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!!

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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

anyways

good luck

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, http://www.katherinewatersclark.com for some more help. Good luck! Katherine Waters-Clark

Natick, Needham or Wellesley.

Hi Lemon,

I saw that there was a new reply to this question, and thought I would take the opportunity to ask if you have made a decision on where to move. Or, if you have made a different decision, such as not to move right now. I am just curious to hear how active buyers are dealing with the current market.

Thanks,
Tim

Wayland has EXCELLENT schools. House prices became unrealistic a few years ago. Today they have dropped by 25-30 since end 2005/early 2006. Now is the time to buy.

Hello! Are you thinking of the North or South Shore? If south, Canton is nice. So is Norwood, Walpole, Westwood and Easton. Good luck!

Winchester is on the high end or how about Wakefield, nice lake to walk around, commuter rail into the city!

Chris

I got a real gem of a home in Canton that I just listed.
Its about 4 years old, built by and for the builder.
4beds, 3baths, bonus room, and deeded pond rights.
Search 91 Pleasant Circle, right here on Trulia or give me a call at 617-925-4007 http://www.Ucanlist.com

Try Hingham on the South Shore. Lovely community, only 20 minutes into Boston and the areas around the Square (center) are wonderful and within walking distrance of the train into town! I would be happy to help if you need it.

Come to Dover! Small town(1800 homes), top school system, lots of open space , great people and convenient to everything! My second suggestion is Needham which has lots to offer-great schools, commuter train, restaurants & shops, lots of kids programs, a really great community. Good luck!!
Mary Crane 1-617-413-2879. Century 21 Commonwealth

Both Wellesley and Natick offer much of what you are looking for. Both have lovely downtowns, both of which are anchored by new, large public libraries. The libraries are a magnet for families with young children and offer lots of activities. Both have great gathering spaces with cozy coffee shops and public spaces: in Wellesley the Duck Pond at Town Hall and in Natick the Town Green which hosts a farmers market on Saturday mornings in season. Both offer super fast access to downtown with commuter rail stations in the town centers, and the best access to the Mass Pike. From some parts of both towns you can drive to Boston without hitting a single stop light until you get off in Copley Square!

While it is tough to give up the city lifestyle, it is worth it to give your kids the easy access to the outdoors, the education, sports and activities that you will find in the burbs. And remember, their clhildhoods will unfortunately fly by and your will be empty nesters moving back to the city before you know it!

I have listings in Wellesley and Natick now on Trulia. I hope you will check them out!