Concord/West Concord (Lincoln: real estate market, renters, condos)
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It is the same town with downtown Concord being more expensive part and West Concord being little cheaper or "starter", if you will. Nothing wrong with either part.
West Concord has more of a laid-back community feel, businesses that are more for the people who live there.
Concord center is busier, the businesses are more get-in, get-out geared more towards the tourists who come to see the Little Woman house, etc.
West Concord has more Victorians, Concord center more grand Colonials. Both are walkable with sidewalks. West Concord has more homes within walking distance to the train stop.
Concord is much larger land-wise than people realize. There is more to it than these two main areas.
The area NW of concord center still has independent farms and is very horsey.
Nine Acres, low in density, closer to Lincoln has Verrill Farms, Waldens Pond, White's Pond, best for people seeking the largest yards and more privacy.
Both are great places to live. W. Concord Center has stores that people actually can be stuff in. Concord Center puts the Q in Quaint, but the stores are more like what you'd find in any upscale tourist town like Newport Beach. W. Concord houses tend to be more modest, but when small houses go, they are apt to be torn down and replace with houses at $1.2 MM+. The equivalent house in Concord would be higher. I believe that are some condos and two-families in W. Concord. Not sure if there are either in Concord Center. But, there are areas of Concord that are not as high-end as the Center or Monument Street.
Starmet. Being remediated. Not near the Concord water supply, as I recall. Probably not an issue except maybe in the Thoreau Hills area.
Years back, West Concord was where the working class/blue collar people lived. The Concord Policeman, Concord Fireman, Concord Prison workers, Concord city employees, etc.
That has changed but for many "old timers" the distinction still exists.
Concord has a really hot real estate market right now, and that extends to both Concord (i.e., north of Rte 2), and West Concord (i.e., south of Rte 2). Over the past 6-12 months, houses that were originally about $600k (e.g., a 2000 sq ft colonial in need of only minimal updating) are now selling for about $750-800k. This applies to both Concord center and West Concord. Every single family property near the center of Concord or West Concord has a bidding war within 3-4 days of coming on the market. If it's a run-down place under $650k, developers are scooping them up, ripping them down, and building $1.5m McMansions. It's a bubble right now, but only time will tell whether it will pop/deflate, and when.
The "main" Concord (where the real waspy people call themselves "Concordians" and consider West Concord part of another state) is a bit more uptight and wealthy than West Concord (which is much more approachable). Tourism for historical Concord occurs only in Concord center, and the shops and restaurants cater to this. You can buy a $250 wool winter hat, or a $200 dinner, in Concord center. West Concord is a bit more approachable for people who actually live in Concord and aren't multi-millionaires (like me), and has some great aspects: the commuter rail runs right through the center of W. Concord, there are two bakeries, an ice cream shop, and an emerging farm-to-table restaurant that's going in the location of the old West Concord Supermarket. The people are much friendlier and down to earth. Someone mentioned "blue collar" - this is all but gone in Concord, for better or worse.
In terms of school districts, they are not divided as Concord center versus West Concord. In fact, many old-school "Concordians" are upset because the new development, the Concord Mews which is in West Concord, is busing its students to Alcott in Concord center. How dare these renters attend the same school as people who pay $20k/year in property taxes!? ;-)
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