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Old 07-27-2008, 02:27 PM
 
2 posts, read 16,684 times
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Hi,
We're transferring from the friendly south, have narrowed our home search to Medfield and Sudbury. Both seem to have top notch schools (important). Wondering if anybody wants to weigh in on how open and welcoming each might be? Medfield seems easy small town (too small?) and Sudbury seems more upscale (snobby?). Also, shopping and recreation, ie Target, Grocery, movie theaters - is one better or more convenient? Any thoughts and/or anecdotes would be most appreciated.
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Old 07-29-2008, 12:18 AM
 
Location: Metrowest, MA
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The biggest Shopping area is Natick/Framingham mall in the South for Sudbury. Marlborough to the West. Acton to the North. Waltham to the East.

For Medfield... Natick/Farmingham to the North. Dedham to the East. Wrenthem outlet mall /Franklin to the South.

All of those areas are about 10 miles away. I think you'll find you need about 15-20 minutes to get on a major highway. Hence, if you want to go anywhere... you'll need to add that extra time.

As to snooty... some may say Medfield is just as snooty... there will always be some snooty people some where... but if you can move into the neighborhood, I'm sure you're find most of them nice and welcoming.

Sudbury has more people... 18k but 24 sq miles Medfield 12k with 14sq miles making Medfield with higher density.

My only advice is go look... rent for a few months and see for yourself.
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Old 07-29-2008, 12:49 AM
 
Location: Cambridge, MA
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Sudbury has more retail businesses within its town limits than Medfield does, but where grocery shopping is concerned I think Whole Foods is the best they have to offer in terms of a large-scale supermarket. I believe one of the relatively cheaper chain stores, Shaw's, has a location nearby (Wayland? Marlborough?) The town also borders Framingham and Natick, which house what's now called the Natick Collection (puh-leez, a mall's a mall) and the former Shopper's World and strip malls galore. All kinds of restaurants, from Ken's Steak House to a "Japanese" buffet, line Route 9. One of the region's largest cineplexes is in Framingham too. Medfield is farther removed from any similar range of shopping options.

Sudbury is the more "established" of the two suburban towns. There's a tangible degree of preppie snobbery there, but its northern section is a former farming area and retains a down-to-earth (so to speak) flavor. It's part of a regionalized school system with wealthier, and correspondingly snootier, Lincoln. Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School is one of the best producers of prestigious-college attenders in the state; Weston outranks it, and Acton-Boxborough, Concord-Carlisle and perhaps Wayland are on roughly equal footing. There is a fair-sized population of Metco students, "minority" kids at all grade levels whose parents live in Boston and enroll them in a lottery-based voluntary busing program. The presence of these pupils lends "diversity" to a district that would otherwise be all White but for some Asians and Asian-Americans.

Medfield may have "good" schools, but L-S goes them at least one better. In my eyes it's largely a small old village which has become dwarfed by subdivisions of big boxy Colonial houses. Kids count the days until they can clear out of there - its remoteness from any public transportation, and lack of recreational outlets beyond ballfields, makes for a boring "scene." (Naturally, parents love it for that very reason, LOL!) To its credit, however, Medfield has less of a snob factor than Sudbury. Mainly this is due to the large proportion of transplanted citizens, but also the average income level is lower - more toward the "middle" of middle-class - than Sudbury.

Having been raised in the Midwest by parents from the South, I need to warn you of one of the culture shocks which lies in wait. Folks are not temperamentally inclined toward being outwardly warm and neighborly up this way. You'll mainly be ignored, or shot suspicious glances, if you greet a stranger on the street with a smile and friendly words. People will return your cordial overtures, however, if you're weeding your yard or washing your car at the time you encounter them. Your family and you will make good and lasting friends over time, it just takes the average New Englander longer to warm to you. BTW dropping by someone's house unannounced is a major faux pas. I once decided to visit the home of a buddy, transplanted from Utah, on the spur of the moment while in his neighborhood at the time an NFL game was about to start. He greeted me with far more elation than seemed necessary under the circumstances, lol. Then he went on to explain, "I love having friends just stop by, that's how everybody is in Utah, what's wrong with Massachusetts that makes people feel like they effin have to call a week in advance before they do anything?!" Couldn't've said it better.

Yes, it takes getting used to.
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Old 07-29-2008, 01:43 AM
 
Location: Metrowest, MA
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As to supermarket... Sudbury has Shaws and Sudbury Farm (Roche Bros). Sudbury Farm is the only supermarket I know where a clerk will push the cart out to your car for you after they bag them and load them into your car. Then... take the shopping cart back into the store so your car will not be scratched. Very convenient when you have small kids... There are plenty of already made food... cooked or bring home and heat. Even a butcher to ask about your cut of meat.

Wayland.. the town next door has Donelan and Whole food.

Medfield has Shaws... Nearby towns has Roche Bros, Super Stop & Shop, Hannaford.

When I say Natick Framingham being the biggest... I do not mean sq footage... but $$ per sq ft sales. Sales $$ is highest in the state. Neiman Marcus.. Nordstrom... LV... just opened in Natick Collection. If one goes to Best buy... you never find popular stuff... popular things fly off the shelves..
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Old 07-29-2008, 12:01 PM
 
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I have to agree with the comment about dropping by unannounced. We've lived here for 11 years and that was one of the toughest things to get used to. Count on the fact that kids will not drop by and ring your doorbell looking for your kids to play, either--it does happen but it's not done to the degree we experienced in previous places we've lived.

We almost bought in Sudbury but wound up getting a bit more house for the money in Medfield but that was over 10 years ago--right before the MCAS rankings were released ranking MHS as #1 (and it's stayed in the top 10 since then). Not sure how you'd fare today. The real estate market in both towns has softened just like everywhere else, but because the school systems in both towns are solid and they remain highly desirable places to live, prices have not dropped to the extent they've dropped elsewhere. In other words, don't be looking for bargains in Medfield or Sudbury--there aren't any!

Renting is always a great idea to get a feel for a town but there are certain problems inherent here that you won't find elsewhere. 1. Rentals in both towns are scarce. 2. If you rent in one town and then decide to move to another, you have to pull your kids out of the schools and enroll them in an entirely new school system. Of course, if you rent say, in Sudbury and then find you like living there and find a house to buy, you will ble in the same school district but not necessarily the same school (except if your child is in high school; there's only one HS). Medfield has one elementary, one middle and one high school so whereever you live in town, you go to the same school. It's odd if you live closer to, say Dover-Sherborn HS (as we do) but your kids go to Medfield HS! But that's the way it works.

As far as the snooty factor: Can't speak for Sudbury, though our kids' pediatrician lives there and he seems like a great guy... But Medfield definitely has 'the element'. There are newcomers clubs in both towns and that does help break the ice. Also, both towns have huge parental involvement in the schools and by getting on various fundraising and other volunteer communities, you can meet people.

Don't know if your kids play sports. L-S is Div 1 or 1A, I think and MHS is Div 3. That might make a difference to you, depending on what you want. As far as where the kids go to college, MHS is extremely competitive with about 10% of the kids heading to Ivys/sub-Ivys.

DM me if you want more specific information but I hope this helped.
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Old 07-29-2008, 08:00 PM
 
Location: Metrowest, MA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by findingmesomeday View Post
I have to agree with the comment about dropping by unannounced. We've lived here for 11 years and that was one of the toughest things to get used to. Count on the fact that kids will not drop by and ring your doorbell looking for your kids to play, either--it does happen but it's not done to the degree we experienced in previous places we've lived.
In ma, most neighborhoods are not design to foster as a neighborhood... they're just a road with houses. They are design to keep everyone away... look at the distance between the road and house... distance between houses... big lawns... gates... bushes...

Let the fingers do the walking... to figure out if your neighbor is even home.
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Old 07-29-2008, 08:14 PM
 
Location: Massachusetts & Hilton Head, SC
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I have a different take on this. It's fine for kids to knock and ask if your child is available to play, but as far as adults just dropping by with no warning, that is considered to be rude.
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Old 07-29-2008, 09:12 PM
 
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Default Thanks for the info!

Thanks all for the info! This is a great discussion board, and I appreciate you weighing in. You all certainly know your stuff. Was wondering if one would be 'snooty', more than the other, but they seem pretty comparable. Guess it's just which town suits you better. As to the 'dropping by' thing - well, I wonder if that's more of a regional thing, or vestige of a less hectic era. Doesn't bother me, especally when a ball game's on.
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Old 07-30-2008, 03:06 PM
 
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"The real estate market in both towns has softened just like everywhere else, but because the school systems in both towns are solid and they remain highly desirable places to live, prices have not dropped to the extent they've dropped elsewhere. In other words, don't be looking for bargains in Medfield or Sudbury--there aren't any!"

I'm going to have to disagree with you on that. It is widely accepted that the 'burbs further from 128 have not been doing well lately. This includes the wealthier burbs like Sudbury and Medfield. Example: Year to date home prices are down 15% in Medfield and 21% in Sudbury compared to 2007: Home sales and median prices for Massachusetts, June 2007-08 - Boston.com

Sudbury median home price dropped from $695,000 to $549,350, that seems like a big drop to me.

The inner burbs with access to public transit, such as Newton, Lexington, Belmont, Winchester, Arlington, etc. have fared much better.
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Old 07-30-2008, 04:15 PM
 
Location: Metrowest, MA
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I went into Bloomingdales... they had sheets 80% off... great bargain... unfortunately it still cost $200 after discount. Also, Is it a bargain if you get something no one wants?

That number can be deceiving as it may not indicate selling price drop but the kind of house being sold. Low end of a good town always have no problem selling. When you get into $800+K, it become a choice if people want to live in the country with large lots or closer to the city. With gas and heat oil price, everyone wants to live closer to the city like Newton, Brookline, ... where there are public transportation.
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