Consider Newton, Lexington, Natick, Huron Village in Cambridge, Needham, and obviously Wellesley. Your price range and how far out in the burbs you are willing to go will determine a lot. Arlington is fantastic. If you are patient I am sure something good will come on the market there.

Here are just a few places I pulled in a quick search.

Natick:
1) walk to center: 4 Reynolds Ave, Natick, MA 01760-4857
map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=4+Reynolds+Ave+Natick+MA+01760
listing sheet: http://www.territoryre.com/SF_Property.php?LIST_NO=70706791

2) Another pretty house in walking distance to the center: 6 Jefferson St , Natick, MA 01760-5918
map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=6+Jefferson+St+Natick+MA+01760
listing sheet: http://www.territoryre.com/SF_Property.php?LIST_NO=70698384

Needham:
1) near trains and center: 268 BROOKLINE STREET, Needham, MA 02492-3641
map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=268+BROOKLINE+STREET+Needham+M…
listing sheet: http://www.territoryre.com/SF_Property.php?LIST_NO=70719863

Good luck!!

Sun Mar 16 2008, 10:20

I don't know if you want to come up to the North Shore or not, but there are some great buys in Salem, Beverly and Swampscott. All are on the commuter rail line. I live in Beverly and you are always near restaurants, shopping, parks, beaches and many cultural venues. Contact me via my website if you want more information. Best of Luck!

Sun Mar 16 2008, 10:33

Lemon,
I moved from the city to the 'burbs 5 years ago when our first daughter was born, so I know what you're saying. We moved out to Norfolk, MA. Love the community and the commuter rail gets you into Boston is about 45 minutes. Plus, Providence is a short drive away. There are a bunch of nice suburban communities out this way (Westwood, Medfield, Norfolk, Franklin, Medway, Holliston, Wrentham...). If I can shed any light on suburban life out in this neck of the woods, please don't hesitate to contact me. And don't be afraid, once you take the plunge it's pretty nice out here. No sushi at 12:30am, but still pretty nice! : )
-Mike

Sun Mar 16 2008, 11:11

oh, and hire an exclusive buyers agent when you finally decide to buy ... Trust me, you will thank me later ;)

Sun Mar 16 2008, 11:25

Lemon, I know the South Shore towns and would be ready and willing to show you this area. With the new Greenbush line into South Station, this is a convenient place to live. The town centers of Hingham, Cohasset or Scituate are areas you should consider. They are such comfortable lifestyle villages. Lots of great homes available with many "child friendly" amenities in these towns.

Sun Mar 16 2008, 14:16

I have raised 3 children in Dover Mass. Dover has a great school system and has a small town feel. The town offers a small area near the center and great parks and recreation facilities. We are close to Needham and Wellesley yet offer a wide variety of family friendly programs. Feel free to contact me if you would like to check the area out.

Thu Mar 20 2008, 06:31

If your careers can handle it, consider Cape Cod. There was a period when I took the commuter bus to South Station on a daily basis; now I commute two miles from home. From the standpoint of quality of lfe, does it gett any better? If you want a quaint town, Chatham is one of 12 distinctive destinations in the U.S. according to the National Trust.

Thu Mar 20 2008, 10:12

Elain from the Trulia marketing team here. Check out a recent study we did on home prices and schools in the Boston area: http://www.trulia.com/school_study/

Keep us posted on how things go - good luck!

Tue Mar 25 2008, 17:22

Lemon, check out the Arlington Heights part of Arlington, where you can walk to Arlington Heights center. Great area, and walking distance to restaurants and shops. Also great school district.

I was looking in that area for a while this fall, and the market is still competitive.

Tue Mar 25 2008, 17:28

I recommend Natick, Needham and Medfield but alot will depend on your price range and what you are specifically looking for.

Wed Mar 26 2008, 16:19

get a storage place
within walking distance
that will solve the space problem
not a good time to sell a house

anyways

good luck

Wed Mar 26 2008, 16:47

Dear Lemon,

Hello! My name's Katherine, and I am a Accredited Buyer's Agent (fancy name for buyer expert) at REMAX Leading Edge in Winchester, just a stone's throw away from Arlington. I used to live in North Cambridge and Somerville for years so I feel your pain about leaving the urban scene. The good news is, depending on your price range, there are lots of towns that might work for you and your family. I would be more than happy to chat with you and your family, and (shameless plug) I offer a FREE one-hour counseling session for buyers. I have clients that are looking in Arlington, Winchester, Medford, Woburn, Stoneham, Reading, and Wakefield - all decent towns, many with town centers, good school systems, quality of life and they are a quick hop onto the highway to get to the city or points north. Feel free (sorry for shameless plug!) to check out my website, www.katherinewatersclark.com for some more help. Good luck! Katherine Waters-Clark

Wed Mar 26 2008, 17:44