Moving to Boston From Chicago: HELP!!! (Newton, Scituate: for sale, rent, insurance)

[heyho]

Hello, I am new to the forum. It appears to be interesting & active.

This is our scenerio.

My partner has been promoted to a position located near South Station, Boston.

We currently own a wonderful, yet small, home with all the mod cons: central heat/air, 2 car garage, modern kitchen/baths, fenced yard, safe city district, lots of closet space with a 45 min. commute door-to-door to the current job.

The 3 of us (dog), are looking not to compromise on what we have for the transfer and hope to buy. Good schools are valued only as they apply to housing values-- no children.

I've been on many realty sites and am surprised to see the number of homes without a 2 car garage or central heat. Fewer still with central ac. What's up with that? Is it necessary to compromise our current standard to live in, or very near to, Boston?

We have considered renting our current house, in which case our top amount to buy is $450K.

If we sell, we can possibly hit $650k.

Your advice is valued as the mid October deadline looms.


p.s. I need a job!!! Anyone interested in hiring a designer/art director?

[Lowerdeck]

Central air and central heat is rather uncommon in this part of the country. There's a lot of older housing stock, and most of the time you will only see some form of heating - and not central.

[heyho]

Our house was built in 1895 and totally redone. I'd say it's 'old housing stock' by most standards, albeit, Boston is far older...

[CaseyB]

Most single family homes here do not have central air, people use window units for whatever rooms they need to cool. Usually, the summers just aren't that hot to justify the expense. I don't understand the comment about no central heat, though. I don't think I know anybody who doesn't have central heat, maybe I misunderstood.

[heyho]

Many houses for sale in the Boston area, that I've noticed online, have steam/radiators or baseboard heating, not forced air (with duct works) that would allow for installation of central air, if one were interested (in the future).

Thanks for the comment about the summer temperatures. Chicago summers can be utterly brutal or very cool (as this year).

I'm very interested in community recommendations.

We live in the city of Chicago, a very quiet, stable, uncongested, safe neighborhood, nice yard 50 x 125 (25 x 125 is an average city lot). Not especially trendy but with quick access to all that is important (unique restaurants, WF grocery) and no violent crime (i.e. gangs).

We are open to near suburbs with personality (such as Chicago metro Oak Park).

[brightdoglover]

I think anything with a furnace counts as central heating. However, without ductwork, you cannot add central air.
There seems to have been an attitude in New England that "we don't need central air, only a unit in the bedroom for a few hot nights." Well, I sleep days and loathe humidity, and sprang for central air in my new small house and have never regretted it for a second (had to have ductwork, so couldn't have snazzy radiant heat).
Any older house with ductwork for heat can add a compressor for central a/c.
Yes, the housing stock in the area tends to be pretty old, however, a lot has been remodeled and will include central air then. For the OP's budget, I should think there'd be a lot of options in many towns in and around Boston.
Best wishes on your move with the pooch! Feel free to d.m. me if you have specific town questions.

[scarletfire]

I don't know of a current job for a designer but from time to time am asked by clients for recommendations & can put you in touch with a few local agency contacts. Please feel free to PM me your email address and/or URL to your portfolio.

[professorsenator]

You might check out Newton, but your house will probably be more modest than what you’d like.

It is pretty common to find central A/C in newer, bigger homes, but most older homes do not have it. After living here for a number of years I still cannot understand the lack of A/C in many homes. It's a New England thing that defies logic as far as I can tell.

You often hear people say that A/C is not needed...to which I say "baloney!" It gets plenty warm -- and downright hot -- here every year for weeks at a time. I have neighbors who don't turn on their central A/C when its 85 and muggy outside because "we don't need it." (their words). I think they need their head examined! For some inexplicable reason, more than a few people here find it perfectly fine to sweat like mad in the summer heat and humidity for lack of A/C.

When searching for a home I found it perplexing -- even frustrating -- that I would see houses with fancy, updated kitchens yet no air conditioning. Talk about money misspent! Given the choice between granite, Sub Zero, and a window fan versus formica, Magic Chef, and a Carrier condenser whirring outside and I’ll choose the latter every time!

I had central A/C installed when I bought my house and use it religiously. It is often said that you can't install it in older homes, but this is usually not true. It costs a bit more, but it can be done in almost any house with an attic and/or a basement (i.e. most houses).

[ScituateAl]

Heyho - welcome to MA! Taking a look at the MBTA's commuter rail system map, it's easy to see that there are dozens (and dozens) of towns near commuter rail in the burbs that terminate at South Station. Each of those towns is as different as they must be in Chicago - save yourself from making a rash (and stressful) decision and rent for a year. Having been out here for about 13 years now, I am very happy to have rented for the first 7 or so and doing lots of day trips all over.

Describe more about what type of town you'd like to be in. Want to be near the ocean (or lake/river), colleges, shopping, major highways, upper crust or everyday joe, established neighborhoods vs. newer developments, town with active downtown, etc. etc.. (Or, likewise, what you could care less about what a town/city has).

You have a good sense re: schools. They mean an awful lot to potential buyers - but you can also get saddled with tax overrides that you may not feel you're benefiting enough from. Spending & overrides definitely vary by town.

Happy hunting!

[heyho]

Many thanks for your informed responses.

Extra thanks for all who offered pm opportunities and job-hunt contacts (advertising/design, whether agency or in-house, is a competitive business).

I love Chicago and it will be a tough transition for me.

In reply to ScituateAl questions, my 'requirements' are modest in my eyes: I want what I already have.

The midwesterner in me has no need for a gated country club-type community, 'upper crust' mingling, and certainly no need for exclusive day prep schools. Also, neither of us work in academia (unless my Boston job path should veer that direction...)

We currently live in a neighborhood where most still do their own yard work, send their kids to the local public or parochial school, and oddly, still hasn't got a Starbucks (not that that would be a terrible thing). We take advantage of the forest preserve weekly (jogging) and the Whole Foods (almost 3x weekly--we've looked at WF page for MA locations, already!) both within 2 miles away.

Although the commercial area stinks, it's a quick drive to other neighborhoods with better restaurants. The demographics are a virtual melting pot, skilled white collar and blue: 1 neighbor grew up a block away, his 90+ mother still lives there, another is a Taiwanese immigrant, some traders, skilled high-tech, Polish construction (it's a Chicago thing), a few Mexicans, traditionally German & Irish, yuppy young families refugees from the lake front scene, some glbt couples, buying up as the old timers pass on. The housing stock is single family with the occasional 3 flat or converted over-sized Victorian. No high-rises. Easy street parking.

It is very safe with low crime. I feel safe when alone. It helps that the police district is 1 mile away!

Our 1600 sq ft, 1895 house, with basement, small fenced yard (dog can go out with no worries or hassles), 2 car garage fits our needs. It has a wonderful modern kitchen (we both cook); admittedly it's a Frigidaire not a Subzero or Wolf. Updated 2 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms w/loft, oak floors on ground floor. A lot of storage. Cedar closets (I'll miss that!). And as stated up thread, forced air/ac hvac.

Train/subway is less than a 10 minute walk from the house. Expressway ramps is a 5 minute drive (and we can't hear or see it from the house).

Neither of us is particularly handy, though we can unplug a drain or toilet well enough. Nothing is maintenance free, but constant fix-it projects doesn't suit our abilities.

Though the renting suggestion makes logical sense, the idea of moving 2x holds little appeal and, I have no faith that the company will pay for it (as they will for the initial move).

I'm interested in community recommendations. I'm indifferent to living seaside and can see how that might actually drive up the home insurance.

Acckkk! The October time frame is getting close.