Hi, I live in East Forest Park, a very nice neighborhood. I am a graduate student working on my dissertation and while taking a break from studying I saw your question posted. I have no real estate experience, so ...no axe to grind. I'm not originally from this area but I have lived here since 1999. East Forest Park and Sixteen Acres are both nice neighborhoods (some parts are better than others) within Springfield. East Longmeadow and Longmeadow are nicer, and the home prices are therefore higher. Property taxes are very high in Springfield, and many families with school age children send their kids to private school or move to the suburbs. This will affect your resale value even if, like us, you don't have any schoolage kids.

To avoid bankruptcy a few years ago, control of the city was taken over by the govenor and a control board was named as a condition of receiving a $50m interest-free loan. I believe that recently control was switched back to the mayor, but as you can see, the city has serious financial issues (like many areas of the US these days).

Depending on your price range, you can probably find a nice home. Housing prices in Springfield didn't appreciate as strongly as other parts of the country in previous years, so they also haven't declined as dramatically. I'm thinking when we sell our house next year (IF I graduate!), that we will probably sell this house for about what we paid for it in 2005.....maybe anyway.

Good luck! I'll check back in a few days to see if this response was helpful.

I am a local Realtor in the Springfield, MA area (Longmeadow, to be exact). I am Transnational Referral Certified and later this year I will be receiving my Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation from the National Association of Realtors.

When making an international move it is very important to get all of your ducks (and documents!) in a row as there must be compliance with various Federal regulations to ensure as uneventful a relocation as possible.

Should you wish to contact me regarding international relocation, I can be reached through my profile.

There are areas in Springfield and around Springfield that offer nice choices. Suggestions would be East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Sixteen Acres. I was born and raised in Springfield, my parents still reside there in the house I grew up in. I am in Springfield at least once a week still. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about it or the surrounding areas. As far as purchasing from out of the country, it is possible to do, not as easy, but possible. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you!

As for looking for a home in or around Springfield, MA.; There are plenty of qualified realtors in the area. If you can't find one using Trulia, I can probably help you with that. If you are looking for a mortgage, I can definitely help you out. As long as your husband still has his US citizenship.
Contact me for more information.