New Bedford / Fall River MA (Boston, Lowell: real estate, apartment, crime)

[rapking of boston]

Why is Fall River and New Bedford MA real estate so low ? I am thinking about buying a home in New Bedford or Fall River, So where are the good and bad area of these two cities ?

[lrfox]

^It's low for a reason. The economy isn't particularly strong in either city. Right now, they're best served as an affordable place to live while you commute to Providence (20-25 minutes away) or Boston (about 50-60 minutes away) for work. Jobs are hard to come by. Like any city in Massachusetts, crime is bad pockets of each city, but there are plenty of decent neighborhoods.

While they're close together (I believe a mere 11 miles apart) and often lumped together as a result, the cities are really quite different. Cities like Lowell, Haverhill, and Lawrence were developed as industrial centers at around the same time and share some significant similarities. While Fall River was developed that way, New Bedford wasn't. New Bedford grew before Fall River as a center for the whaling industry (Moby Dick is based on a NB whaling boat that Herman Melville lived on) and fishing industry. Whaling is long gone and was followed by industry (which is why there are a decent number of factories in town). Now, fishing is the big industry. New Bedford has the highest grossing fishing fleet in the nation (and has had this title for a decade) as well as an emerging high-tech industry field. This bit of history gives New Bedford a REALLY nice historic downtown. One that is very active and has a lot going on (Museums, restaurants, shops, clubs, etc)... you'll find real estate adjacent to downtown NB is not cheap.

Fall River on the other hand grew as textile industry city (similar to Lowell et all). It IS a port city (like New Bedford), but it's primarily an old industrial town. It's downtown area is in rough shape as a highway sliced it in half and another separated it from the waterfront. Fall River has a Brutalist "Government Center" (actually designed by the same guy who did Boston's) and an elevated Central Artery that's set to be taken down and replaced. It has a lot of ugly areas.

Both cities benefit from a rich Portuguese culture. This is reflected in the food (it's great) and many of the events that take place in those cities revolve around this. You also have a good number of Guatemalans, Cambodians, Brazilians and a few other nationalities represented in addition to some strong, working class Irish roots. It's a good mix of ethnicities and there isn't much racial tension.

Right now, I would look at New Bedford before I'd go to Fall River. New Bedford is heading in the right direction, while Fall River seems to be digging deeper into a hole. As far as areas to avoid, there are a few in each city. I would stay AWAY from the United Front area of New Bedford. North Front Street in New Bedford is tough too, as are many of the streets just off of Acushnet Ave right around I-195. Parts of the South End are bad too. The West End, Sassaquin, Far South (around Rodney French Blvd), Far North, Buttonwood Park, Upper Union, Whaling District, and the Country Street Historic District are all plenty nice and safe.

In Fall River, the Highlands (Upper and Lower Highlands) is far and away the best bet to live in the city. My best friend has a beautiful 2 bedroom apartment at June and French streets with views of the River, Mount Hope Bridge, and even the Providence skyline on a clear day. It's a nice area. In Fall River, avoid Flint Village, Sunset Hill, and the bulk of South Fall River near Plymouth Ave. Most of the North End is just fine. There's a small strip of the North End (between President and Langley) that is not so nice, but it's not terrible.

Again, the reason real estate is so cheap is because jobs are hard to find. But New Bedford has a lot more to offer than Fall River in just about every category and it continues to improve. I would look there before I went to Fall River. Do remember, that you get what you pay for. I know there are good values to be had, but before you buy a place, look REAL hard into the neighborhood and the quality of the home. I'd also try to be as close to Downtown as possible and look at the proposed commuter rail stations... locating close to one of the sites where a station is going could be a GREAT value booster for a home you buy. Good luck.

*edit* Forgot to mention... if you have a kid in school or plan to have one soon, Fall River and New Bedford have among the worst public schools in the state. I would weigh that decision carefully. Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Freetown, Somerset and a few other nearby towns offer lower real estate close to NB and Fall River (Freetown shares a border with both cities) but with far better schools.

[rapking of boston]

Originally Posted by lrfox

^It's low for a reason. The economy isn't particularly strong in either city. Right now, they're best served as an affordable place to live while you commute to Providence (20-25 minutes away) or Boston (about 50-60 minutes away) for work. Jobs are hard to come by. Like any city in Massachusetts, crime is bad pockets of each city, but there are plenty of decent neighborhoods.

While they're close together (I believe a mere 11 miles apart) and often lumped together as a result, the cities are really quite different. Cities like Lowell, Haverhill, and Lawrence were developed as industrial centers at around the same time and share some significant similarities. While Fall River was developed that way, New Bedford wasn't. New Bedford grew before Fall River as a center for the whaling industry (Moby Dick is based on a NB whaling boat that Herman Melville lived on) and fishing industry. Whaling is long gone and was followed by industry (which is why there are a decent number of factories in town). Now, fishing is the big industry. New Bedford has the highest grossing fishing fleet in the nation (and has had this title for a decade) as well as an emerging high-tech industry field. This bit of history gives New Bedford a REALLY nice historic downtown. One that is very active and has a lot going on (Museums, restaurants, shops, clubs, etc)... you'll find real estate adjacent to downtown NB is not cheap.

Fall River on the other hand grew as textile industry city (similar to Lowell et all). It IS a port city (like New Bedford), but it's primarily an old industrial town. It's downtown area is in rough shape as a highway sliced it in half and another separated it from the waterfront. Fall River has a Brutalist "Government Center" (actually designed by the same guy who did Boston's) and an elevated Central Artery that's set to be taken down and replaced. It has a lot of ugly areas.

Both cities benefit from a rich Portuguese culture. This is reflected in the food (it's great) and many of the events that take place in those cities revolve around this. You also have a good number of Guatemalans, Cambodians, Brazilians and a few other nationalities represented in addition to some strong, working class Irish roots. It's a good mix of ethnicities and there isn't much racial tension.

Right now, I would look at New Bedford before I'd go to Fall River. New Bedford is heading in the right direction, while Fall River seems to be digging deeper into a hole. As far as areas to avoid, there are a few in each city. I would stay AWAY from the United Front area of New Bedford. North Front Street in New Bedford is tough too, as are many of the streets just off of Acushnet Ave right around I-195. Parts of the South End are bad too. The West End, Sassaquin, Far South (around Rodney French Blvd), Far North, Buttonwood Park, Upper Union, Whaling District, and the Country Street Historic District are all plenty nice and safe.

In Fall River, the Highlands (Upper and Lower Highlands) is far and away the best bet to live in the city. My best friend has a beautiful 2 bedroom apartment at June and French streets with views of the River, Mount Hope Bridge, and even the Providence skyline on a clear day. It's a nice area. In Fall River, avoid Flint Village, Sunset Hill, and the bulk of South Fall River near Plymouth Ave. Most of the North End is just fine. There's a small strip of the North End (between President and Langley) that is not so nice, but it's not terrible.

Again, the reason real estate is so cheap is because jobs are hard to find. But New Bedford has a lot more to offer than Fall River in just about every category and it continues to improve. I would look there before I went to Fall River. Do remember, that you get what you pay for. I know there are good values to be had, but before you buy a place, look REAL hard into the neighborhood and the quality of the home. I'd also try to be as close to Downtown as possible and look at the proposed commuter rail stations... locating close to one of the sites where a station is going could be a GREAT value booster for a home you buy. Good luck.

*edit* Forgot to mention... if you have a kid in school or plan to have one soon, Fall River and New Bedford have among the worst public schools in the state. I would weigh that decision carefully. Fairhaven, Dartmouth, Freetown, Somerset and a few other nearby towns offer lower real estate close to NB and Fall River (Freetown shares a border with both cities) but with far better schools.

Thanks for the Info.