Newburyport or Manchester/Essex (Merrimac: condo, buying, to move)

[averagestudent]

Originally Posted by mwj119

It seems to me, based on the folks I know who live there, a lot of families live in the northwest reaches of downtown, like the neighborhoods that sit off of Ferry Rd/113. Newer homes, less expensive for SFH, more car centric.

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

If you want old-timey charm, a compact neighborhood, and to be the closest to attractions, you live east of Low St, in the neighborhoods referred to as the North End or the South End, which is relative to State St/Market Square, as near as I can tell. If you want more of a yard, a newer house, and a garage, you'll (generally) live west of I-95, in the streets near Turkey Hill Road.

Thanks, this is all very helpful. Driving around we think we like the High Street Neighborhood, but don’t really know what we don’t know about Newburyport neighborhoods at this point.

Of course, what we’d like is a mix of all these things. Haha, who doesn’t, right? We know we do NOT want one of the new subdivision developments just east of 95 (Duffy Dr.). A house with some character but that has been upgraded would be our initial focus. The yard doesn’t need to be large, but more than a patio or garden for sure. A garage may be negotiable, but would be very nice (single car probably fine). We don’t need to be right in town, but some walkability would be nice.

As we look more in the area, I’m sure I’ll be back here with more questions.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by averagestudent

Thanks, this is all very helpful. Driving around we think we like the High Street Neighborhood, but don’t really know what we don’t know about Newburyport neighborhoods at this point.

Of course, what we’d like is a mix of all these things. Haha, who doesn’t, right? We know we do NOT want one of the new subdivision developments just east of 95 (Duffy Dr.). A house with some character but that has been upgraded would be our initial focus. The yard doesn’t need to be large, but more than a patio or garden for sure. A garage may be negotiable, but would be very nice (single car probably fine). We don’t need to be right in town, but some walkability would be nice.

As we look more in the area, I’m sure I’ll be back here with more questions.

There are some new houses going up just east of I-95. I looked there when they were just putting the streets in, and the trouble was, you could hear traffic on I-95... distant yes, but not distant enough. When I say near Maudslay, I mean primarily the houses on Daniel Lucy Way and Curzon Mill Road. Other than wilderness parks, Maudslay State Park is about as nice as parks get in my book, and that area is also fairly quiet re traffic, so it's a nice hood, and doubly so if you like parks.

Certainly there are some homes even in the historical district that have garages, either attached or detached, it's just not most of them. If they don't already have a garage though, the typical lot in the historical district is small enough that setback requirements would prevent you from adding one, unless you could somehow wrangle a variance from the zoning board.

If you're going to be looking at the neighborhoods around Turkey Hill Road, you could also check out parts of Newbury. Some of the streets there are very nice, and it's close to Newburyport, Joppa Flats and Plum Island National Wildlife Refuge. If you like the historic district in Newburyport (as I do), some of the streets in Newbury are actually closer geographically and more similar in character there, than out by Turkey Hill Road in Newburyport.

[averagestudent]

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

There are some new houses going up just east of I-95. I looked there when they were just putting the streets in, and the trouble was, you could hear traffic on I-95...

Yes, this would be a deal breaker. Those developments look very cookie cutter as well.

Originally Posted by OutdoorLover

When I say near Maudslay, I mean primarily the houses on Daniel Lucy Way and Curzon Mill Road. Other than wilderness parks, Maudslay State Park is about as nice as parks get in my book, and that area is also fairly quiet re traffic, so it's a nice hood, and doubly so if you like parks.

Having the parks walkable is something we might be very interested in, as we have a dog who likes to romp. We’ll definitely check this area out as well. Thanks!

Schools are a consideration, so I’d have to look into that situation in Newbury. I know nothing of their system.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by averagestudent

Yes, this would be a deal breaker. Those developments look very cookie cutter as well.



Having the parks walkable is something we might be very interested in, as we have a dog who likes to romp. We’ll definitely check this area out as well. Thanks!

Schools are a consideration, so I’d have to look into that situation in Newbury. I know nothing of their system.

I can't comment on schools or I would have already done so. I am divorced and my ex lives in the Nashville burbs with my son. From what I have heard anyway, I think that both Newburyport and Newbury schools are decent - no reason for concern, but are not leading schools for Mass. I don't think Newbury has its own high school.

[averagestudent]

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...hares_core_ldp

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...hares_core_ldp

Here area few recently sold properties that would interest us both in terms of the homes themselves and the locations. Of course they are both priced several hundred thousand dollars over our ideal budget. However, it is good to know that things we would be happy with exist in the recent Newburyport market. It seems as if we were going to make a killing on our current home so we will have flexibility budgetwise if we want it. I am hoping to take some of the money and invest it in other places though. I don’t need a primary residence making up too much of my net worth.

What say you about these homes and locations? I am hoping they’re the type of places I can hand to a realtor and say find me some thing like this when it comes on the market.

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by averagestudent

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...hares_core_ldp

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...hares_core_ldp

Here area few recently sold properties that would interest us both in terms of the homes themselves and the locations. Of course they are both priced several hundred thousand dollars over our ideal budget. However, it is good to know that things we would be happy with exist in the recent Newburyport market. It seems as if we were going to make a killing on our current home so we will have flexibility budgetwise if we want it. I am hoping to take some of the money and invest it in other places though. I don’t need a primary residence making up too much of my net worth.

What say you about these homes and locations? I am hoping they’re the type of places I can hand to a realtor and say find me some thing like this when it comes on the market.

So, Newburyport really doesn't have what I'd call a "bad neighborhood" anywhere these days. But certain areas have their own advantages.

High Street is a beautiful street with many of the finest older homes. I wouldn't mind to live on it at all. The proximity of that place there to Market Square shops, eateries and the boardwalk is nice if you want to go downtown, you can walk. A disadvantage these days of High Street is that it gets a lot of traffic. Ideally, I'd still prefer to live on one of the smaller streets off High St (as I do).

Plummer Street is a nice street, tucked away a little bit and close to Atkinson Common, which is a pleasant little in-town park.

Big picture, I'd say most of the streets I like best are between Merrimac St (later renamed Water St) along the river to the north and High St to the south, and between Plummer Street to the west and Rolfe's Lane to the east, which is out in Newbury... that rectangle. If you like hustle and bustle and being close to the action, you should try to live closer to the "highlights" for visitors, which would be the Market Square/boardwalk region within the rectangle. If you like it quieter, you should pick a neighborhood within that rectangle that's a little further away... that's where I live now. Some of the bigger, broader streets have some of the nicest old homes, but broader streets also invite traffic from people who are "just passing through" and using them as a thoroughfare. So for example when I lived on Kent Street, it was still nice and I liked it, but I didn't like the traffic that was zooming through on (broad) Kent Street from people who didn't live in that neighborhood.

[OutdoorLover]

P.S. and I don't pretend to know all the realtors in the Newburyport area, but one that I know that I think well of is Delores Person. It's been some time now, but I have both bought from her and sold through her. She really knows the area and she is solid as an individual, she's nice, down to earth, and I felt like I could rely on her. She may be a little tough to get these days, as I think she's had a lot of success... I wasn't the only person who liked her :-).

https://www.raveis.com/agent/DoloresPerson/7346

[sal1181]

Newbury, Rowley and Salisbury fall under Triton Regional School district. Newburyport ranks better

[johngolf]

Originally Posted by averagestudent

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...hares_core_ldp

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...hares_core_ldp

Here area few recently sold properties that would interest us both in terms of the homes themselves and the locations. Of course they are both priced several hundred thousand dollars over our ideal budget. However, it is good to know that things we would be happy with exist in the recent Newburyport market. It seems as if we were going to make a killing on our current home so we will have flexibility budgetwise if we want it. I am hoping to take some of the money and invest it in other places though. I don’t need a primary residence making up too much of my net worth.

What say you about these homes and locations? I am hoping they’re the type of places I can hand to a realtor and say find me some thing like this when it comes on the market.

Be dubious about a real estate listing that starts with interior pictures. Skip to the exterior pics first.

[Idontwanttocheckmymessage]

Newburyport resident here. We bought our home on a side street in the South End in 2017 and our youngest daughter is at the high school. We really love the city which is an interesting mix of newcomers and folks who have lived here for generations. The high school is small (<800 students), offers lots of sports and is pretty good academically, though definitely not a powerhouse. We moved from Acton which is a top school district in MA, so probably a pretty extreme comparison. Our daughter made friends here easily and almost immediately. We’ve tended to gravitate towards other newcomers and our neighbors, who are really great! I’d be happy to answer any questions.