Starbucks downtown? (Boston, Quincy, Plymouth: renting, coop, homes)

[katied75]

I have lived in southeastern MA my entire life and am ready for a change. While we have been looking at relocating outside of MA, I will soon be working in College Administration and Massachusetts is really great for that type of career.

So here's a question for all of you: Is there a town in MA that has a fairly walkable downtown, with a starbucks (yes I'm one of those) and maybe even a Whole Foods within driving distance?

And if so, can you buy a smaller home in this community (say 1500 square feet) on a smaller lot (say 1/4 of an acre minimum) for under 400k without needing to spend a ton of money on repairs?

This is a dream right? Does any place like this exist? Especially within 45 minutes of Boston (although this isn't a necessity).

Thanks!

[gf2020]

Sure...

Try Swampscott, Salem & Marblehead to the North; Milton & Quincy to the South.

[redsoxwalking]

Melrose!

[wmass]

Northampton, MA fits your criteria perfectly.
lots of colleges around too - Umass, smith, mt. holyoke, amherst, hampshire - plus springfield area colleges within 30 minutes

Coffee shops in a very walkable vibrant downtown (including starbucks).
Also a natural foods coop in town http://rivervalleymarket.coop/ (Whole Foods a couple miles east in Hadley.)

Much More affordable than boston area. $400K will get you a nice house. It's great out here.




Some Northampton Awards:
“Top 25 Arts Destinations” by American Style Magazine, 2000 - 2009

Common Cause "Campaign for Open Government" E-Government Award 2007, 2008, 2009.
Tree City U.S.A. Designation, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

"Great Cities for the Simple Life," AARP magazine, July 2009

"Healthy Motion Award" from Mass. Executive Office of Health & Human Services and Transportation & Public Works, for commitment to improving bike and pedestrian access, December 2007

"Great Places in America" Award from American Planning Association for Main Street, fall 2007

"Top Adventure Town in Massachusetts," National Geographic Adventure Magazine, September 2007

#1, Best Place for Retirees, reported in the New York Times, May 4, 2007

Commonwealth Capital, top scoring community in the Commonwealth on Smart Growth measures, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

Retailers Association of Massachusetts Award of Excellence for the Best Downtown Shopping District, 2006

"Ten Great Places to Revel in Cinematic Grandeur", the historic Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton, as reported in USA Today, January 2005's review of Cinema Treasures: A New Look At Classic Movie Theaters by Ross Melnick and Andreas Fuchs

"Top 100 Best Places to Live", by CNN Money Magazine, 2005. Northampton ranked number 80 on the list.

"Excellence in Community Development and Affordable Housing" by Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations to Northampton Mayor, Mary Clare Higgins, November 2002

“Great Public Spaces – Main Street, Northampton, MA” by Project for Public Spaces, 2001 and Utne Reader, January 2002

"Outstanding Planning Award for Social Advocacy" by American Planning Association, 2002

“Best Places To Live – Big Small Towns” by Boston Magazine, April 2001

“America’s Great Outside Towns – Dream Towns 2001” by Outside Magazine, September 2001

“A Dozen Distinctive Destinations” by National Trust for Historic Preservation, April 2001,

“100 Best School Districts in the U.S.” by Offspring: The Magazine of Smart Parenting, September/October 2000

“Number One Best Small Arts Town in America” by author John Villani, 2000

“Top 10 Family Friendly Towns” by Parenting Magazine, May 1997

[katied75]

Thanks everybody, I am going to check all of those areas. I'm really interested in Northampton because I've never been but have heard good things. I'll do some investigating over the next few weeks.

[susanewood]

Here's another one: Medway! Starbucks is here, and Whole foods is in the town next door. and
you can purchase what you are looking for for that price! And it's 45 minutes to Boston and to Providence! It also has the (almost) highest tax rate in the state!

[bostonguy1960]

Plymouth will get you nice homes for under 400k. It has a nice downtown with different holiday celebrations. Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are in Hingham and Hanover, respectively (ok, not as close as desired). Plus, you'll have the water nearby (well, not all of the town is near water or downtown, as it's the biggest town in Mass?). It's 35-40 miles from Bos, and near parts of the Cape. Commuter rail to South Station starts in Plymouth (but only a limited schedule vs. adjacent Kingston). Good shopping and eats. Yes, there's a power plant, but did I understand correctly that it will be dismantled in the near future?

Melrose was mentioned, which is a nearby option, as is Quincy with many older bungalows with small yards well under 400k.

[redpanda]

OP--FYI, around here, especially closer to Boston, a 1/4 acre lot is not "a smaller yard"; that's a VAST HUGE YARD. In most of the communities people are suggesting, you'll be hard pressed to find a lot that large, especially not at the price point you're looking at.

A "smaller yard" around here would probably be under 4000 square feet or so.