The most recent cover of Boston Magazine offers readers a look into 23 of the most sought after communities and trendiest neighborhoods in Massachusetts – in short, the best places to live in Massachusetts. Through comparing the median home or condominium prices and spikes in sales since the market peak, Boston Magazine provides profiles of numerous cities and towns from various regions across the state. These 23 communities are then divvied up into the following three categories:
- Gold Standards, for the tried and true real estate hot spots in Massachusetts
- Bangs for your buck and worthwhile investments are considered to be Best Values
- Opportunity Knocks sheds light on the communities that have major selling points but have yet to reach their full potential on the popularity scale, largely for first time home buyers looking to settle in an up-and-coming spot
By showcasing towns based on these criteria, Boston Magazine has put together a veritable guide to Massachusetts for those taking the first steps in buying a house and those selling homes in Boston and beyond.
Real estate riches in Massachusetts: Winchester, Westwood, Brookline, Hingham, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Concord.
The cities and towns dubbed Golden Standards by Boston Magazine have been so for years for their excellent school systems, staggering property values and countless perks in the form of restaurants, theaters and historic landmarks. Buying a home for the first time in these towns can be pricey, but deals can be found amongst the property listings even if home sales statistics have dropped considerably in these areas over the past few years.
Best Values for First Time Home Buyers in Massachusetts: Jamaica Plain, Norwell, Essex, Natick, Burlington and Foxboro.
With the tax credit for home purchases inspiring house hunters to seriously consider putting a payment down, communities boasting numerous perks with low living costs are a natural fit for first time home buyers. Jamaica Plain was the city pick as one of the most desirable places to live in Massachusetts for its vibrant artistic community, sprawling green spaces and neighboring proximity to Boston proper. For those selling homes and looking to move to the suburbs, Burlington, Foxboro and Natick all made the cut as fantastic values for their affordable prices, notable local attractions and easy accessibility to major highways and public transit.
Selling Homes in Massachusetts’ Up-and-coming Communities: Watertown, Pembroke, Melrose, Hamilton-Wenham, Sharon and more.
Steep tax rates, administrative tiffs and mediocre locations have these towns listed as up-and-coming communities for their potential and their trade-offs: Owners are selling homes at reasonable prices, great school systems and lively restaurant and seasonal scenes are the big attractions when it comes to those towns in the Opportunity Knocks category. First time home buyers shouldn’t shy away from towns like Watertown (entry only Watertown MLSl listings), Pembroke and Sharon without carefully examining the pros and cons, as the benefits of living in one of these communities on the cusp of trendy could far outweigh the pitfalls depending on what you’re looking for.
Keith Munsell 
