BOSTON SUBURBS FOR YOUNG FAMILIES A 2013 REPORT BY RUTH LERNER Discover Boston’s best neighborhoods and suburb communities TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Why this report? __________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Considerations in Choosing a Community ______________________________________________________________ 2 Home Buyer Resource ____________________________________________________________________________________ 2 Arlington __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4 Brookline __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6 Canton _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 8 Medfield _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12 Medford _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 14 Milton ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 16 Natick ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 18 Needham ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 20 Newton __________________________________________________________________________________________________ 22 Wayland _________________________________________________________________________________________________ 24 West-Roxbury ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 26 Winchester ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 28 Stoughton _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 30 Boston Suburbs Summery Table _______________________________________________________________________ 32 What’s My Next Step? __________________________________________________________________________________ 33 About Ruth Lerner______________________________________________________________________________________ 34 Contact Information ____________________________________________________________________________________ 35 BOSTON SUBURB FOR YOUNG FAMILIES Why this report? In selling real estate over the years, I have learned of common concerns home buyers have. Often, homebuyers are not sure where they want to live! Sometimes new buyers focus on areas they know or heard of, which may not be ideal. The location of your new home is the prime consideration of your purchase, and sometimes the most difficult. You need to balance your needs around commuting to work, schools systems, and the cost of homes. But the most important variable in your decision: you must to like your hometown. Your trip home at the end of a work day should be enjoyable. Taking the kids outside and walking around should be fun. When people ask you where you live, you proudly tell them. Finding the right community is your first step to a happy home for your family. This report was created to help narrow down your search or expand to options you didn’t consider. My goal is to help you find the perfect spot to call home. If you have questions about any of these or other Boston Area communities, feel free to call me at 617.807.0471 or email me [email protected]. Page 1 Ruth Lerner 617.807.0471 [email protected] BOSTON SUBURB FOR YOUNG FAMILIES Considerations in Choosing a Community Young families have specific needs. By choosing the right home you are answering the needs of your family and its future. Whether buying your first home, or moving up from your current one, most likely you are expanding your living area and investing more money than ever. What are the most important considerations when choosing a community? Prioritize this list, and revisit it often: Public schools system Public transportation Ease of commute Proximity to Boston Greenery and privacy of home Size and quality of house What else is important to you? Of course, regardless of your priorities, everything is constrained by your budget, so the goal is to optimize your home for the money. Don’t be afraid to change your priorities, it is a natural part of the process. Maybe you want less house and better schools, or perhaps an easier commute is now more highly ranked than a large yard. As you explore new neighborhoods and open yourself to looking at various options, you will learn your priorities. There is no right or wrong, there is only what’s right for your family! Page 2 Ruth Lerner 617.807.0471 [email protected] BOSTON SUBURB FOR YOUNG FAMILIES Home Buyer Resource Home Buying Process: The step-by-step process overview taking you from your home search to closing. http://www.ruthmalkinlerner.com/buyer-services/home-buying- process/ Why Buyer Agency: The role and benefits of hiring a buyer agent. http://www.ruthmalkinlerner.com/buyer-services/why-buyer-agency/. Daily email listings directly from MLS. Don’t rely on Zillow, Trulia and the other big websites. Their information is not updated and much of what you will find is already sold. Get updates directly from Multiple Listing Service, and be as knowledgeable as the agents. http://www.ruthmalkinlerner.com/email-alerts/ Write me an email to request my Home Buyer Handbook, outlining the home-buying process, agency relationships, benefits of buyer agency and recommended resources. Massachusetts Department of Education profiles of public schools. http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/ You’ll find links in this report designed to make your search easier. Page 3 Ruth Lerner 617.807.0471 [email protected] BOSTON SUBURB FOR YOUNG FAMILIES Arlington ABOUT ARLINGTON With a lively downtown, Arlington offers shops and restaurants that will make it easy to forget to run into the City for dinner. With pretty homes on tree-lined streets, located just a few miles from Boston, Arlington has become a highly desired destination for young families. This has been fuelled by an impressive school system. The small town has been overwhelmed with the demand for housing by young families. Bring your competitive spirit and come see Arlington. Search Arlington MA houses for sale. Want to custom your search? Use this link. LOCAL INFO Location 6 miles NW of downtown Boston. Neighbors Belmont, Winchester, Medford, Lexington, Cambridge, Waltham. Population, (2010 U.S. Census) 42,844. Home Prices, (average price of sing- $552,794 family home in 2012) TRANSPORTATION Public transportation is provided through the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) servicing the Greater Boston area with bus service and a subway system. Closest access to the subway system is through the Alewife Station located just over the Arlington border in Cambridge. Several important bus routes go through Arlington; they take you to Alewife Station, Harvard Square, Davis Square, Lechmere Station and the Burlington Mall. To find the best route for your commute visit the MBTA website. Page 4 Ruth Lerner 617.807.0471 [email protected] BOSTON SUBURB FOR YOUNG FAMILIES EDUCATION Arlington High School is ranked 25th within Massachusetts. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® course work and exams. The AP® participation rate at Arlington High School is 53 percent. Arlington High School is the only high school in the Arlington. For more information about Arlington’s Public Schools System visit their website. PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOL There are two Parochial schools, Arlington Catholic High School, and an elementary/middle school, St. Agnes School, both affiliated with St. Agnes Parish. In addition, there are two secular elementary schools, Lesley Ellis and the Alivia Elementary School, and Ecole Bilingue, another elementary/middle school. A DETAILED MAP OF ARLINGTON MA – CLICK FOR AN INTERACTIVE VERSION. Page 5 Ruth Lerner 617.807.0471 [email protected] BOSTON SUBURB FOR YOUNG FAMILIES Brookline Brookline is easy to love, just not so easy to afford. With its excellent school system, beautiful homes, and convenient location, it’s no wonder this town has been so popular. The North side is known for its urban setting of mostly condos of all sizes, and large homes with modest yards. On the South side you’ll find more space and affordability. Search Brookline MA houses for sale. Want to custom your search? Use this link. LOCAL INFO Location Minutes to downtown, located on the Western edge of Boston. Neighbors Boston (Back Bay / Fenway / Allston / Brighton / West Roxbury / Jamaica Plain), and Newton. Population, (2010 U.S. Census) 58,732 Home Prices, (average price of sing- $1.489,053 family home in 2012) TRANSPORTAION The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) provides light rail transit services in the Town of Brookline on the C and D Lines of the Green Line going to Government Center and Lechmere. The C Line travels through Brookline along Beacon Street from Cleveland Circle to St. Mary’s Street with 12 stops along the way. The D Line travels through the Town from the Reservoir Station near Cleveland Circle to Chapel Street in the Longwood Medical area. There are five stations or stops for Brookline residents on the D Line. Although not located in Brookline, the B Line of the Green Line is also accessible to residents living in North Brookline. The Town of Brookline is also served by four MBTA bus routes: 51, 60, 65, and 66. Click this link for real time next bus schedules