A cabin/cottage in Massachusetts? (Boston, Methuen: real estate, apartment, rent)

[rainbowlady]

We are looking into getting a cabin/cottage or home in Massachusetts because that is where good doctors are for my kids' health condition.

We can't spend a ton of money, and will probably end up using it 6 months a year.

Where should we be looking? Where should we NOT be looking?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Their doctors are in Boston, but we could live in many areas.


Sue

[brightdoglover]

I'd suggest looking as far from Boston as possible, and not north or south.
How about a seasonal RV community? Anything strictly seasonal would be cheaper than year-round, for obvious reasons, assuming you are OK with the April-Oct. season being available.
Also, maybe a modest condo, again, away from Boston?
Best wishes- it's a tough find.

[rainbowlady]

A seasonal rv community may not be the best solution. I have four kids, one on the way, and 6 months of every year in an RV isn't really what I was looking for LOL!

What about the Berkshires? I am really uninformed, but I do know they must be mountains? Is that expensive, or not?

Also, how bout closer to New Hampshire, but still in Mass?

And lastly, what are the general summer temps in Mass?

Sue

[CaseyB]

Southern New Hampshire is a lot closer than the Berkshires. How much did you want to spend?

[brightdoglover]

The Berkshires are a very expensive area, at least a big part is so. Summer tourists from New York City, second home people, and so on. Also, it's hardly convenient to Boston doctors.
It's kind of like this- if a cabin or cottage is somewhat convenient to Boston, the price is going to be up. How long are you willing to drive and what's your general budget?
Sorry to sound so downbeat, but I've had my eye and ideas on a cabin-type thing for many years, and have not found any good solutions.

[rainbowlady]

It's low.

I can be up to two hours out of Boston (I know, ask me again after I live 2 hours out of Boston).

I would like a town that has some other ethnicities or openness (my kids are biracial, I am white).

I only really need to go into the city for medical appointments.

I would like a little bit of quiet, but not tooooo isolated, iykwim.

Thanks!

[CityGirl52]

If I were you I'd check Cape Cod real estate sites & check out what's down thru there. You can use the place you get all year round. It's only may be an hour & a half to two hours from Boston. The summer months are hectic with the traffic, but you learn to time it right that's all. I have friends that own 2nd homes on the Cape & they're there every single weekend; all year round. They love it off season. That's one thing you want to remember about it all, especially if you have kids. I know you want it quiet? But you still want things to do too for them. At least here, you'd be within driving distance from every where you want to go. I know people are turned off by the Cape, but if you can afford a 2nd place? Go for it down there. Check Chatham, Eastham area or Harwich. That part of the Cape is quiet off season & it's SO pretty really all year round. Chatham was always always expensive to live, but hey, one of my good friends always wanted a place in Chatham and every one kept telling him & her they were out of their minds that they'd never find a place and they DID and they've been down there now for a good 10 years every single weekend all year round & some times for a month at a time. Go for it Rainbowlady! Your kids will love it down thru there...

Check the Cape Cod Online site & go to My Chatham dot com too for scenic shots of it all. I'm sure there's more sites, but they might get bleeped out by our moderators around here! These are just to give you an idea of where to look. OH, another good site is Craigslist for places to buy, go there...

Good luck & also I wanted to tell you that southern NH would be good too, but a lot of "cottages" are being ripped down & condo developments are taking their place. So if you do end up checking out southern NH area along the coast? Remember that...I think I'd still stick with the Cape...The water is SO much warmer down there too! I have the best of both worlds, friends that live down ole Cape Cod & I'm in southern NH living, so I can attest to it all...OH and the rotary at the Sagamore Bridge when you drive down from Boston? It's NOT what it used to be. It's wonderful now, there's no more rotary at all, you drive straight on to the Sagamore Bridge without any hassle's...yes there's tie ups on Sunday nights and Friday nights still, but time it all...if you're in Boston and it's late afternoon? Stay in town and chill out for dinner some where or something & then drive down later on...that's what we do all the time. When I go to Cape Cod on long weekends? I always make sure I'm not driving home on a Sunday night...so remember that and you'll love it down through there...Good luck!

[rainbowlady]

The cabins I was looking at on the cape were very expensive.

I am more of the "rustic cabin" person, lol. Well, at least my budget is.

I also need somewhere handicap accessible.

I need to be in Mass for the health care (boston childrens and floating), and am not looking at NH at this time for that reason.

Any thoughts on Dracut, Groton, or Methuen (all for different reasons, I realize they don't really fit the same category)?

sue

[capecodcathy]

I would check out the Middleboro/Carver area. South of Boston, off 495, approximately an hour from Boston, accessible via commuter rail to South Station but still rural. Both are very pretty areas.

[MassYankee]

At least in Eastern MA, I think that finding something under $200,000 isn't going to be easy, unless you are in some "ghetto" like area in a run down mill town. What do you plan to do with this property during the 6 months it's unoccupied? Rent it out or just let it sit? Both of those have their risks.

Why don't you just rent something yourself? With some looking, you can probably find a 3-bedroom apartment in an okay town in the $1000-$1200 range. 6 months of that is $6500. Renting in Mass is a better deal than owning these days, no doubt.

Edit: Hmmm, on 2nd thought, with 5 kids, toting your stuff back and forth to furnish an ordinary apartment won't be easy either - sorry... I think it will take some legwork and flexibility - good luck in your search.