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Looking to get some feedback on towns in the suburbs north of Boston.
Wife and I are expecting our first child in late-July. We currently own a 2 bedroom townhouse in Tewskbury and will be looking to sell or rent it in a year or so and find a house to raise our family in, our so called "30 year house". We'll probably be in the $450-$500k range when the time comes.
I grew up in Woburn and my wife grew up in Lexington. We both have family in the area, so want to stick to the Tewksbury, Billerica, Chelmsford, etc.
Some background on us - I have an MBA and work in software accounting and my wife works in healthcare accounting. I mention this because we value education (not so much the flashiest names, but the best value) and want to wind up in a town that would have a solid school system and people that are like-minded. I also mention it because both of those industries have ample opportunities in the Burlington and Woburn areas, so this area seems like a long-term fit. I've already dismissed Andover, Westford, etc because I just don't see the ROI. Like I said earlier, I grew up in Woburn, raised by blue-collar parents who pushed me, went to state schools, and have done well professionally despite the fact that I attended a mediocre school system, so I believe the predominant factor is the family. I jokingly say that I've done well because I have the resume and the blue-collar gritty attitude.
I've have been reviewing MCAS scores, housing prices, median income, spending per student, commute time, etc along with lurking on this forum to get viewpoints for various towns. I'm very data driven and every time I crunch the data Billerica keeps coming up as a top contender. MCAS scores are above average, spending per student is strong, there are ample high-tech companies, seems to be a bunch of sports and other community centric activities, taxes aren't crazy, and housing is reasonable....but then you look on this forum and people are very quick to dismiss. This makes me think either opinions are that of Billerica from a generation ago or I'm missing something. I drive through Billerica daily and understand that 3A isn't the prettiest of all places and it was a biker town a generation ago, but I also see my friends settling down and moving north and wonder if the next generation will bring transformation (at least to the reputation).
It's confusing because I think of Tewksbury and Billerica as very comparable but Tewksbury doesn't have the immediate negative reaction. We bought our starter townhouse in Tewksbury long before schools and community were of any importance to us, but I'm starting to get the sense that it is also a solid community.
Sorry if this came off as rambling or "hey..leave Billerica alone", I'm just trying to get various viewpoints on towns in the area.
Last edited by MattyD; 05-23-2014 at 07:17 PM..
Reason: grammar
I'm not sure I agree with your discounting "ROI" for towns like Westford, Andover, Acton, etc. The metrics don't lie, those towns hold their value better than other towns. They cost more to get in to but your house will retain its value better in a downturn as well.
That said, you might want to look at Wilmington. With a new high school under construction, more people will start noticing this town.
The info about Billerica posted on this forum is skewed and just plain wrong.
First off, the crime rate of Tewksbury is far higher than Billerica, and who want's to drive along route 38, it's like signage from
Vegas!
And Tewksbury is a major stop for drug dealers from Lowell and Lawrence.
Yes Billerica had a murder a year or 2 ago (some jailbirds and snitch..something like that but it wasn't a home invasion or anything like that) just a random violent act that many towns experience..
The worst or most crimes in billerica r the typical..theft, AB, DUI...again like most other places but the numbers don't lie..Billerica is far safer than Tewksbury and surrounding towns...
Solid schools and named one of top 50 fifty sports towns in the US by SI..Blue and white collar mix with low crime, 20 miles from Boston, public transportation, median house about 350 and so on..
A safe and good place to raise a family with close access to major highway's.
The stuff one hears about bikers and gangs goes back like 60 years ago when it was a vacation spot for boston folks..It's come a long way since then and would rec. anyone to consider Billerica as a great place to live.
I'm not sure I agree with your discounting "ROI" for towns like Westford, Andover, Acton, etc. The metrics don't lie, those towns hold their value better than other towns. They cost more to get in to but your house will retain its value better in a downturn as well.
That said, you might want to look at Wilmington. With a new high school under construction, more people will start noticing this town.
Valid point. ROI probably wasn't the proper term to use. My thinking is that $500k will go a lot further in other towns, plus the taxes are generally lower. So if I spend 25% more on a comparable house will that additional cash outflow bring my child a 25% better life 20 years from now?
What about Burlington? For 500k you will probably be in a split level or a ranch, but the town is a great place to live. It is smaller than Billerica and families seem to be more connected here than in Billerica. Taxes are low here too.
....but then you look on this forum and people are very quick to dismiss. This makes me think either opinions are that of Billerica from a generation ago or I'm missing something. I drive through Billerica daily and understand that 3A isn't the prettiest of all places and it was a biker town a generation ago, but I also see my friends settling down and moving north and wonder if the next generation will bring transformation (at least to the reputation).
I would use some discretion when investigating Billerica. The town started to improve in the 1990s. The effects from the biker generation are still there, more so in some spots than others. I would focus on the areas on the west side near Carlisle and Chelmsford (Nashua Road/MA route 4) . Stay away from any neighborhoods on water (Concord River, Nuttings Lake and Shawsheen River). The rivers flood and the Nuttings Lake area is still as bad as it was years ago. Granted it is not murder central but you will be cleaning up after vandalism repeatedly if you fail to choose wisely.
The other issue you need to be aware of with Billerica is related to land use zoning. Billerica town government will approve almost any development if it brings in more tax revenue. The town has a bit of a spending problem. It is just something to be aware of if you don't want to live next to an office building or industrial park.
Like some others here I believe residential properties in some towns hold value better than in other towns. My recommendations would be Wilmington, Chelmsford and Bedford as you have apparently ruled out Westford and Andover.
FYI, As you are currently in Tewksbury you are aware of Iron Horse Park?
The stuff one hears about bikers and gangs goes back like 60 years ago when it was a vacation spot for boston folks..It's come a long way since then and would rec. anyone to consider Billerica as a great place to live.
The 1980s is hardly 60 years ago. Billerica has seen some recent improvement but that began in the mid to late 1990s.
I find there are two schools of thought to municipal management.
(1) Some towns try to take into account quality of life for their residents. MA towns that take this to an extreme would be Carlisle, Dunstable, and Concord. These places tend to be almost 100% residential. These towns usually have the highest prices due to the scarcity of homes as the lot sizes tend to be on the large side. Many other towns are not quite as restrictive but still have zoning that provides for a nicer quality of life. MA towns that fall into this category are Westford, Littleton, Lexington, Bedford, Andover, Acton and Burlington. These towns usually have plenty of places to work and shop but still provide for highly desirable residential properties.
(2) Other towns seem to have only a motive of expanding tax revenue. I would put Tewksbury and Billerica into this category. Since people who do not value open space will gravitate to the cities, the suburban towns are meant for people who crave open space, quieter environments and some semblance privacy. In towns that are obsessed with expanding the tax base, the open space and quiet are always at risk.
Home prices in MA are not arbitrary. The variances in home prices between different cities and towns reflect very real issues. If the majority of towns north of Boston are at the $500K price point and Billerica is at a $350K price point there is a valid reason for that and it is mostly likely a negative when compared to the $500K towns. Now whether those issue(s) are a negative to a specific buyer is something totally different.
It is my personal opinion that the $350K price point reflects that Billerica is slowly morphing into a city due to intense development pressures encouraged by a town government that is perpetually revenue hungry. Town department heads and school officials in Billerica are paid hefty salaries. I would not be surprised if there are other financial concerns below the surface.
Just some things to think about.
Last edited by AtkinsonDan; 05-24-2014 at 11:19 AM..
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