their story. In NOLA, people are very talkative. It's totally not uncommon to strike up fun conversations with a complete stranger at the grocery store and end up exchanging numbers. And, I said I don't like to know my neighbors, but I do. We're just lucky enough to not have many bad ones. I have very conservative neighbors who are nonstop since 2016, but I have managed to find the liberal ones hidden in the pockets! Haha! With all being said, I'm still cautious, and I still protect my family from being bombarded by neighbors bringing pies all the time (never happened). Though, I did borrow sugar and milk and an onion from my neighbors (with kids, every moment is an emergency), which was strange and I felt completely exposed by asking, but they still helped. Totally needed a therapy session after that (joke)!

I will say that my husband likes to keep to himself - always reading a book or kindle or his phone. He could never know anyone forever and his heart would just grow and grow and grow (all by itself). But, for me, I like to be part of something. And, I don't mind joining a common group with similar interests - like an athletic group. I am a member of an adult dodgeball league, and these people have become sort of a family to me over the years. I've made some very close friends, this way, even though I'm 20 years older than some of these peeps. Are there similar groups outside of Boston, in the suburbs or are they just in Boston?

4. Snow - have none, and when it ices over the one time in a million years, people drive into canals, spin all over the place and grocery stores lose power. Trees fall (they can't handle the weight of snow). It's a mess. I'm not going to lie, the first snow, we're going to be idiots outside with all of the kids playing - ill prepared for the weather - with rain boots on or ziplock bags over our shoes (true story). Then, I guess we'd get tired of it eventually. But, we've never lived or have driven in snow. Our coldest days are usually in the 30's. We'll have one or two freezes, and everyone is inconvenienced and freaks out and covers all their plants and faucets, but in general, 30+ degrees is our inconvenience. Ooh! What would we do without central heat in MA!?

5. Education - our quality of education is one of the lowest in the country, so I would be excited to have my kids be challenged in school appropriately. My kids are surrounded by kids who literally don't seem to want to learn. We have overcrowded schools, where my daughter has to ask to sit outside in the hall to take her test because of all the talking and goofing off. She often comes home crying, because of the noice and chaos. My eldest is in honors and can't concentrate because of all the talking. She has 20+ kids in her honors class, and there should be more like 9-15 kids. In schools here, the new thing is for the kid to do everything at school - writing assignments, reading, class projects. They bring homework, but not projects. It's because, in general, if it's sent home, the kids don't do the assignments. The teachers are very underpaid and overwhelmed by the lack of participation with kids and parents, here. And, corruption is high, which has everything to do with schools and public education and politics. Wealthy/upper middle families here skip public school all together and send their kids to private schools. Some parents take second jobs to send their kids to private schools. My kids attend public schools. We want our kids to be in a school that represents the demographic of the town they live in. This can be a challenge, though. Our schools are not that great. In a nutshell, we would hope to find a place where education is valued more by families who send their kids to public schools.

6 I don't know how many people will take the time to read this entire set of paragraphs, but I'm wishing myself luck! In the end, we have a lot to lose with 4 kids and the distance of travel and change of demographic and temperment of an area. We just want the best we can get.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-29-2018, 07:14 AM
 
880 posts, read 810,170 times
Reputation: 907
nOTSomuch,

One thing to note, if you find an older apt with cheap rent, the chances are its not de-leaded. This law has the perverse side affect of jacking up rents for families with kids under 6. If your kids are older than 6, make a point to mention to landlord then the lead becomes a non issue..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 06-29-2018, 07:41 AM
 
Location: Westwood, MA
5,037 posts, read 6,871,790 times
Reputation: 5960
Where in NOLA are you now?

[quote=n0tsomuch;52343053]We'd be renting. I see Newton has lots of rental options. We are trying to be smart about this and figure it all out. There are so many differences between the east coast and the south. We'd have a lot to learn, fo sho!

Quote:
Originally Posted by n0tsomuch View Post
1. Amazing public transportation - and the amount of distance one can live from one's job. In Louisiana, there's nothing like that. There are no reliable trains or subways that transport people to and from jobs. There are busses, but one would sometimes have to take several to get to where they're going, and it can take hours, and it's all within the parish (county)/in or surrounding New Orleans. And, wealthy people in my town, at least do not usually take public transportation - though, in NOLA, it's more common to take the streetcar. It really changes everything.
Public transport in Boston is pretty useful. As you get further away from the center it becomes something for mostly commuters. Walking is an option in a lot of places, too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by n0tsomuch View Post
2. High cost of living - that's the overwhelming part. We rented a 3 br home 1850 sq foot home in the most desirable location in our town for around 2200k. It was updated, and there were certainly no issues with lead or dilapidated conditions, and our landlord was awesome - fixed everything. Oh, and we have central AC/Heat. We always have central heat and A/C. I can't imagine being without my a/c. We keep it on 70 degrees during the summer at night. Though, we rarely use the heater. We've been married 18 years, but if we move there, we'd be like babies, starting over, trying to figure out a new budget and getting used to higher housing costs. I would assume other things are more expensive, as well.
Everything is more expensive, but housing costs are the biggest difference. Except for maybe daycare, which is insanely expensive, especially as you get closer to Boston. Hopefully your kids are old enough to not need that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by n0tsomuch View Post
3. People - I don't necessarily want to know my neighbors. That can be trouble if you are getting to know your neighbor and it's too late to turn back and want to un-know them. However, we have 4 kids and are pretty active in our community. We like attending community events, and my older girls are involved in Girl Scouts - even the eldest. They are always going here and there - to festivals, beach volleyball, church, camping - we love camping!! - and of course the mall! We like going to community gatherings and meeting new people and hearing their story. In NOLA, people are very talkative. It's totally not uncommon to strike up fun conversations with a complete stranger at the grocery store and end up exchanging numbers. And, I said I don't like to know my neighbors, but I do. We're just lucky enough to not have many bad ones. I have very conservative neighbors who are nonstop since 2016, but I have managed to find the liberal ones hidden in the pockets! Haha! With all being said, I'm still cautious, and I still protect my family from being bombarded by neighbors bringing pies all the time (never happened). Though, I did borrow sugar and milk and an onion from my neighbors (with kids, every moment is an emergency), which was strange and I felt completely exposed by asking, but they still helped. Totally needed a therapy session after that (joke)!

I will say that my husband likes to keep to himself - always reading a book or kindle or his phone. He could never know anyone forever and his heart would just grow and grow and grow (all by itself). But, for me, I like to be part of something. And, I don't mind joining a common group with similar interests - like an athletic group. I am a member of an adult dodgeball league, and these people have become sort of a family to me over the years. I've made some very close friends, this way, even though I'm 20 years older than some of these peeps. Are there similar groups outside of Boston, in the suburbs or are they just in Boston?
You can find this stuff outside of Boston, but it's easier to find in Boston/Cambridge where all the young people live. People aren't unfriendly, they are just less forward about it. I lived in my first house for maybe 5 years and said about 10 words to my neighbors across the street, but when we had our first kid they made us a beautiful baby blanket. And the husband would randomly plow our driveway (he had a snowblower, we didn't).

Quote:
Originally Posted by n0tsomuch View Post
4. Snow - have none, and when it ices over the one time in a million years, people drive into canals, spin all over the place and grocery stores lose power. Trees fall (they can't handle the weight of snow). It's a mess. I'm not going to lie, the first snow, we're going to be idiots outside with all of the kids playing - ill prepared for the weather - with rain boots on or ziplock bags over our shoes (true story). Then, I guess we'd get tired of it eventually. But, we've never lived or have driven in snow. Our coldest days are usually in the 30's. We'll have one or two freezes, and everyone is inconvenienced and freaks out and covers all their plants and faucets, but in general, 30+ degrees is our inconvenience. Ooh! What would we do without central heat in MA!?
It snows and then they plow the roads. Just try not to drive during a big storm and you'll be OK. Everywhere has heat.

Quote:
Originally Posted by n0tsomuch View Post
5. Education - our quality of education is one of the lowest in the country, so I would be excited to have my kids be challenged in school appropriately. My kids are surrounded by kids who literally don't seem to want to learn. We have overcrowded schools, where my daughter has to ask to sit outside in the hall to take her test because of all the talking and goofing off. She often comes home crying, because of the noice and chaos. My eldest is in honors and can't concentrate because of all the talking. She has 20+ kids in her honors class, and there should be more like 9-15 kids. In schools here, the new thing is for the kid to do everything at school - writing assignments, reading, class projects. They bring homework, but not projects. It's because, in general, if it's sent home, the kids don't do the assignments. The teachers are very underpaid and overwhelmed by the lack of participation with kids and parents, here. And, corruption is high, which has everything to do with schools and public education and politics. Wealthy/upper middle families here skip public school all together and send their kids to private schools. Some parents take second jobs to send their kids to private schools. My kids attend public schools. We want our kids to be in a school that represents the demographic of the town they live in. This can be a challenge, though. Our schools are not that great. In a nutshell, we would hope to find a place where education is valued more by families who send their kids to public schools.
Education is much better. Even a town with mediocre schools by Massachusetts standards will be good compared to all but the better magnet schools in Louisiana.

Quote:
Originally Posted by n0tsomuch View Post
6 I don't know how many people will take the time to read this entire set of paragraphs, but I'm wishing myself luck! In the end, we have a lot to lose with 4 kids and the distance of travel and change of demographic and temperment of an area. We just want the best we can get.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bugelrex View Post
nOTSomuch,

One thing to note, if you find an older apt with cheap rent, the chances are its not de-leaded. This law has the perverse side affect of jacking up rents for families with kids under 6. If your kids are older than 6, make a point to mention to landlord then the lead becomes a non issue..
This is the way it works in practice, but it's illegal housing discrimination. It's just difficult to prove so not much gets done about it.

https://www.mass.gov/service-details...setts-lead-law

Quote:
Can I evict or refuse to rent to a family with children under six if there is lead paint in the home?
No. You cannot evict, or refuse to rent to anyone because of lead paint. Discrimination is against the law and carries penalties.

For more information against discrimination, call the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Massachusetts
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top