Impending relocation from New Jersey and need guidance with complicate commute! (Boston: homes, YMCA)

[mwj119]

I live on the 495 belt, and we love it. Highly educated, no crime, top schools, simple commute to 95, a ton of nature- lakes, inlets, apple orchards, hills. A 2500-3000 sqft house in Westford will run you $650-850, depending on neighborhood and side of town. The $1M+ "luxury market" is reserved for new builds, or 2000s custom builds, 3500 sqft and up. I would say that is common among all "desirable" 495 towns.

All of that said, if I worked in Boston even two days a week, you wouldn't find me on 495.

OP, the higher end 495 towns generally have one commercially active state road with a few restaurants, maybe an updated shopping plaza, a few grocery stores, a couple of coffee shops. If you are lucky, one will have a bit more commercially than the other, but that is dependent on size and addressable market. I, for one, have an extreme bias when it comes to 495 towns and beyond.. I prefer the route 2 belt to the 90 belt of suburbs, but that is just me. E.g. I prefer Acton Boxborough to Westborough Northborough.

Anyway, I think Natick is the best option, at your price point. Expanding town center, nice newer high school, strong athletic programs top to bottom, good district- probably not top 25 good- but right there. Natick also has a premium mall, and a lot of commercial options around the mall including a Lifetime gym (great for kids who play sports, parents who work out, or families who want a pool membership). For weekends, it's nice to mix it up and go out to dinner in Wellesley, or Newton, or hop around at a few breweries in Framingham. That is common practice among those in Natick. In Shrewsbury, your options are that much more limited if not less intriguing and diverse. Worcester is close, but I'm not sure how often a family would go to Worcester vs. Newton.

Something like this would be ideal - "In town location"- 2600 sq ft, .75 acres, taxes only $10k (due to all of the commercial activity in Natick, probably 30%+ lower than the same priced house in Shrewsbury)
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...5-05494#photo0

If you want more house, more space, more state roads and sub developments, place like Hopkinton and Shrewsbury will work just fine. But the commute to Boston is a nightmare, and again, local options are limited.

EDIT: The one thing about Natick I don't like, is the neighborhood aesthetic. For the money, it doesn't look or feel that nice, specifically around the core.. Many streets look relatively unkempt, some with sidewalks, some without, some with nice lawns, others with growth everywhere. You will see a notable difference in, say, Southborough's residential areas vs. Natick's. Bothers some, doesn't bother others.

[Lampert]

Originally Posted by mwj119

If you want more house, more space, more state roads and sub developments, place like Hopkinton and Shrewsbury will work just fine. But the commute to Boston is a nightmare, and again, local options are limited.

What are the limited local options? There are plenty of stores and restaurants in the area. If you really want to go to the Natick Mall you can drive to Natick and be there in half an hour (or less on weekends).
Commuting from Newton to Springfield long term is hard. You can't just sit on a train and work/read a book, you have to drive..3 hrs a day, without taking into account traffic or harsh weather.

[magicshark]

Originally Posted by Lampert

What are the limited local options? There are plenty of stores and restaurants in the area. If you really want to go to the Natick Mall you can drive to Natick and be there in half an hour (or less on weekends).
Commuting from Newton to Springfield long term is hard. You can't just sit on a train and work/read a book, you have to drive..3 hrs a day, without taking into account traffic or harsh weather.

I'm also not sure what he means by limited options in Shrewsbury. Virtually everything the OP is looking can easily be found right in Shrewsbury. Not to mention Worcester is right there. The restaurant scene in Worcester is very strong. Is it Providence, no but it is still pretty darn good. I eat out a lot in Worcester. You can find so many ethnic places from East African to Salvadoran to Afghani and everything in between. There is also everything form upscale dining to diner cars still serving after all these years.

How often would a family visit Worcester? I would guess enough. I am raising two kids here. I take them to festivals, museums, restaurants (it's a good way to experience other cultures), etc. Hopefully a lot of families will visit once the AAA ballpark is built!

I think people also don't realize how miserable that commute to Springfield from eastern Massachusetts is going to be.

[brightdoglover]

I'd consider Littleton. Certainly full choices within the budget, just next to 495/2, a very pleasant and coherent neighborhood with good schools, conservation land, walking areas, a fine supermarket, quick access to other shopping a few miles away in Westford. I lived there for 27 years (no family) and heartily recommend it to OP.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

I'd consider Littleton. Certainly full choices within the budget, just next to 495/2, a very pleasant and coherent neighborhood with good schools, conservation land, walking areas, a fine supermarket, quick access to other shopping a few miles away in Westford. I lived there for 27 years (no family) and heartily recommend it to OP.

Why would they live that far out of the way? They want to be on the I 90 corridor (where there are plenty of options as have already been discussed), not on Rte. 2.

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by Lampert

What are the limited local options? There are plenty of stores and restaurants in the area. If you really want to go to the Natick Mall you can drive to Natick and be there in half an hour (or less on weekends).
Commuting from Newton to Springfield long term is hard. You can't just sit on a train and work/read a book, you have to drive..3 hrs a day, without taking into account traffic or harsh weather.

Aside from the mall, route 9 between Framingham and Brookline is littered with restaurants, grocery stores, and amenities. I know that there is a lot along route 9 west, as well. I made mention of the Lifetime gym, which is really child care, a gym, and a summertime pool/bar membership in one. There is one on the Natick/Framingham border, and another in Newton. For a family with young kids, who are sports enthusiasts, this is a widely used local hang out.

Though I agree Worcester is a great option for dining on a weekend, so is Newton. And Brookline. And Wellesley. Waltham is another. And the ability to hop on the train and be in Boston in 30 minutes make it infinitely better for a family looking to get out and explore.

You can't dismiss Natick's position to Boston, to 95, and all of the options/conveniences in Eastern MA that equates to.

As for the last part, regarding commute, it's a tricky situation no matter what. Shrewbury to Boston is brutal, and i'd take the outbound commute from Natick to Springfield over the inbound from Shrewsbury to Boston.

EDIT: I also find that, as an outsider, it's easier to meet folks in a town with an active core, and a commuter stop in that core. There just a difference- whether the space is used for a parade, a craft beer festival, live music, or meeting people at the train stop every day. Natick also has a very active arts/theatre program, with a beautiful facility (The Center for Arts) in it's core. Lastly, and I can't speak to Shrewsbury's, but Natick has a super active Parks and Recreation program.. Again, nice to have when relocating.

[gf2020]

Originally Posted by Shrewsburried

Anyone suggesting Natick over Westborough/Shrewsbury is inherently "inner belt" biased.

I grew up in Westborough, no one would ever consider Natick "inner belt". My first recommendation was Hopkinton but Natick is a good choice as well. You're talking about a drive time difference of 10 minutes on the Mass Pike. There is nothing wrong with Shrewsbury but with a budget up to a million they might consider other communities.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by Shrewsburried

Anyone suggesting Natick over Westborough/Shrewsbury is inherently "inner belt" biased.

All of the amenities OP is requesting can be found in Shrewsbury/Westborough and her husbands Springfield commute will be significantly more tolerable while maintaining good Boston access via rail. Shrewsbury's value is this very scenario - it's why the town is full of dual office and teaching physicians, regional sales reps, med device reps, etc.

Edit: To clarify, choosing, say, Natick over Shrewsbury nets zero gains in school quality, zero gains in tax burden, significantly less house per dollar ... all for questionable improvements in average commute or resale. No thanks.

I fully admit to having an "inner belt" bias. I've said as much in many posts, and when someone asks for suggestions, I respond with caveats regarding how important easy access to Boston/city life is to the poster. In some cases, the poster doesn't care at all about the city, and may even seek to actively avoid it whenever possible. For those types of people, I would not recommend Newton, unless they worked in Boston and commute was priority #1.

In this instance, it seemed like OP's tastes ran more toward what inner belt suburbs offer.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by mwj119

In Shrewsbury, your options are that much more limited if not less intriguing and diverse. Worcester is close, but I'm not sure how often a family would go to Worcester vs. Newton.

Something like this would be ideal - "In town location"- 2600 sq ft, .75 acres, taxes only $10k (due to all of the commercial activity in Natick, probably 30%+ lower than the same priced house in Shrewsbury)
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...5-05494#photo0

If you want more house, more space, more state roads and sub developments, place like Hopkinton and Shrewsbury will work just fine. But the commute to Boston is a nightmare, and again, local options are limited.

EDIT: The one thing about Natick I don't like, is the neighborhood aesthetic. For the money, it doesn't look or feel that nice, specifically around the core.. Many streets look relatively unkempt, some with sidewalks, some without, some with nice lawns, others with growth everywhere. You will see a notable difference in, say, Southborough's residential areas vs. Natick's. Bothers some, doesn't bother others.

Shrewsbury's tax rate is a dollar cheaper per thou ($12.XX vs $13.XX; both are cheap thanks to heavy retail/commercial), so suggesting the tax burden is 30% less is objectively false. Additionally, one must factor Natick's higher per sqft valuation and private utilities (Shrewsbury has very affordable utilities).

In regards to amenities, that's an opinion I'll disagree with. Shrewsbury has all the critical wants - multiple grocers including a Whole Foods and Trader Joes, an array of food options + quick access to Worcester's hyper-diverse restaurant scene, gyms and town rec programs, excellent wine inventories through local retailers, UMass Med nearby for specialty needs, etc. To suggest the amenities are lesser is bit of a "hair splitting" exercise - Shrewsbury is not a low density non-commercial/retail 495 town (i.e., Bolton).

I don't have financial stake in either town, so this is just my opinion having lived/worked in both.

[CJSR10]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Dont we all. lol.

. also a 859k home in MA would be about 10-12k in property taxes.

I have to tell you that would be a DREAM. The $27K we pay in taxes does not even get us garbage pickup! The schools in our district are considered mediocre from a ratings perspective and immediately neighboring towns so while it's sustainable it seems silly and if we have this opportunity to relocate, we're all in.