Time to start house hunting

mandytheartist

Barefooters
Feb 16, 2012
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Sudbury, MA
Stephanie has been extended a more permanent job offer, so now we can afford a starter home! We're expecting to stay in the Boston area, but we're officially becoming suburbanites. :). Any tips for house hunting? Anything realtors WON'T tell you?
 
Realtors will tell you EVERYTHING....that they are required to tell you, but realtors aren't electricians, or plumbers, or carpenters, etc. For any house you consider, use a qualified, reputable home inspector. We used an inspector that had made some appearances on "This Old House". He was on the high-side for price, but extremely thorough. We used him for our homes in both Massachusetts and Rhode island, but he seems to have retired in the past 10 years. I'll check at home tonight and see if I can dig up a name.

Congratulations on your exciting development!
 
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I have only been running for 4-5 years (I turn 50 soon) and moving was not running-relevant at the time. I live in a Rhode Island suburb now where I can run in the neighborhood or on the bike path.

I own a rental property in Fall River, MA, and initially lived in Fall River when first married. FYI, the "SouthCoast Railway" is supposed to be in the works, connecting Boston to cities like Fall River and New Bedford, where the cost of living is much easier on the wallet but providing public transit for commuting to Boston.

Just a few thoughts.
 
Nice! Dunno if Fall River to Beacon Hill is a commute Stephanie wants to make. It won't effect me, due to working from home. Unless of course I can find an inexpensive space to work in. Is that area as liberal as Cambridge?
 
My in-laws live on the Cape. I think that should answer your question! :)

But seriously, we don't get to the Cape very often. A few times a year, but really just for family time with my wife's parents. I am a lifelong New Englander, but I did live in Hawaii for one year when I was about 10 years old, and that is where barefootedness was instilled in me.

Otherwise, we like the area for the typical reasons; we love the seasons, enjoy the New England beaches, I am a snowboarder and my wife and daughters ski (downhill and cross-country). We just hiked "Great Blue Hill" loop somewhere in MA and we also love hiking New Hampshire and Vermont. It's a great area, and the people are wicked jerks around these parts, so I fit in quite nicely.
 
That's like the best place to live in Massachusetts! Good luck! I was just in Marlborough (West of Sudbury) last week visiting a DataCenter to work on a computer.

I am genuinely looking forward to seeing another barefoot runner at least once in my life. Maybe it will be you. I'll keep an eye out! I am doing a 5K with my shod Father on Monday in Somerset, MA.

Again, good luck to both of you during this crazy, exciting, busy, and stressful time in your lives.
 
Fantastic! Too cool that there was a pride flag waving. My brother (formerly my sister) has houses with his Wife in Fall River, MA and in Amherst, MA.

It's nice to see the scales of social justice tipping, but sometimes 2 steps forward causes one step back. Sure....people are becoming more open-minded about what "love" is, but you are still going to be a target for hate, derision, and prejudice due to your lifestyle choices. So, no matter where you move to, please remember to brace yourself for the utter disgust of people who see you running barefoot!!!!

EDIT - Ok, I always worry that my poorly delivered jokes have offended....I was just trying to highlight how much more accepting many people are of alternative lifestyles while still being utterly disgusted by bare feet. So I was referring to the barefoot lifestyle-choice as the target of hate and derision, and not any other. Apologies if the joke didn't land properly.
 
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Just coming back to say: OUR OFFER WAS ACCEPTED! We'll be moving to,Sudbury by the end of the week!

We LOVE our new neighbors, they made us feel accepted and validated! One cute story: one set of neighbors have a school aged daughter. She asked us,"Who got a new Last name when you got married?" :) I smiled and told her I did.