North Reading today - the good and the bad (Lowell: middle schools, college)

[camis1980]

Originally Posted by cb2008

Congratulations! That's a big deal in this market.

I often shop in North Reading at Stop & Shop there as it is bigger than in Andover. I also go to the Walmart and TJ Maxx and other stores.

Thank you! So everybody tells me, I cannot really tell as this was the first house we bidded for - and probably because it was off the "beaten path" (and that it was listed with a 10%/ year mark up from the purchase price...) there were few contenders but not 10-20 like I've heard other properties have.
I feel good with the decision , as I had stopped sleeping at night, the stress of not having a solid roof over our heads had become unbearable... (I still open zillow and redfin over my morning coffee to check Andover listings, but I no longer refresh them every 5 minutes like a maniac...it was really not healthy... ).
I will see you around, I guess , come summer ... Thank you for the chat, it was helpful.

[cb2008]

Originally Posted by camis1980

Thank you! So everybody tells me, I cannot really tell as this was the first house we bidded for - and probably because it was off the "beaten path" (and that it was listed with a 10%/ year mark up from the purchase price...) there were few contenders but not 10-20 like I've heard other properties have.
I feel good with the decision , as I had stopped sleeping at night, the stress of not having a solid roof over our heads had become unbearable... (I still open zillow and redfin over my morning coffee to check Andover listings, but I no longer refresh them every 5 minutes like a maniac...it was really not healthy... ).
I will see you around, I guess , come summer ... Thank you for the chat, it was helpful.

All the best to you. Hope it passes inspection.

[Shizim]

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

Speaking of north shore suburbs, how’s Wakefield? Seems to be quite a bit cheaper than the nearby non-lynns.

is it though? historically it was, but I would say its within a stones throw of Reading and Lynnfield. Especially when you get into the newer builds and cul de sacs. I would note that the lots tend to be alot smaller than lynnfield and Reading (north of the center).

Its a 10 minute drive down main st from Oak Grove so thats a big plus. But they have built a ton of new apartments/condos. Kind of an eyesore (not because they are apartments per se, but where they put them and the scale compared to the neighborhood).

[Dadschum]

I don't think Wakefield is high class enough for the OP. Nice town but a bit too down market for someone who wants the "je ne sai quo" that Phillips Academy casts over Andover. Remember, she has mentioned zip code several times and she is compromising on zip code by going to North Reading but still plans to buy in Andover if the PERFECT house shows up 3 months after she moves the couches and beds into the North Reading homestead. Not sure I will be running into her in the North Reading Walmart either.

[Shizim]

Originally Posted by Dadschum

I don't think Wakefield is high class enough for the OP. Nice town but a bit too down market for someone who wants the "je ne sai quo" that Phillips Academy casts over Andover. Remember, she has mentioned zip code several times and she is compromising on zip code by going to North Reading but still plans to buy in Andover if the PERFECT house shows up 3 months after she moves the couches and beds into the North Reading homestead. Not sure I will be running into her in the North Reading Walmart either.

Lol....you likely won't be.

N. Reading isn't even in the same sphere as Andover in terms of reputation, etc. Andover is closer to Winchester than N.Reading is to Andover.

I could be wrong, but I feel like people really just started giving it a look once they got priced out of Reading proper. And that drove the huge price growth over the last few years.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by Shizim

Lol....you likely won't be.

N. Reading isn't even in the same sphere as Andover in terms of reputation, etc. Andover is closer to Winchester than N.Reading is to Andover.

I could be wrong, but I feel like people really just started giving it a look once they got priced out of Reading proper. And that drove the huge price growth over the last few years.

The demographics of North Reading have changed considerably as housing prices soared. When I was eating Big Pacs for lunch at McWong's on Route 28 near the Andover line in the mid-1980s, North Reading was a working class town with little starter houses. Pretty much anyone who has bought in the last 20 years has been white collar. The retirees are likely former working class with pensions.



A Big Pac was incredibly unhealthy but tasty. Teryaki beef, BBQ pork strips, and chicken fingers with hoisin sauce in a Syrian pocket topped with some shredded lettuce.



After they closed in ~ 1986, I don't think I set foot in North Reading.

[johngolf]

I remember McWong's when I moved to Andover in the early 80's. I lived in Farrwood so McWong's was very close. Got takeout form their quite often. I knew two brothers that in the 90's built about 10 houses off of Gould Rd. Development was in North Reading, one street over from Forest Drive which was in Andover. They told me had the houses been 100 yards away in Andover, they could have easily gotten 25% more for them. Has that changed?

[Dadschum]

this one popped up in Andover. 4000 sq ft and has the pool

https://www.redfin.com/MA/Andover/31...5fbnVtYmVyPTA=

[gf2020]

Originally Posted by Dadschum

this one popped up in Andover.

I'm pretty sure she's going for this one in North Reading:

https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...4_M45877-02675

[Massmailinator]

Wow, longest thread on North Reading here ever! I was expecting negativity! So full disclosure I live here and own properties across town.

Not sure what was meant about the comment with "Water Problems", I have never run out of water, nor had any water problems in the past, yes there have maybe been people told not to water their grass every day and only every other day to conserve, but I can always shower, do the laundry and wash dishes and drink

Basically Andover wanted a LOT more money for their water when an old contract expired (North Reading had a hybrid, pumped from Ispwich and purchase the rest from Andover), that they get from Lawrence's water district, so North Reading said ********* and was going to connect to the MWRA in Reading, bought the land for a pump station and then Andover Freaked out and cut their offer by a huge margin, and North Reading signed another multi year contract to get water from Andover after that.

I am not sure why people are so worried about septic systems? I have ones that are over 30 years old and Title V certified. You technically cant throw anything down a toilet for a town with sewerage that you cant do with a septic system.

The sewerage lines are I guess more tolerant to someone dumping grease, condoms, wipes etc, but still cause clogs usually in the house plumbing before the septic. Septic also has filters to protect the field.

I guess the cont of septic is the space that is set aside and some don't blend it as well into the landscape or cant due to high water tables, etc.

The true town center is the High School/Middle School and the LD Batch-elder with a library, old town hall Elder Center, etc. Yes, not much retail, and not much food, again because of the septic system situation, you need space for a commercial system, so that is the down side, that wont change anytime soon, but there are plans to get septic down Concord and Route 28. That will be a game changer, as in main street/concord will probably turn into more of a strip mall than it is already

Sidewalks. Not many.

Taxes, on the high side per 1,000 of valuation, but this is only high if you compare to towns were the median price is well below 400k, for towns with median price of 700k+ this is about the same. In otherwords if you are on a tight budget, North Reading is no longer for you

Schools keep improving https://patch.com/massachusetts/acro...s-k-8-u-s-news

US News (Per Patch) says the LD Batchelder is 11th in the state for Elementary schools

1 Martha Jones, Westwood
2 Horace Mann, Melrose
3 Albert S. Woodward Memorial School, Southborough
4 Spring Street, Shrewsbury
5 Mary Lee Burbank, Belmont
6 Vinson-Owen Elementary, Winchester
7 Chickering, Dover
8 Ambrose Elementary, Winchester
9 Deerfield School, Westwood
10 Benjamin G Brown, Somerville
11 L D Batchelder, North Reading

Prices for lower 3rd of market, when you can find them are still low (under 400k) but are not starting to be 50/50 for either being sold as a starter home or torn down.