Affordable country areas between Templeton and Fitchburg, Mass (Haverhill, Billerica: 2015, high crime)

[JB2015]

Hi I'm a north shore transplant currently living in Fitchburg. I'd like to be more in the country but can't afford any country towns closer to my work (Harvard, Littleton, Westford, Chelmsford, Sterling, Stow). I work in Billerica so my commute is already 50 min. I'm willing to drive up to 1 hr 15 min and feel that Templeton is the furthest we could go but possibly a little further. My husband and I have been focusing our search in Lancaster, Lunenburg, Townsend, Ashby (High taxes!), Templeton, Baldwinville, Phillipston and possibly Winchendon. Our budget is $230-240K depending on taxes. Properties coming up in our range in Lancaster, Lunenburg and Townsend have been limited and the two "L" towns only have some country sections. Many come up in Templeton and we like the area as well. I've been seeing several Winchendon properties in our price range but am concerned this is a depressed area. I realize that Fitchburg isn't the greatest either (one reason I want to leave) and is also pretty depressed but I'm on the outer edge of the city. Would you recommend Winchendon as a place to live? Is this a high crime town? Are there any other towns you would suggest that I haven't considered? We don't require a night life or lots of shopping. As long as there is groceries within 30 min, a pizza joint and Walmart we'd be fine. We prefer 1 acre of land and our neighbors some distance away. There is no sense in moving if I will end up in another "neighborhood" like I'm in now. We both like the open air and what nature has to offer. We're big into fishing.

Thanks a lot

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by JB2015

Hi I'm a north shore transplant currently living in Fitchburg. I'd like to be more in the country but can't afford any country towns closer to my work (Harvard, Littleton, Westford, Chelmsford, Sterling, Stow). I work in Billerica so my commute is already 50 min. I'm willing to drive up to 1 hr 15 min and feel that Templeton is the furthest we could go but possibly a little further. My husband and I have been focusing our search in Lancaster, Lunenburg, Townsend, Ashby (High taxes!), Templeton, Baldwinville, Phillipston and possibly Winchendon. Our budget is $230-240K depending on taxes. Properties coming up in our range in Lancaster, Lunenburg and Townsend have been limited and the two "L" towns only have some country sections. Many come up in Templeton and we like the area as well. I've been seeing several Winchendon properties in our price range but am concerned this is a depressed area. I realize that Fitchburg isn't the greatest either (one reason I want to leave) and is also pretty depressed but I'm on the outer edge of the city. Would you recommend Winchendon as a place to live? Is this a high crime town? Are there any other towns you would suggest that I haven't considered? We don't require a night life or lots of shopping. As long as there is groceries within 30 min, a pizza joint and Walmart we'd be fine. We prefer 1 acre of land and our neighbors some distance away. There is no sense in moving if I will end up in another "neighborhood" like I'm in now. We both like the open air and what nature has to offer. We're big into fishing.

Thanks a lot

Commuting from most of the towns you mentioned would be brutal.

Have you considered Merrimack NH? It is certainly not a pastoral feeling town; however, the west side of the town is fairly rural in feel and a patient buyer should be able to find a decent home on a large lot for under $250k. It would also put you close to DW/rt. 3, which would certainly be a better commute despite the volume on rt. 3 south of the border.

[JB2015]

Thx but not interested in commuting from NH. My Rt 2 commute isn't that bad. I would avoid Rt 3 at all costs. It's always backed up from all the NH commuters. As a matter of fact, it would take me 1/2 hr if I got off Treble Cove Rd from Rt 3, which is only a few exits from 495. Instead I get off Woburn St exit and wiggle over. Much quicker! Thx though.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by JB2015

Thx but not interested in commuting from NH. My Rt 2 commute isn't that bad. I would avoid Rt 3 at all costs. It's always backed up from all the NH commuters. As a matter of fact, it would take me 1/2 hr if I got off Treble Cove Rd from Rt 3, which is only a few exits from 495. Instead I get off Woburn St exit and wiggle over. Much quicker! Thx though.

Yes, but do realize that going that far west on rt. 2 will result in a 55-60 mile / 65-70 minute commute.

Treble Cove does indeed suck (I connect from 495/3 into Billerica once a week), but depending on the time of day your commuting time from Merrimack would be no different from those western MA towns ... it would also save you about 40 miles fuel/wear daily (or about 10K miles annually assuming a 5 day work week).

[JB2015]

Thx. I'm willing to commute up to 1 hr 15 minutes to get what I want. Taxes in NH scare me and if I'm going to pay MA income tax I might as well live in MA.

[495neighbor]

I would look in Billerica itself. There are still a limited number of small 2 BR properties in your range. Parts of the west side of Billerica closer to the town center is pretty and country-like.

Another area to look is the Groveland section of Haverhill. It is really picturesque.

Commuting from Winchendon to Billerica would be one brutal commute.

[JB2015]

Nothing comes up in our price range in the Billerica area unless it's a rehab. My husband works in Lancaster which is why along Rt 2 or 495 down towards Littleton is best. We simply cannot afford the north shore along 495.

[495neighbor]

Originally Posted by JB2015

Nothing comes up in our price range in the Billerica area unless it's a rehab. My husband works in Lancaster which is why along Rt 2 or 495 down towards Littleton is best. We simply cannot afford the north shore along 495.

Ok, with that additional piece of information about the Lancaster commute, I can see why Groveland would not work.

You are in a somewhat difficult place with your budget limitations and having one spouse commute to Billerica while the other commutes to Lancaster.

I would still look in the border towns of New Hampshire. It is possible what you would be saving in transportation costs would make up for the taxes.

Of the towns you've mentioned in your first post I would go with Townsend. It is a nice clean well preserved town with a beautiful state park and good outdoor recreation.

[JB2015]

Thx 495neighbor. Sorry I forgot to mention where my husband works. Again, I'm not interested in NH. The taxes are so much higher that my budget would have to come down lower because the mortgage payment would be so much more. I'm also trying to keep my husbands commute shorter than mine because he has a gas guzzling van. My vehicle gets decent MPG.

Does anyone have any feedback on Winchendon??? I know that Townsend is a great town but my options so far are limited there. I'm looking for feedback on some other central mass towns further west that could be possibilities and are still safe. I've been watching the market for a year now and am pretty familiar with which towns are affordable and which aren't. In a perfect world I'd buy in Harvard or Littleton but we're not that affluent. It would be the perfect half way point for both our jobs. I'm willing to go further south on 495 (past Rt 2) but again our price range seems to limit us if we want the country.

Thx

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by JB2015

Thx 495neighbor. Sorry I forgot to mention where my husband works. Again, I'm not interested in NH. The taxes are so much higher that my budget would have to come down lower because the mortgage payment would be so much more. I'm also trying to keep my husbands commute shorter than mine because he has a gas guzzling van. My vehicle gets decent MPG.

Does anyone have any feedback on Winchendon??? I know that Townsend is a great town but my options so far are limited there. I'm looking for feedback on some other central mass towns further west that could be possibilities and are still safe. I've been watching the market for a year now and am pretty familiar with which towns are affordable and which aren't. In a perfect world I'd buy in Harvard or Littleton but we're not that affluent. It would be the perfect half way point for both our jobs. I'm willing to go further south on 495 (past Rt 2) but again our price range seems to limit us if we want the country.

Thx

What are your constraints in terms of house wants/needs? Given you and your husbands commutes, I really really really suggest being patient and compromising slightly on sqft/acreage/amenities in order to limit your commute time/distance and maintain better long term resale value / job opportunity.

I've been looking in central MA for some time ... $230K will buy you property closer to your work destinations. Sterling, Lunenburg, and Townsend all have decent properties within your budget (unless you expect a 2000 sqft colonial). In fact, there is a cape currently listed in Sterling which perceptively satisfies all your wants.

It's perfectly okay to dream, but don't feed yourself a fantasy - you can't enjoy your 'country' lot when your spending 3 hours a day in a car.