Dream Boston home, where would you live? (Brookline, Salisbury: house, buying)

[trevor0101]

Beacon Hill, if not somewhere in Brookline.

[Jacconn]

https://www.redfin.com/MA/Winchester...m_content=link

Easily the best house I’ve ever seen for sale in Winchester. Old charm, fully renovated interior, 3/4 acre lot walking to town/train? Yes, please!

[chicagoliz]

Limited to those four, I'd probably pick the Cambridge one -- nice walkability, desirable area. (Although years ago, I had my car stolen in that area and the police first said I probably just forgot where I parked it, then said that lots of cars were stolen and my Toyota Camry was a likely target because the high school used Toyotas to teach car repair. That didn't really impress me.)

Second choice would be Beacon Hill.

If, for some reason, I really wanted to have a suburban location, I'd take the Winchester house.

But, if I had $3 million to spend, I wouldn't pick any of those houses, as I'd pick one in Brookline.

[yellowstatus]

Thanks for a bunch of fascinating perspectives! I'm really surprised at the number of suggestions about Brookline. I always thought of it having a similar character as the Agassiz or Cambridgeport area of Cambridge.

1. Could you educate me on what is especially attractive about Brookline compared to Cambridge? I know it's an upscale area, but have not spent much time there.

2. Where would you live with a $3M budget and worked in Harvard Square? My 4 examples were simply the areas at that price point that I'm familiar with.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by yellowstatus

Thanks for a bunch of fascinating perspectives! I'm really surprised at the number of suggestions about Brookline. I always thought of it having a similar character as the Agassiz or Cambridgeport area of Cambridge.

1. Could you educate me on what is especially attractive about Brookline compared to Cambridge? I know it's an upscale area, but have not spent much time there.

2. Where would you live with a $3M budget and worked in Harvard Square? My 4 examples were simply the areas at that price point that I'm familiar with.

Brookline has better schools than Cambridge, also generally cleaner. Less crime. Although, I figure anybody with a $3M budget can afford the best private schools in the area so maybe the school thing isn't so much a factor (if they're not SPED or other unique needs)?

[chicagoliz]

I like Brookline because you have the very easy accessibility to the city and to Cambridge without the crowds of students you see in Harvard Square, along with excellent schools. I lived in Brookline, not too far from Coolidge Corner, when I was a law student. We went to Harvard Square and Cambridge all the time. While there are students in Brookline, it's not like it is in Cambridge, and at least when I was there, there weren't very many undergrad students, but the students who were there were graduate students. Lots of families and non-students, too. I really liked living in Brookline, and if we could have afforded Brookline when we moved back to Boston (many years later), we would have bought a house there. I toyed with the idea of sucking it up and moving into a condo in order to be in Brookline, but with 2 kids, a dog, and living in a very large house in the suburbs for 13 years and accumulating a ton of crap that I wasn't quite prepared to get rid of, I decided that probably wasn't going to work well for our family.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by id77

The second Brookline house is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Brookline (and have looked at houses there before). It's not a great commute to Harvard Square, though, as you're either taking buses or switching green to red at Park St/DTX.

That house is almost the perfect distance for me to walk. The lack of viable alternatives would mean I stuck to it. I know it’s too far for most people, but the OP was asking what we wanted.

Realistically, though, anyone who can afford $3m is going to have access to parking.

[robr2]

I personally like the Cambridge unit the best but the Winchester house with the Lexington interior would be nice.

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...8_M40235-70838

In reality, I'd probably buy this $1.6 million condo near Harvard and spend the rest on a house somewhere near the ocean for the weekends.

[id77]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

That house is almost the perfect distance for me to walk. The lack of viable alternatives would mean I stuck to it. I know it’s too far for most people, but the OP was asking what we wanted.

Realistically, though, anyone who can afford $3m is going to have access to parking.

Access to parking is one thing, but desire to use it is another. That's why walkability and walk scores are a big factor in desirability and cost around here.

I know many people in that price range who live in Brookline or inner Boston and one of their 'likes' for living in those areas is that they don't have to drive much. They can get 50% more house south of Route 9 in Brookline, and the #1 reason that's the case is because it puts the Green Line further away. Houses in Salisbury/Corey Farm, Coolidge, and other urban-yet-quiet areas are as expensive as they are because they're close (but not too close) to mass transit.

[id77]

Originally Posted by yellowstatus

Thanks for a bunch of fascinating perspectives! I'm really surprised at the number of suggestions about Brookline. I always thought of it having a similar character as the Agassiz or Cambridgeport area of Cambridge.

1. Could you educate me on what is especially attractive about Brookline compared to Cambridge? I know it's an upscale area, but have not spent much time there.

2. Where would you live with a $3M budget and worked in Harvard Square? My 4 examples were simply the areas at that price point that I'm familiar with.

For me:

1. Brookline is more accessible and feels a bit quieter. Getting to Copley and downtown from Brookline is easier. Getting to Fenway and Symphony from Brookline is easier. With Cambridge, the Charles splits you and if it's not off the Red (or you happen to live over in Cambridgeport near the E), you come in on one of the bridges. Brookline also feels just a bit more mature, if I had to pick a word. There's students in both, but Brookline feels a little more grown-up and less touristy. There's also the schools, for those who value such things.

2. Personally, I'd probably do Back Bay and walk up Mass Ave to work (or take the #1 on crappy days). I'm also not married to a SFH and you can land a comfortable condo in BB at that price point.