Where to live between Billerica and Boston?

[mwj119]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Let me second this. I've taken the 350 bus many times, and it's nice to have this car-free option. Plus Burlington is along 128, and assuming hubby sees his friend on weekends, the drive to Newton is very easy. Plus Burlington is pretty much self-sufficient in itself. We live in adjoining Woburn and end up in Burlington for most of our needs (including dining out!).

The only “issue” OP will face is housing stock within budget. Burlington is seemingly the quintessential 60s/70s build town.. A lot of ranches and split levels, box colonials, and then new builds (which will be out of reach). OP will hav the same issue in Bedford. Reading for example, has a more diverse selection of housing stock including pre WWII homes abound on the west side. A more cohesive, grid like layout with mature trees to the west helps as well. Andover too.

That aesthetic in Burlington/Bedford may feel very different than the more upscale, traditional Midwest suburbs. I know that’s something we struggled with in our move from Chicagoland.

Just a thought!

[amalia2150]

Thank you, all!! If we're able to stretch our budget a bit I think that we'll have some good options in Burlington or Bedford! If not we can look further out. Hopefully we'll be hearing from the relocation company soon and can really dive into our housing search. I appreciate all the excellent info, happy new year!

[amalia2150]

Originally Posted by robr2

I'm tellin' ya - Burlington will give you the most bang for the buck and position you very centrally for jobs in Boston, Cambridge, or Metro West. Unless you're going to be in Waban multiple times a week, don't worry about it. It's a 25-30 minute from Burlington.

Carlisle is nice but it's going west. If you husband were to ever move to a job in Cambridge, the commute can be hard and one either has to get over to Concord or go through Bedford to 128.

From Burlington, there is a bus to Alewife Station which is a short Red Line ride to Kendall where the pharma and tech are.

Can you tell me a little more about Burlington? Were you happy with the school system? Are there certain areas that are more family-friendly than others? Feel free to PM me if that's easier! Thanks!!

[amalia2150]

Originally Posted by tysmith95

Bedford is your best bet. Could also look at Acton.

Someone told me that Bedford is having a population explosion right now due to a bunch of new home construction and that the school system is struggling to keep up as a result... does anyone know if this is true? Granted we have several years before our child is in school, but I know that also might affect access to preschool, pediatricians, etc. if services aren't able to keep up with demand. Thanks!!

[robr2]

Originally Posted by amalia2150

Can you tell me a little more about Burlington? Were you happy with the school system? Are there certain areas that are more family-friendly than others? Feel free to PM me if that's easier! Thanks!!

I sent you a PM.

[Aara5]

Burlington is a great family-friendly town and the commute to Billerica will be a breeze. There's a very active moms group that includes families from Burlington and the surrounding areas, that you can probably find with a quick Google search. Good luck!

[BostonAreaNative]

I would also check out Reading, North Reading, Belmont, Melrose. New construction is probably out of your reach, but if you're comfortable with renovations, your $800K budget should work just fine in this area. Good luck!

[amalia2150]

Originally Posted by BostonAreaNative

I would also check out Reading, North Reading, Belmont, Melrose. New construction is probably out of your reach, but if you're comfortable with renovations, your $800K budget should work just fine in this area. Good luck!

Thanks! We are heading there this weekend to start checking out different areas. Now that we've been working with relocation and have spoken with lenders, we realized we can bump our budget up to around 1M, so hopefully that will give us some good options. Haven't looked into Belmont and Melrose yet, can you tell me a little bit about them? thanks!!

[mwj119]

There are more convenient locations, all things considered and with a $1M price tag, than Melrose. Belmont is a bit closer by both miles and commute times to Billerica, and is also a more desirable suburb, so that recommendation makes more sense.

At $1M, I’d say you can “up the teir” of towns this thread has focused on if you choose to do so. That means closer proximity to the city without sacrificing on schools. Or, a higher end house/neighborhood in a town further from the city.

North/East:
(West) Reading
Andover

South/West:
Concord
Winchester
Belmont
Bedford
Lexington
Arlington

Options will be extremely limited at $1M in Lexington. The rest should have a few options. Each have their own unique feel.. Lexington and Bedford are more similar than different. Belmont and Arlington too. Concord is very unique to me, as is Andover to the north. Polk around, check Zillow, and drive to desirable neighborhoods and to the downtowns of each. Find the town with your favorite look and feel, and the rest will follow.. Schools in all of these towns are extremely high end, so don’t even bother trying to compare.