New Residents: Now that you've moved to Mass, do you have any regrets? (Boston: real estate, houses)

[cvap]

Everythings great here except the weather.I've been here since January and could count the clear and calm days on my hands. Maybe I should just move off this mountain.

[TomDot]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber4

Lorilu your attitude is refreshing! You reap what you sow and it sounds like your positive outlook has brought good people into your life.

WELCOME!

It's true.
The people of MA cannot be blamed because some transplants, like the person from PA, are social failures.
My wife moved here from a very nice area of Michigan 15 years ago and will be happily buried here.
I have asked her about some comments made by people on these boards regarding the unfriendliness and lack of warmth. She says that it is b.s.
She thrives in the competitiveness, beauty, weather, and intellectual level of the region.
Oh and she says people here are very warm.

[Secchamps98]

We currently live in Memphis and in near final stages of an interview and hoping to relocate. My wife and I would be thrilled to live in Boston.

We are fairly conservative Republicans (wife half Italian/Irish and Catholic), but well educated. Originally from Florida, we miss culture, different view points, and look forward to snow and cold weather. We have loved visiting Boston, the history, and quaintness of an older home, eclectic coffee shops, cafes, cigar bars, plays, shopping, and liveliness of the area.

We are both veterans in the Biotech field and know alot is happening in the Boston Area. We love traveling to Europe, and flying from Boston would cut our commute by 2 hrs as well. I see alot of upside being there...and I didn't even mention the Celtics, Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots!

[1979]

To be honest, I find Bostonians a bit more sophisticated compared to other parts of the country. I also, think people are a bit less phony. This is where people may find Bostonians a bit on the abrasive side, because they tell it like it is.

[thenewNewEnglander]

Originally Posted by Secchamps98

We currently live in Memphis and in near final stages of an interview and hoping to relocate. My wife and I would be thrilled to live in Boston.

We are fairly conservative Republicans (wife half Italian/Irish and Catholic), but well educated. Originally from Florida, we miss culture, different view points, and look forward to snow and cold weather. We have loved visiting Boston, the history, and quaintness of an older home, eclectic coffee shops, cafes, cigar bars, plays, shopping, and liveliness of the area.

We are both veterans in the Biotech field and know alot is happening in the Boston Area. We love traveling to Europe, and flying from Boston would cut our commute by 2 hrs as well. I see alot of upside being there...and I didn't even mention the Celtics, Red Sox, Bruins, and Patriots!

Hi Secchamps,

Thank you for considering Boston as place to live. I personally consider myself more from the libertarian vein of the Republican- though I am a registered independent and would not vote republican today. Depending on what kind of circle you keep, income, zip code, etc, you may find yourself fairly isolated at times. People will be very vocal about what they belief, especially if they oppose you. Yankees love to discuss, debate, and argue. We're kind of ideological darwinists. We believe the best idea wins and there is a natural wisdom in "common" sense. That being said...
Never feel that you have to compromise your beliefs to fit in here. Please be as open minded as you can with the people and ways around you. So many folks come here and quickly throw blanket statements, judgements, and criticisms around that are often routed in stereotypes and downright folklore.
We were the original conservatives in this country. We were so conservative that we were oppressive. We were conservative right up to about 1960. We are still more conservative than you might expect... We don't like change, and it only comes when the people are ready for it- when that common wisdom catches up. We have only had Sunday alcohol sales for a handful of years. Many towns don't want 24 hour businesses. And opposing Walmart is practically another form of sport around here.

But you're going to find a large amount of locals and transplants that share your worldview, even if quietly or passively. About 1 in three Massachusetts voters votes Republican. We tend to favor Republican governors to moderate against our liberal Democratic Legislature. We like the balance. This time we liked Deval Patrick...
Personally I think the pendulum is about to swing back towards the center or some new form of conservatism in the northeast. I think northern Republicans will dominate the future "common sense" form of the Republican Party.

Massachusetts has had population growth since 2005. The only New England state losing population today is Rhode Island. Times are changing, old stereotypes are dying. Massachusetts is very much in transition is far as I can see. We have alot of commercial development and have really become the most business friendly we've been in a long time. I expect to see a significant uptick in growth in the coming years. Towns that used to have a "no growth" policy are being forced to change their ways- property taxes have reached unrealistic levels in so many towns that now they are forced to "just say yes". Business development where we'd never expect. i.e. Bridgewater area. I also think zoning restrictions will soon be relaxed, and then we'll have residential growth... i.e. a more measurable population growth.

Anyway...
Best of luck to you!
Come back to the forums if you need help, conversation, or to vent! haha

[Secchamps98]

Thanks newNewEnglander!

I should have probably preficed it by saying, we are mostly fiscal republican, and more toward the center on everything else.
We are open minded and expect varying opinions. The area we are in now is not conducive to that. We believe diversity is a great thing, and look forward to a possible relocation.

Our limited interactions with Bostonians have been very positive. Granted, sure there are a few negatives such as .... We don't see how we will part with our 2 cars, and will take a little bit getting used too witha smaller home most likely, ..so we are looking at spots that would allow an outward commute from the Downtown for work.

Quick question -
How difficult is is it to drive out to Burlington in the am (700-800 AM) from the South Boston Area (such as South Boston?). Or would it be better to pick an area like Cambridge, Charlestown, or Sommerville?
We are the yuppie DINK types, early 40s...

Tks

[thenewNewEnglander]

Do you need to be close to Boston? How far out are you willing to live? Keep in mind the suburbs around Boston are pretty dense for 35-40 miles in all directions.

[lrfox]

Great, just what we need, MORE yuppies! (kidding!)

Secchamps98, thenewNewEnglander has summed it up yet again (personally,his are some of my favorite posts and view points on this forum). Welcome to Massachusetts (almost).

If you want to live in Boston, especially closer to downtown, then you will likely have to downsize your home and it will be difficult to have two vehicles (one may not even be too easy). However, many of the outlying Boston neighborhoods are full of big, old houses with driveways and small yards. Boston isn't all the brownstones, high-rises, triple-deckers, and row houses you see all the time in photos and on TV. If you lived in one of these more outlying areas, you may be able to have both cars and a bit more space. Below is a picture of one such house in the Dorchester section of Boston:


These types of homes can be found in many of Boston's outlying neighborhoods like Dorchester, West Roxbury, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and even Allston or Brighton. Brookline would be a good option too.

Cambridge and Somerville (not so much Charlstown- but it wouldn't add much to the commute either) will put you a bit closer to Burlington than most of the other Boston neighborhoods. While not exactly "next to downtown," Cambridge and Somerville aren't far away from the city center either. For example, Harvard Square, more or less in the middle of Cambridge, is only 4 stops on the Red Line subway away from downtown Boston (Park Street Station)... Porter Square in Somerville is only two stops further away. Living in these cities would also provide you with a better opportunity to have a bit more space (though not as much as the outlying suburbs and even some of the Boston neighborhoods above) and possibly keep two cars.

It would also be worth looking in places like Newton, Watertown, and Medford if you prefer single family homes and keeping the cars.

I'm sure you can make it work, good luck in researching your move!

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by Secchamps98

I should have probably preficed it by saying, we are mostly fiscal republican, and more toward the center on everything else.

My experience has been that people in places like New England where there is little political diversity tend to speak as though everybody in the room shares their political philosophy. That can be off-putting at times, if you are in the minority who do not share the liberal Democrat outlook.

[TomDot]

That's cool Irfox.
I look at that house every day. It is across the street from my house.