Moving to Greater Boston: How to Choose a Town and Buy with Confidence

Moving to Greater Boston is exciting. The region has world-class hospitals, universities, jobs and neighborhoods with real character. It can also feel confusing at first: dozens of cities and towns, each with its own schools, taxes and personality, plus a home-buying process that works differently from many other states. This guide will help you choose where to live and buy with confidence, even from far away.

Step 1: Start with your commute

In Greater Boston, your commute often matters more than distance on a map. Ten miles can take 20 minutes or more than an hour depending on traffic and transit. Start by mapping where you (and anyone you live with) will work, study or travel most.

Understanding the MBTA

The MBTA (“the T”) runs the region’s public transit. According to a state description of the system, it includes:

• Subway and light rail: the Red, Orange and Blue Lines (heavy rail), the Green Line (light rail), and the Mattapan trolley connecting to the Red Line
• Silver Line bus rapid transit routes
• Commuter Rail: 13 lines reaching farther suburbs and cities
• Buses and ferries, including several ferry routes across the harbor

Living within walking distance of a subway or commuter rail station can save time and money, and many buyers value it. Before you commit, try your commute at rush hour, check weekend schedules and look at parking at the station.

Step 2: Compare towns, not just homes

Massachusetts is a state of many small municipalities. Each city or town sets its own property tax rate, runs its own schools and has its own rules for things like parking, trash and zoning. A few factors to compare:

• Schools. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) publishes school and district profiles with data on enrollment, assessments, educators and finances. Visit schools and talk with parents too.
• Property taxes. Rates and bills vary widely from town to town. Some cities offer a residential exemption that lowers taxes for owner-occupants. Ask about this for each town on your list.
• Home styles and prices. Inner-ring cities like Chelsea, Everett, Revere, Malden and Somerville offer more multi-families and condos, often at lower prices than many western suburbs. Suburbs farther out offer more single-family homes and yards, usually with longer commutes.
• Daily life. Walkability, parks, grocery stores, places of worship and community groups all matter.

Our areas we serve page has local snapshots to help you compare.

Step 3: Rent first or buy right away?

Both can make sense. Renting first gives you time to learn neighborhoods, test commutes and avoid buying in the wrong place. Buying right away can help you start building equity and avoid moving twice.

Renting in Greater Boston has its own rules and costs. See our guides to renting in Massachusetts and rent vs. buy.

Step 4: Know what is different about buying here

If you have bought in another state, expect a few differences in Massachusetts:

• Two-step contracts. Buyers usually sign an Offer to Purchase first, then a more detailed Purchase and Sale Agreement after the inspection.
• Attorneys run closings. A Massachusetts attorney handles the title work and closing.
• Smoke and CO certificate. The local fire department inspects alarms and issues a certificate before the sale.
• Lead paint notice. For homes built before 1978, sellers and agents must give buyers the Property Transfer Lead Paint Notification. If a child under 6 will live in the home, the new owner must delead or bring it under interim control within 90 days of taking title.

Our step-by-step buying guide walks through the full process.

Step 5: Plan for winter and older homes

Much of Greater Boston’s housing is old, and winters can be long, cold and snowy. When touring homes, ask about:

• Heating. What fuel does it use (gas, oil, electric heat pump)? How old is the system? Ask the seller for recent heating bills.
• Insulation and windows. Older homes may have little insulation, which raises heating costs.
• Roof and gutters. Snow and ice can cause ice dams and leaks.
• Snow removal. Who clears the driveway, sidewalks and walkways? Many towns require owners to clear sidewalks. Condos usually share this cost.
• Basements. Look for signs of water and ask about sump pumps.

A good home inspection will flag many of these issues.

Step 6: Buying from a distance

Many relocating buyers make offers before they move. Here is how it can work:

1. Get pre-approved with a lender licensed in Massachusetts.
2. Use video tours. Ask your agent for live video walk-throughs, not just recorded videos, so you can ask questions in real time.
3. Send someone you trust to the inspection, or join by video and review the report carefully.
4. Sign documents electronically when allowed.
5. Close remotely if needed. Massachusetts passed a law allowing remote online notarization, effective January 1, 2024, that keeps the attorney’s role in real estate closings. Ask your closing attorney whether a remote or mail-away closing is possible for your purchase and lender.

How Luis can help

Luis has helped buyers settle into Greater Boston for more than 30 years. Our team can help you compare towns, set up live video tours and coordinate every step if you are buying from afar, in English or Spanish. Book a free 15-minute call to talk about your move.