Moving to Boston area from NJ (Cambridge, Newton: home, school, contractors)

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by Tracadero

Do we need to burn our NY Yankees caps before we move?

Nope. My husband and son wear their NY Yankees hats and clothes all the time.

[Tracadero]

Thanks for the opinions. We will also look in to Wayland, Dover, Lincoln and Westwood though the inventory is limited compared to Natick or Acton. I guess that’s simply because of supply and demand.

We are also planning to drive up to the area in October to visit these towns and check out some homes.

[chicagoliz]

If you decide to go a bit smaller or older, you could look in Newton, although there won't be a lot in your price range. I saw this listing, which is in a good neighborhood, not far from one of the high schools.
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-82203?view=qv

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

If you decide to go a bit smaller or older, you could look in Newton, although there won't be a lot in your price range. I saw this listing, which is in a good neighborhood, not far from one of the high schools.
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...-82203?view=qv

I am guiltier than anyone of doing this based on personal bias... But why are we still suggesting Newton!?

OP has specifically said bigger house, big yard, not walkable, no town center, willing to push commute to 60 minutes+.

We moved away from the 95 belt with similar criteria as OP.. We wanted great schools, more house, more yard.

Again, Wayland, Lincoln, Dover, Westwood seem far more on the ball.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by mwj119

I am guiltier than anyone of doing this based on personal bias... But why are we still suggesting Newton!?

OP has specifically said bigger house, big yard, not walkable, no town center, willing to push commute to 60 minutes+.

We moved away from the 95 belt with similar criteria as OP.. We wanted great schools, more house, more yard.

Again, Wayland, Lincoln, Dover, Westwood seem far more on the ball.

Only because Newton is particularly good for commuting to Back Bay and I've seen plenty of posters here end up changing their minds, and determine that after all, they can do a smaller house (or are willing to consider a townhouse or condo or whatever) in order to get closer in. Given that OP's price range is on the edge of what some towns like Newton (or Needham) offer, I'm just suggesting them to throw them into the websearch, since OP is looking in a bunch of different towns. The house i linked meets some of OP's criteria, and I happened to see it earlier, so I threw it out there.

Our last house was one where we were seduced by the larger, newer houses that were further out from the city. I loved the house, but I hated the location and the commute was traumatizing. We vowed never to do that again, as for us it was HUGE mistake.

[G-fused]

Originally Posted by Tracadero

Thanks for the opinions. We will also look in to Wayland, Dover, Lincoln and Westwood though the inventory is limited compared to Natick or Acton. I guess that’s simply because of supply and demand.

We are also planning to drive up to the area in October to visit these towns and check out some homes.

I'm in Sharon. I like it here a lot. Lots of nature (hiking, fishing, ponds), A+ schools, very liberal politically (very), nice lake for recreation, good community but gets ridiculously uppity sometimes. Worst thing about this place is the high taxes. We've been here a little over a year - have a kid in middle school. I commute into the city at least 2x per week now via car. I used to commute in every day by rail pre pandemic. driving typically takes me 45ish minutes because traffic is still light. I leave at 6:30am. I like it here.

[masssachoicetts]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

Nope. My husband and son wear their NY Yankees hats and clothes all the time.

Yeah I saw there for a while alot of Yankees caps (1-5% depending on the town, which is a lot for Boston). I'm sure it's hitting 6-7% in the metro with all the transplants from NYC area. It's not uncommon to see NYY Caps.

I wear my Red Sox cap, Pats jacket and Bruins facemask all over NYC, NJ and nobody bats an eye either. Actually a lot of people down there are fans of our teams. It's 2020, I don't think anyone cares unless they find an opportunity to make a joke. Which then, everybody laughs.

[P Larsen]

There was a considerable NY Yankee fanbase exclave in the Greater Boston and Providence areas in local Italian-American communities since the 1940s.

Because.

DiMaggio. Joe (instead of his brother Dom, who was on the Red Sox)

Otherwise the traditional boundary of the Red Sox Nation extended roughly to Middletown, CT.

But people forget there used to be a National League fanbase in Boston and New England. The Braves/Bees. (My late father, a diehard NL fan, starting with the Braves/Bees, to his dying days in his 90s referred to the American League in recent decades as "fake baseball" and did not want to live to see the NL follow suit.)

[Cambridgeport]

Take a look at Belmont. Prior to Covid, I was driving to work downtown, in 20-25 minutes on Storrow Drive. The schools are outstanding (ranked 9th in the state according to US World News. Belmont also offer a trolley to Harvard Sq or a train to Boston (15 min), there are lots of choices. The yards are smaller but there is usually there is enough space for a grill and swing set. There are many parks, outdoor spaces and small villages in the town to explore. Get in touch with a local Realtor, they will know if something that will work for you is coming on the market. It is very competitive right now. Good Luck!

[MikePRU]

Originally Posted by Tracadero

Thanks for the opinions. We will also look in to Wayland, Dover, Lincoln and Westwood though the inventory is limited compared to Natick or Acton. I guess that’s simply because of supply and demand.

We are also planning to drive up to the area in October to visit these towns and check out some homes.

While nearly all of the Boston area is experiencing incredibly low levels of inventory, less densely populated towns like Wayland, Dover, Lincoln, etc. tend to have even fewer listings because those towns have fewer homes in them.