Relocating from CA to MA

Updated on November 05, 2012
S.F. asks from Westborough, MA
6 answers

Hi wonderful Mamas,
We are relocating to the Boston area for my husband's job. Needless to say, this will be quite a change since both of us have spent most of our lives in Santa Barbara, CA. Due to major loss of value in our home here, we will have to rent in MA for a couple of years. My husband will be working in Southborough, MA and we have been interested in Hopkinton, MA as a place to live (seems to be good schools and a nice town center and open nature areas). However, we are surprised to find that there are virtually no home rentals available (at least not listed on the internet). Does anyone have suggestions for finding a home for long-term rental when we are over 3000 miles away? I am open to any suggestions which would not involve me flying there every other week. We need to have a place secured between now and the end of December at the latest. I am also interested in any relocation advice and ways to make it easier for our boys ages 3 and 5 to adjust... Thank you in advance!

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So What Happened?

@ Deb- thank you for asking: we are looking in the range of 3K- hopefully 2500-3000 Sq ft with one area of 300+ sq ft (basement? attic?) which is heated and could be ventilated for use as my art studio (my profession). Thank you!

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J.B.

answers from Boston on

Hi - future welcome to the Bay State! Hopkinton is a beautiful town and a great location - it's easy to get to Boston and other points of interest from there (west to the Berkshires, south to the Cape, north to the north shore beaches, New Hampshire and Maine). You are right that there isn't a huge rental market for homes, but they definitely are out there.

Does your husband's company offer a relocation service to help out? If so, they should be able to find a Realtor who has rental listings. If not, try craigslist. Here is a listing I was just able to find, and there is at least one other house for rent on there:

http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/nfb/3376843742.html

Good luck!

PS - moving here in the winter can be...interesting. Last winter was mild but the one before tested the mettle of even the hardiest New Englanders. Just don't be discouraged when, if you move, it seems like everything is wet, cold and gray with short days. Just hang on until late March and you'll see that it really can be beautiful and pleasant here. Be sure that wherever you rent includes snow removal service or comes with a snow blower that you can use or that you arrange for snow removal services when you get here - if you can get a handle on snow removal, you'll find that the snow is much less of a hassle.

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S.E.

answers from Wichita Falls on

Talk to a real estate broker, they handle more than buying and selling of homes. They will have the best info on available rentals, what areas are like and the schools district. Good Luck

3 moms found this helpful

T.N.

answers from Albany on

It's a beautiful area, and a short drive to the shore. My guy's company is based there (Velquest). Not cheap though, but coming from Santa Barbara, it might seem cheap to you!

http://www.rentals.com/Massachusetts/Hopkinton/

Good Luck! And I'll pray for a mild winter for you.

:)

1 mom found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

Do you have a realtor? I can recommend a couple of people with offices in Hopkinton and neighboring towns. I live in the next town of Westborough and can attest to the attractiveness of the area. You will find Southborough quite expensive and probably with fewer rental options than Hopkinton, Westborough, Northborough, Shrewsbury and Ashland. All of these are close to Interstate 495 and the Mass Pike (Interstate 90). There are also some very nice apartment/townhouse complexes in the area which is another option, at least in the short term. I realize "moving twice" is not ideal but you will not have problems getting a place. Any realtor will have great on-line photos of every home for sale or rent, and then you can come out maybe once and see 6 or 8 places plus get some tours of the towns with a knowledgeable expert. They will want to help you rent because they hope you will come back to them as a broker when it's time to buy! (I know they work for the seller but still, they are looking to build a client base.)

Most of the towns of early childhood options for recreation programs, library story hour, and so on. It's a good way to start to make connections. Many towns also have a Newcomers' Club with activities for adults and kids - play groups, adult social nights, etc. Many towns sponsor a babysitter training course and it helps you find sitters in an area you are just getting to know. Sometimes the high schools have a job listing area in the guidance office and you can get sitters or mothers' helpers that way.

Is your 5 year old in school yet? If so, you will meet lots of people through parent groups and class activities. It's not impossible to find preschool options even at mid-year - people move away just as people like you move into the area, so slots open up.

There are some great museums in the area without going to Boston, so there are things to do if the weather isn't conducive to outdoor nature areas. Even the existing areas (Hopkinton and Ashland State Parks, plus numerous areas managed by local land groups, Audubon, etc.) are easily accessible even if you are one or two towns away.

Winters get tough here in January and February, more than December, so you should be able to move without a big risk of snow. You'll need warm outerwear, of course, and a few snow shovels or a plowing service, and you'll need to factor in heating costs vs. AC costs in California! I think you'll be able to get the kids excited about the new surroundings - definitely show them pictures of the New England Aquarium and the Museum of Science (Boston), the Children's Discovery Museum (Acton), the Ecotarium (Worcester), the Roger Williams Park Zoo (Providence), and Cape Cod beaches. All are accessible from Central Massachusetts. They'll meet a few kids and will be acclimated in no time!

Meantime, let them know they will keep their favorite bed, blanket, stuffed animals, toys, etc. If you're comfortable doing so, promise them something for the new house - could be a toy (maybe a sled?), could be a new thing for their rooms (wallpaper border, bookshelf, whatever) that will get them excited. Downplay losing their friends - tell them about Skype so they can talk to their friends all the time. Play up exploration of new things. If they ask if they can come back and visit CA, say "yes, at some point" or "Yes, when we can...." or "that would be fun, wouldn't it" and don't say "No it's too expensive". They will lose interest after a few weeks in their new exciting place and after meeting new friends.

Feel free to contact me if you're coming into the area to visit, and I'll give you my phone number!

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D.N.

answers from Boston on

It's true that there aren't many single family homes for rent, but there are a few. You might want to expand your search to other nearby towns as well... Ashland, Shrewsbury, Sudbury (depending on your price range).

One of the reasons you aren't seeing as much inventory is that most rentals open up in the spring and early summer, since that's when most people like to move. And usually listings don't hit the market until 60 days or less before occupancy, although there are exceptions.

How much space do you need? And what is the price range you are looking for? I can send you some listings to look at if you want, and/or put you in touch with a real estate agent in that area. (I'm an agent covering towns north of Suthborough, so although I don't mind driving to Hopkinton, it just isn't an area I know as well, so you would be better served working locally.)

Anyway, let me know if I can help. You can reach me at D. at debn dot net. As far as suggestions for your kids, pack a box of their most favorite things and things to do (games, stuffed animals, crayons and coloring books, etc. ) so when you arrive you can set them up to play while you get settled in. There are also some great books for children about moving, depending on their age.

The biggest adjustment for them will probably be the cold and snow, but you can turn that into fun with sledding and snowmen. (Some pictures books will help build their anticipation, too). The are lots of great things for little kids in the area, so once you get here, you can show them how much fun they will have.

D.

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S.F.

answers from Santa Barbara on

I am so touched by the generous and warm responses I got. I feel more confident that it will all work out. I will post an update when we have made it to the other side of this Country. Thank you all so much!

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