Thoughts on Medford vs Arlington (Boston, Lynn: daycare, lawyers, new house)

[jmd1998]

Right now, my Fiancee and myself own a home in Everett. We do not plan on staying in Everett much longer. We are looking to buy in either Medford or Arlington. She works in Boston. How are the commutes from Medford and Arlington to Boston? We do really like West Medford and Lawrence Estates and the area that borders Winchester. We do not know much about Arlington yet. It is a tad more expensive I assume. How are the schools in Medford vs Arlington. Our budget is roughly 400-450 for our next house.
Im just trying to get other peoples' input. Where would you buy your next house for the long term--Medford or Arlington? Remember, a convenient commute by car to Boston is essential and a quality education for kids down the road.
Thank you.

[littleimp]

I live in W. Medford and commute to Boston via public transportation (bus to Davis, red line to South Station). That takes about 45 min to 1 hour. If I drive, assuming the traffic is ok, it takes about 30 minutes. When there is no traffic, it is about 10 minutes.

There are some beautiful homes in West Medford, but I don't know if 400-450 would get you a single family home in the area you are looking at (although it might). We are looking to move out of Medford because of the school system - I have concerns even about the best elementary school district (Brooks). My son goes to daycare in Arlington so I spent a lot of time there. Arlington has a better school system and is holding its value in terms of housing a lot better. I also think Arlington has a lot more to offer families (the great library, Skyline Park playground, Menotemny (sp?) Rocks Park). I would definitely choose Arlington over Medford.

[jmd1998]

What are the reasons for the poor Medford public school system? What are the major problems in the schools?

[catwings80]

Single family homes in West Medford are much less expensive than the same house in Arlington. $450K could buy a 3 bed, 1.5 bath, 1500 sf house in West Medford. The same house would probably run close to $600K in Arlington. The schools in Arlington are MUCH better than those in West Medford. Check out the MCAS scores. Roughly, Medford elementary school MCAS scores place them in the middle of MA rankings (400-500/900) while Arlington's scores place them at the top (2-160/900). Arlington also has many more restaurants.

[Trishaluna]

Catwings80 summed it up best. Because Arlington has a 'better performing' school system and also more of a central 'downtown' variety of shops and great restaurants, it costs more to live there. So its really a personal decision on what you want to do and how you want to spend money. We ended up in W. Medford because we couldn't find anything that wasn't over $450k that didn't need to be completely redone/gutted. Also, Arlington is much more dense. We wanted a yard, nice quiet street etc. That was out of price range. So, W. Medford had that, great neighborhood, fantastic quiet street, bigger house, move in ready/updated, a big yard! Of course, we had reservations about the schools and ended up getting into the charter school, so we're very very lucky. I do think that Medford and especially W. Medford are very up and coming. I see and meet the people that are moving into town and they have the same story, they couldn't afford Arlington but love the area, love the diversity and location. They are concerned about their kids education and I think the schools will reflect this in the coming years. When you have an urban environment, you will see struggles with test scores etc. It doesn't mean that a school is 'bad' per se, they just have a different clientele and needs from their kids. Is it really shocking when a town like Newton that has Lawyers, Dr's, CEO's, MIT/Harvard professors, practically Nobel peace prize winners as the parents of the kids there that you're going to get good MCAS scores! Really, I'm sure the schools are fantastic but overall you have a group of people who are predominantly very smart, educated and understanding of the importance of education. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Also, whenever the green line comes in will make a huge difference. Talk about value. That $400k Medford home is going to be $600k. When you have a house that is in a suburban setting, decent schools and you can walk to the T!! Also, just because you don't live in Arlington doesn't mean that you can't take advantage of the ammenities like the library, parks etc. We go to Town day every year, eat in the restaurants, visit the parks etc.

[gf2020]

Right now is a good time to buy but a tough time to sell. Are you sure you want to try and sell your place in Everett now?

I would stay put if I were in your shoes. You're just getting married, you don't have school-aged children, you could change job locations, a lot can change in the next few years. Why complicate matters by moving to a new house now?

Once you do have children, your requirements may have changed further or perhaps your budget will be greater. No sense buying a small house now in West Medford when in 6 years you really want to be in a bigger 4 bedroom place in Lynnfield, for example.

[jmd1998]

We are nervous that the property values in Everett are going to get worse. I just do not see people wanting to move to Everett. The interest rates are also going to go back up. I feel the longer we stay in Everett the more money we will lose.
Also, there is nothing in Everett-no restaurants, pubs, interesting places to go.

[navi_jen]

Hi,

I just finished 2 years of looking for a home (and buying one) in the same neighborhoods and price range (well, max $400k) you mentioned. I moved from JP, where I wanted peace, quiet, good schools and green space. I wanted a smallish (1500 sq ft) non-cape home, willing to fix up, for under $350. I looked mainly in Arlington, with forays into West Medford/Wrights Pond and East Lexington. I put offers in on several 1500 sq ft bungalows, most needing kitchen & bath upgrades, that I would have gotten if I would have felt comfortable spending $400k. I ended up getting a cute (1000 sq ft) farmhouse abutting a 60 acre town park for $370k. It needs alot of interior work (kitchen, bath, floor refinish), but its in the 3rd best elementary school in the state and I'm surrounded by trees.

In terms of your search, here are some thoughts:

1-How big of a home do you want?
2-Do you want a fixer-upper? (or can you live with a fixer upper to get a less pretty home in a nicer neighborhood)
3-Is it essential to be near the Fells?
4-Is easy access to downtown Boston a requirement?
5-Are you buying with kids in mind (i.e. schools)

Understanding what you want is essential to picking the right town...since Medford & Arlington are very different communities.

My thoughts...Yes, Medford, as a whole, is less expensive than Arlington, however, their schools are markedly worse, particularly when it comes to secondary education (Jr/Sr High School). Although Governor's and West Medford areas can be just as expensive as a decent priced house in Arlington. Wrights Pond area of Medford is more affordable (and having the Pond & Fells nearby is great), but I felt the housing stock was 'tired' and the yards incredibly small.

Smaller (1500 sq ft) cape homes in East Arlington, are a good value...and can easily be had for under $400k, particularly if you are willing to invest in a kitchen/bath renovation down the line. And, in other Arlington areas, you can find decent housed for $400-$425k. You'll find more move-in ready Capes & Ranches in this price range, and even on a less busy streets. Bungalows & Colonials can be found at this price, but are more likely to need kitchen/baths or are on/near busy streets.

Arlington has more parks & amenities including Boys & Girls Club, Minuteman bikeway, 3 major park areas (Turkey Hill area, Menotomy/Skyline, Sky Pond), nice downtown, very good schools for suburban areas, easy access to rt 2 & 128. Downsides are less convenient to downtown, prices are a bit higher, and no Wrights Pond/Fells area.

Bottom line is, If you want a house that is move-in ready, you'll have more choices in Medford. But if you wait long enough, you can find a gem in Arlington.

I'd suggest signing onto an MLS listing program so that you can search for recently sold properties (up to 1 year old data), which will give you an idea of housing stock, neighborhoods and prices. Do a bunch of drive bys on the sold properties in your price range...this will give you a feel for what is appealing...which will help you target your homebuying visits. I particularly like MLS Property Finder (very complete data) which you can access by registering at in Sign Up. Select your search parameters, and you'll get pretty complete MLS listings for that area (only thing missing on each listing is the address, which you can get by clicking 'distance search' on each individual listing).

And if you decide to start visiting properties, Summer and Winter are the best times to buy...not as many properties or prospective buyers, so you are more likely to get a good deal. And, if you're looking for an agent, I LOVED Mary Murray with Bowes GMAC in Arlington. Very patient, good listener, and will work hard to find you the right place (at the right price).

Good luck!

Jen