Is Lowell Really So Bad?

[scorpio516]

I've never felt uncomfortable in Lowell. But I live in Worcester - I feel Lowell is nicer than Worcester ESPECIALLY with a commute to Cambridge .

That said, stay away from the Acre area.

[masshawk]

Originally Posted by cjam

We've been renting for almost 3 years. I'm sick of having neighbors, dealing with other people's noises. We're in our late 20s and just ready to not deal with landlords, other people's noises on our heads, etc. Our rent right now is ridiculously cheap. We want more space and it doesn't make financial sense to go from a cheap 1 BR to a more expensive 2BR if we're just going to buy in the area eventually anyway. So basically we're cutting out that middle step of moving to a bigger apartment.

Just to clarify: I meant we would be wherever we move for at least 5-7 years. If the schools aren't great and we have kids, we would maybe move.

Makes sense. Sometimes it's just time to get your own place!

Back on topic, I've enjoyed myself when I've been to Lowell. There are certainly nice parts of it, and the downtown area is great. It is sort of like Waltham in that both are old mill towns that became cities, with active downtowns, a lot of historical architecture, diverse array of restaurants and stores, and small local groups who are passionate about conservation, historical/cultural outreach, arts etc. One difference is that Waltham is completely surrounded by very affluent towns, with whatever effects that has. It also has a larger proportion of well-off neighborhoods and green space. I think Lowell has a larger number of walkable shopping/commercial areas, where most of Waltham's are concentrated in a handful of spots with the rest more residential and car-oriented. Lowell also seems to be more of a "destination" than Waltham, with big events like the Folk Music Festival and Bike Night.

If you don't want too urban an area, a few stops further down that same commuter line are Billerica and Wilmington, both affordable and more suburban. Another possibility is Malden/Everett: in your price range, a heck of a lot closer to Davis (and Boston), more public transport options than just commuter rail, and the things that usually scare people away from them may not bother you if you're considering Lowell.

Maynard would be great (that was our second choice), but the prices are starting to rise there too

[cjam]

Originally Posted by masshawk

Makes sense. Sometimes it's just time to get your own place!

Back on topic, I've enjoyed myself when I've been to Lowell. There are certainly nice parts of it, and the downtown area is great. It is sort of like Waltham in that both are old mill towns that became cities, with active downtowns, a lot of historical architecture, diverse array of restaurants and stores, and small local groups who are passionate about conservation, historical/cultural outreach, arts etc. One difference is that Waltham is completely surrounded by very affluent towns, with whatever effects that has. It also has a larger proportion of well-off neighborhoods and green space. I think Lowell has a larger number of walkable shopping/commercial areas, where most of Waltham's are concentrated in a handful of spots with the rest more residential and car-oriented. Lowell also seems to be more of a "destination" than Waltham, with big events like the Folk Music Festival and Bike Night.

If you don't want too urban an area, a few stops further down that same commuter line are Billerica and Wilmington, both affordable and more suburban. Another possibility is Malden/Everett: in your price range, a heck of a lot closer to Davis (and Boston), more public transport options than just commuter rail, and the things that usually scare people away from them may not bother you if you're considering Lowell.

Maynard would be great (that was our second choice), but the prices are starting to rise there too

Where did you end up buying?

[masshawk]

Waltham, actually. So far so good. Sometimes we covet the bigger house/yard and lower mortgage we could've gotten in Maynard (though high taxes and commuting costs would've cancelled out some of the savings in price), but ultimately the shorter commute, convenience of amenities/services, and neighborhood feel won out. The school situation was the one potential downside, but I see positive trends. Parents and community seem to be pretty engaged. So I'm not too worried.