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Originally Posted by magiciansampras
(Post 15267016)
Honestly if you don't need the public schools I don't think Brookline makes a lot of sense in general. It's expensive relative to other areas close to the city and you're paying for the schools more than anything.
The Village does have some good restaurants though. Here is my question - if one does not drive and what would everyone suggest (in terms of specific streets) that one focus one's real estate search on - key criterion being access to good elementary schools and supermarkets. Thank you in advance. |
Originally Posted by MilesAndMore
(Post 16104432)
I am also moving to Boston this summer. I am looking for good public elementary schools and therefore am told Brookline is a good option.
Here is my question - if one does not drive and what would everyone suggest (in terms of specific streets) that one focus one's real estate search on - key criterion being access to good elementary schools and supermarkets. Thank you in advance. I would map the Green Line C and D lines and do a search of streets close to those T lines. The C line runs up Beacon Street, the D out to Newton. The C line stops from St. Marys to Coolidge Corner are a bit more urban, with many BU students living in the brownstones that dot Beacon St and the surrounding neighborhood. The D line stops farther out toward Chestnut Hill are closer to more residential, leafy streets but the real estate prices are very high. Maybe someone who lives in Brookline can comment-I live in Cambridge and while I would recommend Cambridge over Brookline for most things, the public schools are not what they used to be. Link to T Green line: http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_ma...s/?route=GREEN |
Key thing is to determine where you need to get to, e.g. for work. E.g. if you work in Longwood, Washington square is a pain, but Brookline hills is fine. Newton also has good schools (possibly better than Brookline these days), and if you live near the D line, and it goes where you want to go, it can be v. convenient. Prices are high, however, except for renting, which has a much softer market than Brookline.
tb |
Originally Posted by MilesAndMore
(Post 16104432)
I am also moving to Boston this summer. I am looking for good public elementary schools and therefore am told Brookline is a good option.
Here is my question - if one does not drive and what would everyone suggest (in terms of specific streets) that one focus one's real estate search on - key criterion being access to good elementary schools and supermarkets. Thank you in advance. What's your budget like? Renting, buying, etc.? |
Originally Posted by magiciansampras
(Post 16106496)
I'm a product of Brookline Public Schools...
- wideman/Newton HS |
Originally Posted by wideman
(Post 16106549)
Newton HS
- Blumie/NNHS |
Originally Posted by axpmaluga
(Post 15160035)
-Highway access. I will be traveling all over New England and don't want to live 20 min off the highway like some places in Brookline.
-Relative safe neighborhood where I'm not worrying about the fiance walking around by herself after dark. Thanks in advance for any help. One piece of advice is to make sure that, wherever you live, your parking situation is squared away before you attempt to park in the building's lot or in your assigned spaces. The towing companies are particularly ruthless around here - probably more so than in the rest of the city. You can definitely find some "professional" buildings in Allston that either don't allow undergraduates or have a minimal number of partying residents in them. I live in one such building, and I almost never hear my neighbors. The building is professionally managed, and I have never even met my landlord face-to-face despite having lived here for almost five years. Send me a PM if you want any more details! |
For MilesAndMore, who is especially interested in the quality of schools, there is an ocean of difference between living in Brookline and living in Allston (which is part of Boston, and therefore in the Boston school system). Brookline is one of several suburbs known for excellent school systems (Newton is, indeed, another).
For supermarkets, the best supermarket in Brookline is probably the Whole Foods store on Washington St, between Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue. The Coolidge Corner area (intersection of Beacon St and Harvard St) is a good shopping hub, with a supermarket of sorts. |
Originally Posted by wideman
(Post 16108987)
For MilesAndMore, who is especially interested in the quality of schools, there is an ocean of difference between living in Brookline and living in Allston (which is part of Boston, and therefore in the Boston school system). Brookline is one of several suburbs known for excellent school systems (Newton is, indeed, another).
For supermarkets, the best supermarket in Brookline is probably the Whole Foods store on Washington St, between Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue. |
Originally Posted by Blumie
(Post 16106644)
- Blumie/NNHS
(Once in the 4 years being at BHS). |
Originally Posted by axpmaluga
(Post 15160035)
Not sure what to expect here but I've always found FT'ers extremely helpful and knowledgable. My company is relocating me to Boston in the beginning of next year and after doing tons of research I'm still trying to nail down what neighborhood I want to live in. Any and all help from people who live/lived there is appreciated. I'll bullet point what I'm looking for like to hopefully narrow things down.
-In my late 20's moving with my fiance -2 Bedroom in the $1900-$2300 range and definitely under $2500 including a permanent parking spot of some sort -Must be within city limits (including Cambridge/Brookline) -Looking for something similar to Hoboken, NJ (where we used to live) or Lincoln Park in Chicago (where we currently live) -Must be a good walking neighborhood with plenty of restaurants and bars. A lot of people have recommended the South End but when I walk around there are no bars at all, especially sports bars. I don't think we're old enough for a neighborhood like that yet. -However, I've been told we're too old for Allston/Brighton and that married people don't live there. -Been focusing on Central Square in Cambridge and the Back Bay but I think the price of parking might rule out the Back Bay. -Highway access. I will be traveling all over New England and don't want to live 20 min off the highway like some places in Brookline. -Relative safe neighborhood where I'm not worrying about the fiance walking around by herself after dark. Thanks in advance for any help. As the original poster in this thread I'm surprised to see it still going. I thought I would post to anyone who was interested and let you know I was able to get an apartment in the Back Bay this past weekend, well within my budget, with a tandem parking spot in the building. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Thank you to those who gave a lot of advice back in the fall. I'll be a fulltime Boston resident May 1. I also know nobody so hopefully there will be a DO in the summer. |
Originally Posted by axpmaluga
(Post 16117304)
As the original poster in this thread I'm surprised to see it still going. I thought I would post to anyone who was interested and let you know I was able to get an apartment in the Back Bay this past weekend, well within my budget, with a tandem parking spot in the building. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Thank you to those who gave a lot of advice back in the fall. I'll be a fulltime Boston resident May 1. I also know nobody so hopefully there will be a DO in the summer.
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Originally Posted by BOS2DCA
(Post 16117738)
^^ Congrats! A Back Bay apartment with parking? You found a rare gem indeed!
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Originally Posted by wideman
(Post 16108987)
For supermarkets, the best supermarket in Brookline is probably the Whole Foods store on Washington St, between Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue. The Coolidge Corner area (intersection of Beacon St and Harvard St) is a good shopping hub, with a supermarket of sorts.
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Originally Posted by axpmaluga
(Post 16117304)
As the original poster in this thread I'm surprised to see it still going. I thought I would post to anyone who was interested and let you know I was able to get an apartment in the Back Bay this past weekend, well within my budget, with a tandem parking spot in the building. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Thank you to those who gave a lot of advice back in the fall. I'll be a fulltime Boston resident May 1. I also know nobody so hopefully there will be a DO in the summer.
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