Rent vs Buy Boston Metro

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by Maddie104

So, I would need to rely on the T rather than commuter rail for evening and weekend transportation into Boston.

Yes. Outside rush hour, the trains run once an hour or two, make every single stop, and are very slow - But Waltham to North Station is only 20 minutes no matter the train.
Green line runs every 5-12 minutes depending on the time, 7 days a week. BUT no trains run between midnight and 5 am!

Don't know much about the express bus, except seeing them on the pike. Don't think they run at all on Sunday

[Taffee72]

Cronin's Landing in Waltham. Right on the Charles, walk over the bridge to the Waltham commuter rail stop.

https://www.equityapartments.com/gre...ilability-tile

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by BosYuppie

No train, but Watertown has several Express Bus routes that quickly get into the city, as well as the electric bus on Mt Auburn that drops you off at the red line in Harvard. Part of Watertown is right near the Waverly commuter rail stop as well. Also, very easy to get around on Uber and Lyft.

A lot of my friends have this preconception that it’s sooooo far away, just because it’s not on the T map. Meanwhile I get to work in 30 minutes flat and can usually beat them to the bar downtown or wherever we are going, despite them being in “convenient” Somerville or Cambridge and taking the Red Line..

Watertown got some great press recently...

Why Watertown is seeing a development -- and home price -- boom

[Maddie104]

Originally Posted by Taffee72

Cronin's Landing in Waltham. Right on the Charles, walk over the bridge to the Waltham commuter rail stop.

https://www.equityapartments.com/gre...ilability-tile

Looks nice. thank you.

[Maddie104]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Watertown got some great press recently...

Why Watertown is seeing a development -- and home price -- boom

Helpful article. Sounds like Watertown is up and coming. Like the bike bath.

[bjimmy24]

A median priced condo in Watertown is $525,000 and a home is $670,000. This is really not a good thing imo.

[bugelrex]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

A median priced condo in Watertown is $525,000 and a home is $670,000. This is really not a good thing imo.

It means people are earning higher wages and people have confidence in the local economy. Its absolutely a good thing

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by bugelrex

It means people are earning higher wages and people have confidence in the local economy. Its absolutely a good thing

Does it necessarily mean that? Why does that logic not apply to other goods?

[Maddie104]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

A median priced condo in Watertown is $525,000 and a home is $670,000. This is really not a good thing imo.

Do you think there are other areas that are better values given criteria. I am trying to make buy vs. rent decision and as retirees we don't want to overpay for things like commute to Boston, premium school districts, etc. We want access to Boston amenities/healthcare on occasion so we don't want to be too far out.
We accustomed to an extensive public transportation system so unlike Boston, it doesn't affect housing prices as much.

We may be an anomaly, retirees moving into the Boston area at the height of rapid housing appreciation and low inventory.

[bugelrex]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Does it necessarily mean that? Why does that logic not apply to other goods?

The other goods do not have the land constraint problem. Without building vertically, the prices will continue to increase with the economy.

An example of other goods are clothing, its much cheaper to buy today than 30 years ago because manufacturing was offshored to 3rd world countries to reduce costs. Yes, its cheaper but it hollowed out American middle class.

If there was a way to ship a prefab house from China to USA I'm sure building costs would drop 50%... land prices would still be high though