Speaking of Boston...

[shigidigi]

Since Cellososweet''s thread about moving, it got me thinking more about Boston and the surrounding neighborhoods. I know I started a thread about this over six months ago, but now that my own impending move is getting closer I thought I would ask the PSers because so many of you seem to either live or have lived in the Boston area.

DH and I are trying to narrow the towns down that we are interested before we head out this month to look for apartments. We have also been saving money like crazy in the hopes of purchasing either a small home or nice condo within 6months to a year from now.

So far, many of my coworkers have suggested Salem. I told them I like the idea of a smaller town that still has fun things to do with easy access to work (over by the Court House and the port) either by commuter rail or T. I have been researching Salem and think it could be really fun as long as the witchy history doesnt get old after awhile. We could definitely afford something in Salem with our budget of $300k which is awesome, but that doesnt mean I want to rule out looking at other towns.

I am in my late 20s and DH in his mid 30s, and while we love having tons of restaurants, cafes, shops, etc we dont want a college-like atmosphere. Been there done that. I just want a place where I can walk/bike to food and shops from where I live and not always need the car. We also definitely want to rent in the area we are considering as a possible place to purchase to get a really good feeling for the area. Dont anyone worry- we wont rush into purchasing anything!!

I have seen some cute apartments in Hyde Park but dont know how accessible it is to Downtown on public transportation. I wish I could afford Cambridge or Back Bay, but we need some space and the idea of 700sq ft like we have here in SF just doesnt cut it anymore. DH has too many books to fit in a small space (and our two kitties would kill us if we made them live like we used to in Atlanta!) Does anyone else have an idea of other great towns to check out? Thanks!

 

[diamondfan]

I do not know a lot about Salem except they had the witch trials there in the 1600''s and Halloween there is very all out!

There are many lovely areas in the Boston area. If you are younger and not having kids immediately your needs are a bit different, but I would pay attention to schools and parks etc where you are looking.

 

[luckystar112]

Salem is wonderful. It''s got a really artsy feel about it, and a TON of history. The area has a lot of character. I wouldn''t worry about the "witchy" feel of it, I think that only comes out in full force around Halloween. Salem is THE place to be during Halloween.

I think it''s a nice balance because Boston is right across the bridge. I would love to move there.

 

[neatfreak]

Salem is a fun little community. Depends on whether you can handle the tourists or not though! But I like it there.

 

[shigidigi]

That is a relief that no one has said "uhhh, Salem sucks"

I have been really excited when looking at apartments and condos AND DH''s birthday is on halloween!! I love that time of year and seeing kids dressed up- the whole nine yards really.

I grew up in Florida really close to Disney so the whole tourist thing doesnt bother me as much as it might. Glad to hear that Salem is artsy- sounds like my kind a place!

Has anyone ever taken the ferry into Boston? I know they have the commuter rail but I wonder if the ferry is another option to consider. Hell, I would ride a donkey if it meant I didnt have to drive a car...

 

[shigidigi]

What about places like Jamaica Plain? I hear very mixed things about it- some good and some really awful (things regarding safety).

 

[Kismet]

Arlington is very nice. Very convenient to the T plus has a bunch of nice restaurants. The Minuteman bike trail runs through Arlington too (starts in Cambridge I believe and goes out to Bedford). Down side is that you probably wouldn''t be able to afford a house there for $300,000 although a condo/townhouse would be very doable.

My brother lives in Hyde Park currently (although he is trying to sell) and he does have a nice house/lot. Behind his house is a wide strip of conservation land and then the Milton line so it''s a fairly private lot. I''m not sure how easy it is to bike to things in Hyde Park though. Hyde Park is part of Boston, so if you have or are planning to have children, they''d be going to the Boston public schools if that''s a concern.

 

[mercoledi]

Salem is cool, personally it''s a little witchy for me, but there are shops/cafes and a kick-@ss museum. If you want to be that far out, look into Providence and Gloucester too; they''re on the commuter rail.

Have you looked in Arlington? It''s just north of Boston, near the Redline and friends of ours bought out there in/near your price range a little while ago. It has a cute town center and is right by the reservoir with a bike path, small beach, etc.

Quincy is just south of Boston, also on the Redline, and North Quincy has that neighborhoody feel while still being close to the city.

Also check out Watertown, it''s not on the T but is becoming a mecca for young families who want to own. It''s possible to get god deals in JP still, but be careful about what parts of JP.

In the past we''ve used Metro Realty to find rentals, they are totally not shady at all, very business like, very sincere. The market here creates the habitat for some real sharks...

 

[mercoledi]

This for instance is in a nice part of JP. You'd need a friend in the area or a great agent to ferret out the gems there. Remember, Google maps street view is your friend! If it looks junky and tagged, it probably is!


This one is small, but this is pretty much where I live. It's quiet, safe, the schools are fabulous and the condo fees on this are a steal! It's a beautiful, quiet street.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

I've only lived on the South Shore, but we love going up to the North Shore for clams. I have a friend who lives in Peabody and loves it. It sounds like you don't mind being somewhat far from the city if you're considering Salem...are you set on being on the shore? My favorite city to live in by far is Scituate, which is about 30 miles south of Boston on the shore (Salem is about 30 miles north of Boston on the shore). When we moved to Boston, we lived in a bunch of different towns starting in Duxbury, then we moved to Scituate, then to Hingham and now we're in Quincy...we both work downtown and we basically keep moving up the shore to shorten our commute. Scituate, hands down, was our favorite place to live and now we are looking at buying a house there. Duxbury was way too far (just north of Plymouth), Scituate was still far, but it has this quaint seaside atmosphere--without being stuffy--that I love. Hingham was good, just not as much character. Quincy, where we are now, is by far the MOST convenient, but after living in homes along the shore I'm still adjusting to a more urban feeling. While our commut is SO MUCH EASIER now than it used to be, when we lived in Scituate and Hingham, we commuted by boat, which is a pretty relaxing way to commute in the summer. I believe there is a boat that goes to Peabody as well.

If you do want something closer to the city, but don't want to pay a ton Quincy is a good option, I've also found a couple of good deals in Charlestown and many people who are outpriced by Cambridge go to Somerville. JP is spotty, but there are definitely nice parts (Quincy is the same). I don't know if Brookline might be out of the price range? I wish I knew more about the North Shore, but I haven't lived up there--I do love Gloucester and Newburyport, though!

 

[shigidigi]

Wow you guys are such a wealth of knowledge!! You know, I have tried to ask this question in various Boston forums online and have never gotten near as many helpful responses I get here!

Kismet, I will have to check out Arlington. I have a very close coworker that lives there and he and his wife/kids LOVE it. I would definitely be priced out of homes, but it is still worth considering.

Mercoledi, glad you reminded me of Google Maps- I love using Zillow''s satellite view and I''m sure google would be even more helpful. I keep hearing people talk about Quincy but the responses are always mixed. Not because people dont like it there but it always depends on whether their opinions are coming from their situational perspectives as in kids/no kids, married/single, etc. I should not rule it out though. I wonder how much time I should plan on spending out there trying to figure out a good place to live? I will most likely be going without DH but luckily he trusts my judgement!

NEL, it''s funny that you ask about my wanting to live by the shore. I never thought I cared- I grew up in FL and never EVER went to the beach because I am very pale and always burned. But now I live a mere few blocks from the ocean in SF and crave going there- but probably only because it is always too cold. You always want what you cant have, right?

I think I would enjoy living by the ocean but it is not a requirement. I LOVE seafood though, but I figured around Boston you can find yummy cheap seafood all over (or so I hope!). Tell me more about Scituate. I have never even heard of it!! What types of things are there to do there? Is it anything like Portsmouth, NH? When I think of quaint seaside towns, Portsmouth always comes to mind.

Above all I just want a community atmosphere- nothing too big, that is why I never lived in NY. I like museums, and artsy things but I still want some fun shops and restaurants to go to. The thing is, I dont want to bust any budgets because that is our problem here in SF- I love it but everything is so expensive we never go ANYWHERE and that is really sad to me. Dont get me wrong, I know that the surrounding area of Boston is going to be expensive, but if I can find a great town to live in and we are saving some extra $$ on rent, then we can use that to enjoy life a bit more than we do now.

 

[luckystar112]

I''m interested in hearing about Scituate too!!!!

And Shigidigi, Portsmouth is my idea of a quaint New England town as well. hehe.
And where I grew up too, in Kennebunkport.

 

[SarFarSuperstar]

I''ll weigh in on The Q (Quincy) as I''ve lived here for three years- we actually just bought a house here last June.

It''s a good town- great place to commute from. It''s definitely getting more urban, but that''s not always a bad thing. It''s one of those places that has a huge range of socio-economics- it ranges from working poor to working class to middle class to upper middle class. I don''t think there are any high rollers here, but there are definitely people who are carrying 500k+ mortgages just fine.

It''s a very neighborhood oriented place- if you choose to live in Hough''s Neck you will be surrounded by townies- they are nice, but not always the most welcoming. North Quincy and Wollaston have a lot of young professionals and 30-40s with kids- lots of quaint pockets of good neighborhoods. Hospital Hill is swanky and South Quincy is a little sketchy.

The great thing is that you can live in an actual town and still walk to the T. We live within a ten minute walk to our nearest train station (and from that station it''s only 25 minutes to Park Street at the center of Boston)- and you can find similar situations with the North Quincy, Quincy Center, and Quincy Adam T stops, especially if you are planning on renting first. My first apartment here was $1100 a month for a two bed one bath.

Quincy''s downtown area is trying to revitalize but it''s taking some time, so while there are some amazing restaurants (Fat Cat-mmm...lobster mac and cheese) there are a lot of towns with more going on. We''ve got a great library and local bakeries (Babycakes- a store dedicated to cupcakes!!), and the best hot fudge sundaes ever at Dairy Freeze- guess I''m just living here for the food! But really, it''s a nice place to live.

Other suggestions- Hingham, Newburyport, Arlington, Brookline, Scituate (I''ve heard it''s beautiful, but my old boss used to commute to the city from there and hated the drive). I''ve been to Salem a few times and really enjoyed it. It''s just a quaint typical New England town- it''s insane around Halloween though!!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Luckystar, I didn''t realize you grew up in Kennebunkport...now THAT''s a quaint new england town

Shigidigi, it''s so funny that you guys are moving from SF to Boston--DH and I have been talking about moving to San Fran since we visited 2 years ago. I love it! It''s funny because everybody talks about how it''s the most East Coast city on the West Coast and naturally, it''s our favorite city on the West Coast (though San Diego is fantastic, too). Anyway, you''ll have to let us know how the long trip goes!!! I think it would be a lot of fun to drive cross country, even if it''s in a U-Haul, haha. I

I know what you mean about wanting to be near water, but not really going to the beach. Like San Fran, the water here is pretty cold year-round. I''m not IN the water often, but I find the water relaxing. I like to hear it, see it and smell it. When we lived on the water I would walk our dog on the beach every morning as the sun rose before going to work and I loved starting my day like that. It is cheaper to live west of the city as opposed to the north or south shores, but for me being close to the water is worth it.

As for Scituate, I''m sort of biased because I''m in love. It seems that along the shores there are many very affluent seaside towns, but every so often you can find a pocket where the real estate isn''t sky high. Scituate is still a fishing town and it''s anchored on its North and South sides by two lighthouses. There is a quaint center of town with a small theater, a little candlepin bowling alley, a couple of great seafood restaurants, an ice cream parlor, a local grocery store, hardware store and bakery (that is REALLY yummy). There are several little boutiques as well. Many people have summer homes there, but it has a strong year-round population and the people are so, so nice. They just got a commuter rail, which opened maybe 2 months ago, but you can take a commuter boat into the city as well (from Hingham). You can still get a nice, small waterfront house there for $400k or sometimes less and they also have a few condos and townhouses that are even less.

It has downsides, too: the commute is still rough into the city--I think it''s an hour into South Station on the commuter rail, it also gets hit pretty hard with Nor''easters because the land jets out into the ocean and doesn''t have much protection.

Here is a link to the town:
http://www.town.scituate.ma.us/

I really feel like towns around Boston have their own characters and after you''ve been here for a little wihle, you feel like you fit into a certain town. Salem sounds like a great little town and I really think you should go for it. I think you''ll know within 6 months whether you love it or not...plus, you can check out all of the great neighboring towns and see which one strikes your fancy!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Not to threadjack, but thank you Sar Far for mentioning Fat Cat and and Babycakes, I haven''t tried either, but will be trying them both soon! Maybe tonight, haha!! I am addicted to the sushi at Kagawa in Quincy Center--I have probably tried every sushi place in the city and still think Kagawa is the best...when we move out of Quincy I''ll still drive 30 minutes to go get it, haha.

The sundaes at Dairy Freeze are fantastic! I usually grab an ice cream cone on my way home the dog park (Stoddard''s Neck) and will sometimes pass Dairy Queen to get one at Dairy Freeze.

 

[SarFarSuperstar]

The hot fudge is heavenly!!

Yes, please go to Babycakes and Fat Cat- you will not be sorry. FC''s prices are not more than like Chili''s and it''s SO good. It''s always crowded though- but worth the wait!

And thanks for the tip about Kagawa- we usually go to Beni on Hancock Street, but maybe I''ll branch out now.

**end thread jack**

 

[mercoledi]

Oh wow, my co-worker in N. Q. raves about Kagawa! Guess I better make the trip out to visit!

Also there's a great bakery, M something longish? Crap, now I have to go ask her... Montillios?

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Yes, I've heard fantastic things about Montilio's, but the rumor is that they have new owners or something? I'm not sure, we did a cake tasting there for our wedding last year and Kondeitor Meister in Braintree blew them out of the water, but maybe we just got a bad tasting...

 

[mercoledi]

No, Kondeitor Meister is like one of the best cake places in the country. Montilios just makes good cake. Lucky you!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Haha, I have Kagawa and Kondeiter Meister at least once a week.

 

[Kismet]

Date: 5/29/2008 2:26:05 PM
Author: luckystar112

And where I grew up too, in Kennebunkport.

We were in Kennebunkport for a vacation last summer and we both loved it. But my first thought on driving through town was "OMG, how do the locals *stand* all the tourists?"

 

[Bia]

I am actually born and raised in Manchester-by-the-Sea which is close to the Salem/Peabody area--Manchester is 10 min further up the shore. Mass is a great state but the North Shore is particularly nice because it has a very strong Cape feel to it. It's not trendy like Cape Cod, OR Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, etc but you have beautiful beaches and THE BEST seafood anywhere (except maybe Maine). Salem in particular has a city feel, with its close proximity to Boston, and it is sort of up-and-coming. The Halloween thing is really only prevalent in October...but its a good time, everyone comes out (drag queens and all) and everyone has a blast! Plus the museums are very interesting. One thing I love the most about Mass is the history. You see it everywhere and I think its one thing that us New Englanders share in common and take a huge amount of pride in. That, and well the Red Sox.

I think its a great choice if you want to be close to Boston but far enough out that you get a more "community" feel. Definitely worth a look!

BTW: All these Boston threads are making me ache for home...I want to go back!!!

 

[SarFarSuperstar]

We had a Konditor Meister cake for our wedding- banana cream and lemon citron. The best buttercream frosting in Quincy- This Takes the Cake across from St. Ann''s on Hancock. We get ALL of our birthday cakes there- I''ve got my in-laws hooked!!

And, while we''re on the topic of food, Acapulco''s is the only acceptable Mexican food I''ve found anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon, as a Texan- this is important.

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 5/29/2008 3:53:30 PM
Author: Kismet

Date: 5/29/2008 2:26:05 PM
Author: luckystar112

And where I grew up too, in Kennebunkport.

We were in Kennebunkport for a vacation last summer and we both loved it. But my first thought on driving through town was ''OMG, how do the locals *stand* all the tourists?''

We don''t. hehe.

I won''t lie, I used to hate driving through the port in the summer, with all the bicyclists, children, etc.!

But it wasn''t that bad actually...you just have to avoid the hotspots like George Bush Sr.''s house and dock square.
Kennebunk beach was always crowded during the day, but being from the area we knew lots of other beaches off the beaten path that few tourists knew about. All just as beautiful!

And to tell you the truth, tourists only hang for about 4 months out of the year when all the shops are open. The winter is pretty dead. And they are the town''s major source of income, so I guess that''s good.

I miss it so much!

What was I thinking? lol

 

[shigidigi]

Do you guys know how hungry I am right now??? You are all bad at making me want to eat ALL THE TIME!

I have to say I never really cared about cupcakes until the cupcake thread and now that is all I ever crave. Babycakes here I come! Actually, this thread has been just as helpful in the food dept as it has regarding towns to live in!!

SoFar, thanks for the lowdown on Quincy- it was uber helpful to get an idea of the different parts of the area.

NEL I think you are right about maybe just going for Salem (I have done a ridiculously large amount of research on it anyways!) and then take frequent trips to the other towns we have all talked about. This way I wont freak out when trying to find an apt soon to be DH''s and my "home base" and yet we can enjoy learning about all the different areas in and around Boston. I have a strong feeling I could live in many of the places we have talked about and be perfectly happy. I feel pretty fortunate that there seem to be so many amazing places within a 60 mile radius in Mass!!

Oh, and I will be sure (once we actually get the wheels turning and like Cello- a Penske rented!!) about the long haul.

NEL- why dont we trade places. You can have our 2bd/2ba apt in SF (you can see the golden gate from our bedroom window and the entire skyline of downtown from the living room because we are so high up!) and I can come take over your place. It will be a longer version of house swap!! Any takers?? SF really does feel like the most east coast version of a west coast city. I really do love it here. I just wish my family wasnt 3000 miles and a 7-8 hour plane ride away (there are no direct flights to Tampa/Orlando from here!) I would stay for sure if they were closer. Well, maybe I would move to Portland, but that is another story entirely...

 

[Selkie]

Date: 5/29/2008 4:15:09 PM
Author: Bia
I am actually born and raised in Manchester-by-the-Sea which is close to the Salem/Peabody area--Manchester is 10 min further up the shore. Mass is a great state but the North Shore is particularly nice because it has a very strong Cape feel to it. It''s not trendy like Cape Cod, OR Nantucket, Martha''s Vineyard, etc but you have beautiful beaches and THE BEST seafood anywhere (except maybe Maine). Salem in particular has a city feel, with its close proximity to Boston, and it is sort of up-and-coming. The Halloween thing is really only prevalent in October...but its a good time, everyone comes out (drag queens and all) and everyone has a blast! Plus the museums are very interesting. One thing I love the most about Mass is the history. You see it everywhere and I think its one thing that us New Englanders share in common and take a huge amount of pride in. That, and well the Red Sox.

I think its a great choice if you want to be close to Boston but far enough out that you get a more ''community'' feel. Definitely worth a look!


BTW: All these Boston threads are making me ache for home...I want to go back!!!

Bia, I get so homesick reading these threads too. I also grew up on the North Shore, and agree with what everyone else has said about Salem. I''d personally go for either Gloucester or Newburyport, because they both have the small city feel with lots of eateries and activities, as well as train access to Boston. However, Salem is a close third and is closer than either one to Boston. My brother and his wife rented a big 2-bedroom place in a tri-level in Peabody, just on the border with Salem, and that was a great location too. They had a 5 minute drive to the Salem train station, and 10 minutes to the museums, pubs, and waterfront. I think you will have absolutely no trouble finding a place in that general area.

 

[shigidigi]

Is Peabody a cute town too? Their prices sure are awesome. As are Lynn''s for both apartments and single family homes.

 

[diane5006]

Hi I miss Massachusetts...

Tricky finding a place to live...some many nice ones to choose from

One thing you need to think about is where you will be working...you kind of mentioned it and how long you are willling to have your commute be...

Oddly enough the distance from boston does not always correlate with travel time...that is closer is not always faster...

Salem is nice but can be tricky...

I am a fan of the North Shore...that is where I lived the south shore is nice...had a friend who lived in quincy...ok but not me

I would recommend looking at the T and commuter rail maps...if that will be you main way of commuting...

I would recommend Haverhill/Bradford....excellent access to commuter rail (stations in Haverhill and across the river in Bradford (FYI Bradford is technically not a town...just part of Haverhill) and to the interstate....

Really nice little town @45-50 miles from Boston and also close to the NH border...I used to commute into Boston and had not problem I drove most of the time and did use commuter rail to...

I used to love drivin home from work and lookin at the rolling hills and the trees...especially in the fall

Best of Luck

 

[Bia]

Date: 5/29/2008 7:47:59 PM
Author: Selkie

Date: 5/29/2008 4:15:09 PM

Author: Bia

I am actually born and raised in Manchester-by-the-Sea which is close to the Salem/Peabody area--Manchester is 10 min further up the shore. Mass is a great state but the North Shore is particularly nice because it has a very strong Cape feel to it. It''s not trendy like Cape Cod, OR Nantucket, Martha''s Vineyard, etc but you have beautiful beaches and THE BEST seafood anywhere (except maybe Maine). Salem in particular has a city feel, with its close proximity to Boston, and it is sort of up-and-coming. The Halloween thing is really only prevalent in October...but its a good time, everyone comes out (drag queens and all) and everyone has a blast! Plus the museums are very interesting. One thing I love the most about Mass is the history. You see it everywhere and I think its one thing that us New Englanders share in common and take a huge amount of pride in. That, and well the Red Sox.

I think its a great choice if you want to be close to Boston but far enough out that you get a more ''community'' feel. Definitely worth a look!



BTW: All these Boston threads are making me ache for home...I want to go back!!!

Bia, I get so homesick reading these threads too. I also grew up on the North Shore, and agree with what everyone else has said about Salem. I''d personally go for either Gloucester or Newburyport, because they both have the small city feel with lots of eateries and activities, as well as train access to Boston. However, Salem is a close third and is closer than either one to Boston. My brother and his wife rented a big 2-bedroom place in a tri-level in Peabody, just on the border with Salem, and that was a great location too. They had a 5 minute drive to the Salem train station, and 10 minutes to the museums, pubs, and waterfront. I think you will have absolutely no trouble finding a place in that general area.

I was born in Gloucester...at the only hospital IN Gloucester LOL...Manchester is right outside, as you know...near Magnolia. All great choices. The thing with Gloucester though is 128...that is a traffic nightmare. At least Salem is a bit closer. Haverill is nice, up near NH. Newburyport is also a great choice but is more quaint than "happening." IMO, anywhere in Mass is great...well MOST anywhere LOL.

 

[Selkie]

Date: 5/29/2008 7:49:09 PM
Author: shigidigi
Is Peabody a cute town too? Their prices sure are awesome. As are Lynn's for both apartments and single family homes.

Parts of it are, esp. in the Gardner Park/northeast side of town near the water. It's not a touristy town, since it's kind of spread out, and there are two big malls (I guess one is technically in Danvers). More of a bedroom community, I guess. There isn't really a nice walkable downtown area like in Salem. But that probably means rents will be lower too.

Lynn is sketchy. There are nice parts, but you have to be pretty careful. My mom grew up there, actually.