Which areas in Arlington are good? (Cambridge, Lexington: real estate, apartment, condo)

[NewinMa]

Looking to purchase a house in Arlington--can anybody advise which areas of the town are better and which are not so good? (For example, one side of Mass Ave vs. another, or East Arlington vs. Arlington Heights, or other more detailed local distinctions). Thanks a lot!

[wickedripeplum]

What kind of house are you looking for?

There's not a "bad" part of Arlington, but there are different types of housing. The center has town houses, most of East Arlington is two family house (except right near spy pond). Up near Pierce there are smaller single family homes and larger ones near Dallin.

[NewinMa]

Thanks. We are looking for a single family home.

[TheWereRabbit]

Generally speaking, Arlington Heights is more suburban than East Arlington. I personally don't think it matters what side of Mass av you're on. Arlington is a great town over all, it just depends what you're looking for.

[goyguy]

The multi-/single-family house ratio shifts from about 9:1 in East Arlington to maybe 1:7 in Arlington Heights. Nearly the entire length of Mass. Ave is lined with duplexes, three-families, and mid-rise (more than two, less than ten, story) apartment/condo buildings. From the Cambridge line all the way to Park Ave, the first block or two of most of the side streets also mostly consists of spacious two-family homes. The nicest neighborhoods for freestanding houses are in the areas abutting the town lines of Lexington and Winchester. (The Belmont side, also known - at least on road signs - as Arlmont, has a lot of nice older Colonials and some smaller dwellings but is subject to perpetual highway noise from Route 2.) West of Mass. Ave, the house price tends to be a bit - sometimes a good bit - lower. It's there that you'll find a good number of smaller domiciles, including the shingled or wood-framed Cape Cod house sometimes termed an "Arlington saltbox," along with roomier Tudors and Colonials from around the 1920's and '30s. Toward Winchester is where large homes dating back to the mid-20th-Century predominate: ranch houses with fake-latticed semicircular bay windows, the '60s-'70s version of the Garrison Colonial, etc.
The most well-to-do part of Arlington, aside from along the Winchester border, is west of Mass. Ave and extending northward from Pleasant St. Lovers of Victorians would make that area their first stop when house hunting.
Arlington maintains a small-town vibe even as more restaurants open to take advantage of relaxed liquor-serving laws. (To purchase one's own alcoholic libations, one still has to travel to Cambridge or Lexington - Arlington, Winchester, and Belmont are "dry.") Though some eating places and convenience stores are open well into the night, by and large the town rolls up the sidewalks by 9 PM. Crime is exceptionally low wherever you go, with the biggest threat to the social order being the teenagers who hang around Arlington Center waiting for something to happen. They sometimes get noisy and rowdy but aren't up to any major mischief. It's a scene straight out of every generation.

[TheWereRabbit]

Originally Posted by goyguy

(To purchase one's own alcoholic libations, one still has to travel to Cambridge or Lexington - Arlington, Winchester, and Belmont are "dry.")

Winchester is not a dry town and hasn't been for at least the past 20 years (as far as I know, it never was, but I can say for a fact I have been walking into Winchester Wine and Spirits my whole life). There are now 3 packys in town.

Other than that, excellent post by goyguy.

[holden125]

I grew up largely in Arlington. I agree with much of goyguy's post but I have some quibbles.

Originally Posted by goyguy

The multi-/single-family house ratio shifts from about 9:1 in East Arlington to maybe 1:7 in Arlington Heights. Nearly the entire length of Mass. Ave is lined with duplexes, three-families, and mid-rise (more than two, less than ten, story) apartment/condo buildings. From the Cambridge line all the way to Park Ave, the first block or two of most of the side streets also mostly consists of spacious two-family homes.

This is all spot on. East Arlington is heavy on multi-family houses, but not a bad area by any means. Especially in the Hardy school area, from Mass Av. to Route 2 and Lake St to the Cambridge line, this area has easy access to the red line at Alewife.

Originally Posted by goyguy

The nicest neighborhoods for freestanding houses are in the areas abutting the town lines of Lexington and Winchester. (The Belmont side, also known - at least on road signs - as Arlmont, has a lot of nice older Colonials and some smaller dwellings but is subject to perpetual highway noise from Route 2.)

I'm not sure I agree with this. I'd go with the area between Mass Av. and Route 2, from Pleasant St. to Park Ave, the area goyguy referred to as victorian heaven.

Arlmont is the name the developers gave to a small collection of capes built in the 50's or so; not really the name of the whole area nearer to Belmont.

Originally Posted by goyguy

West of Mass. Ave, the house price tends to be a bit - sometimes a good bit - lower. It's there that you'll find a good number of smaller domiciles, including the shingled or wood-framed Cape Cod house sometimes termed an "Arlington saltbox," along with roomier Tudors and Colonials from around the 1920's and '30s.

I'm a bit confused about which side of Mass. Av. you're referring to. I tend to think of it as north or south of Mass Av. and under that system I think you'll find smaller houses more to the north.

Originally Posted by goyguy

Toward Winchester is where large homes dating back to the mid-20th-Century predominate: ranch houses with fake-latticed semicircular bay windows, the '60s-'70s version of the Garrison Colonial, etc.

Agree, but (and this is a matter of taste) this is the main reason I don't see this as the nicest part of town. There are some very nice blocks near the Mystic Lakes (e.g. Frost St, I think) but this is generally cape and ranch land and to me not all that distinctive or coherent.

[lz1982]

(To purchase one's own alcoholic libations, one still has to travel to Cambridge or Lexington - Arlington, Winchester, and Belmont are "dry.")

Arlington recently got its first liquor store. I think it's on Broadway--saw some reviews for it on Yelp. Still no bars, though.

[CityGirl52]

I'm an outsider looking in and have a few relatives that live in Arlington. One of them lives off of Mass. Ave., in Arlington right near the Stop & Shop. I don't know what area you'd call it, but I'm sure goyguy knows it well! His post was excellent by the way! I can't give him another reputation click though, I gave him one already! In any case, for a good area in Arlington to check out real estate? Check off of Mass. Ave., up on the hill across from the Stop & Shop! When you see this supermarket, you'll know where I mean, there's a street leading right up to this whole area across from it. It's definitely got such beautiful homes up thru there, so check it out, it's ideal & so convenient to be in this part of Arlington.

[MovingForward]

I live in Arlington Heights--or "Victorian Heaven"--great part of Arlington. And if you have kids, the best elementary school in Arlington--Brackett Elementary--is in this neighborhood.