So what keeps you here? (Boston, Brockton: to rent, crime rate, mortgage)

[msRB311]

Right...to most people spending over 1M on a house is not much of a deal.

[r_p]

Originally Posted by newenglandgal123

I wouldn't necessarily call a $1M plus priced house a deal! However, that's coming from the perspective of a single income household. I make six figures and I couldn't afford that! That's the thing though....there's pretty much no decent housing anywhere in the state that's less than $1M anymore unless you opt for a townhouse/condo or want to live in the western boonies.

I doubt you will be able to find a 5bed/4bath house on 1+ acre lot in suburban Atlanta/Dallas/Chicago/Miami or even NJ for significantly less.

[Saguarogirl507]

Originally Posted by tovarisch

You left your heart in Greater Boston.

I really did.....

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by r_p

I doubt you will be able to find a 5bed/4bath house on 1+ acre lot in suburban Atlanta/Dallas/Chicago/Miami or even NJ for significantly less.

Most people arent looking for a 5 bed/4 bath house...some people just want a 3 bedroom house and in the Boston area it's hard to find much of anything for under 650k. I've seen two bedroom homes in nicer towns go for 750k+.

Since you mentioned Atlanta suburbs, here's a house I came across in Decatur, GA which is considered a nice suburb:

https://www.redfin.com/GA/Decatur/13.../home/23816990

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Most people arent looking for a 5 bed/4 bath house...some people just want a 3 bedroom house and in the Boston area it's hard to find much of anything for under 650k. I've seen two bedroom homes in nicer towns go for 750k+.

Since you mentioned Atlanta suburbs, here's a house I came across in Decatur, GA which is considered a nice suburb:

https://www.redfin.com/GA/Decatur/13.../home/23816990

Pretty much. For the people who have budgets of around $500-600k, you have to make some big sacrifices in metro Boston (i.e. old/needs a ton of work, in a not-so-great area, or much further from the city/highway/transportation) than you do in most other metro areas. Many of the "cheap" metros aren't as cheap as they used to be, but they still have a long way to go to catch up to Boston.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Pretty much. For the people who have budgets of around $500-600k, you have to make some big sacrifices in metro Boston (i.e. old/needs a ton of work, in a not-so-great area, or much further from the city/highway/transportation) than you do in most other metro areas. Many of the "cheap" metros aren't as cheap as they used to be, but they still have a long way to go to catch up to Boston.

yes. It would be amazing to have a home like that one outside Atlanta for 500k....so I do see why people leave. A nice home that doesn't take up so much of a paycheck is you know...important to people.

[BruinsGirl]

We are a family of immigrants (some moved 100 years ago, but not to this area. Our immediate and extended family moved mid 90s).

Why do we stay? We love this area. We had a choice between Boston and Minneapolis. I am supper happy we made the right choice.

1. Many professional positions (tech and others), best universities politics aside.
2. Due to #1 large number of population is educated and well rounded.
3. Amazing nature. Ocean! Not only ocean, but swimmable ocean. Mountains not far (some are in NH or VT, ME). So some amazing foliages or skiing. We camp a lot.
4. Boston has a nice architecture and lots of history. It’s a pleasure to walk there.
5. We are not big foodies.. but we like some variety. When you enter regular Stop & Shop … in let’s say Wareham and you see 50 types of cheeses. We travel a lot and in some places you only see some processed cheese (I'm exaggerating a little). We don’t use ethnic stores much, but we occasionally buy red or black caviar too. And of course who can bear fresh seafood and especially lobsters?
6. My younger sister which had kids here likes some ethnic extra activities for her kids.
7. We travel a lot almost from the get go. Often to Europe. Not as many convenient direct flights from Logan as from NYC airports, but still a lot, also various cruise ports.
8. We all bought RE long time ago.. and our grown up kids in extended family either have means or we could help (maybe further from Boston).

We all bought our RE long ago, but if we had to do it now … we would just buy maybe townhouse in mid 400s rather than moving out of state or buying something much more expensive. I want to live where I like.. rather than moving in other places (my friends who moved to Atlanta in the end of 90s bought large houses for low prices, but they still missing Mass) or becoming house poor.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by msRB311

yes. It would be amazing to have a home like that one outside Atlanta for 500k....so I do see why people leave. A nice home that doesn't take up so much of a paycheck is you know...important to people.

The thing is...not everything is equal. Generally speaking, paychecks are less. Quality of life is also less in an Atlanta suburb.

For some people it may work, but others would not be satisfied.

[msRB311]

Originally Posted by redplum33

The thing is...not everything is equal. Generally speaking, paychecks are less. Quality of life is also less in an Atlanta suburb.

For some people it may work, but others would not be satisfied.

I know someone who moved to Atlanta who had a high up finance job in Cambridge, MA. She said the pay was not much different...but boy was the cost of living.

What makes you say quality of life is less in an Atlanta suburb than in a Boston suburb? How can you speak for everyone when you say that? lol. Different people enjoy different things. I've never even been to Atlanta but I hear it's been an up and coming city for a while often referred to as 'hotlanta'.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by redplum33

The thing is...not everything is equal. Generally speaking, paychecks are less. Quality of life is also less in an Atlanta suburb.

For some people it may work, but others would not be satisfied.

Originally Posted by msRB311

I know someone who moved to Atlanta who had a high up finance job in Cambridge, MA. She said the pay was not much different...but boy was the cost of living.

What makes you say quality of life is less in an Atlanta suburb than in a Boston suburb? How can you speak for everyone when you say that? lol. Different people enjoy different things. I've never even been to Atlanta but I hear it's been an up and coming city for a while often referred to as 'hotlanta'.

If the QOL was similar to Boston, the demand (and cost) would be similar.

Again, it may work for some people.