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If anyone lives in Westwood, I would also be interested in learning about the community itself, specifically related to raising a family there -- youth sports and activities, playgrounds/camps, before/after school programs, etc. Any input from folks with knowledge would be greatly appreciated.
If anyone lives in Westwood, I would also be interested in learning about the community itself, specifically related to raising a family there -- youth sports and activities, playgrounds/camps, before/after school programs, etc. Any input from folks with knowledge would be greatly appreciated.
Try the Westwood FB group - lots of people there with input. Couple people recently asked the same question.
Could folks enlighten me on Westwood neighborhoods? Westwood is on our short list to settle down into, and we've gone to a few open houses and gotten a nice neighborhood feel in general. But houses on the east side vs "central" Westwood have a very different feel about them.
The only feedback we have gotten is that the Maze is a very family friendly neighborhood, which is important to us. But houses there seem to be either tiny, or new construction that are out of our budget.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
One of the things that I really (personally) love about Westwood is that it really has a lot of well formed neighborhoods. While not everyone in town identifies with a neighborhood there are a lot of folks who do. I have friends who live in the Loop, the Maze, and many of the other neighborhoods. We used to have a really great poster here who lives in Weatherbee Estates but I haven't seen him around in a while. If you do a search in this subforum though you may be able to dig up some of his insights into the town.
There's definitely some different environs in the town and you'll notice quite a difference between say Islington neighborhoods which are more dense and often have smaller homes than the neighborhoods near the center of town and even the neighborhoods near Dover like the Far Reach Rd neighborhood is even a more different animal.
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Originally Posted by wfoley85
Generally, we'd like 4 bed/2.5 bath 2,500 +/- sqft with something of a yard (swingset, running around, etc). Budget is up to $1M but would prefer to be $850k or below. Happy to put some work into it, but we are looking for something move in ready with potential to improve over time.
The most important thing to us right now (aside from schools) is the ability to be close to restaurants, shops, grocery stores, etc. We are moving from the South End and don't know if we could move into the sleepier parts of Westwood. Because of this, spots along 128 and near Dedham are more appealing to us from a location perspective.
Depending on what kind of condition the house is in and the size of the lot and of course the location, your budget could definitely work in Westwood. You'll have some options to choose from. I just helped a client buy a house similar to what you're describing on Old Stone Rd and it was very lovely although it was slightly above your budget and didn't feature the walkable location you're looking for. These folks were not concerned about those things though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wfoley85
Yea, we are targeting the spring market. We have kept an eye on the inventory over the past year -- it certainly has fewer homes available than, say, Natick, but there have been a handful that meet the criteria in the $850-$950k range. We are resigned to having cars as both my wife and I work along 128 and have to drive. We would just like access to some comforts that we are used to in the city, and the Islington/Canton Ave area of Westwood seems to offer good access to this.
The whole town is definitely not going to offer what you want. However, as you've said if you can find something close to the town center or near the commercial area of Islington then you'll likely be happy. Just keep in mind that focusing your search on one town and even one to two small areas of that town (and it's a town with a bit slower real estate market than some others) that your search timeline will likely be extended and you may not be able to find something this year. It's not a lay up to find something that will offer what you're used to in the city in a place that for the most part is the polar opposite of the environment you're coming from.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wfoley85
If anyone lives in Westwood, I would also be interested in learning about the community itself, specifically related to raising a family there -- youth sports and activities, playgrounds/camps, before/after school programs, etc. Any input from folks with knowledge would be greatly appreciated.
I don't live in Westwood. I live next door in Needham. However, I have plenty of friends/clients who live in Westwood. The town has a lot to offer. There are some great playgrounds (we sometimes bring our kids to the one on School Street in Islington). The schools are highly regarded. Sports are plentiful as are many other youth activities both on land and on the water. IMO you don't have anything to worry about in this regard.
If you work along 128, Westwood is a bad idea. I looked at a condo in Norwood, I think it was closer to Norwood Depot and that one was like 40 minutes to just the Pike. This was several years ago, not sure of the actual location. As mentioned Islington wouldn't be so bad if you were committed to taking the commuter rail.
They do have supermarkets they just don't have the major chains. There is Roche Bros which has been there for generations and there is lamberts. I don't think anyone really goes into Westwood looking for a large amount of activities.
The major employer is still Meditech. I've heard mixed things about them. In terms of IT they are proprietary. But their benefits are next to impossible to match but there is low pay.
If anyone lives in Westwood, I would also be interested in learning about the community itself, specifically related to raising a family there -- youth sports and activities, playgrounds/camps, before/after school programs, etc. Any input from folks with knowledge would be greatly appreciated.
I live in the neighborhood you are targeting. Haven’t been on this site in a while. It’s a great area. If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.
I live in the neighborhood you are targeting. Haven’t been on this site in a while. It’s a great area. If you have any specific questions feel free to PM me.
Howdy stranger!
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