"We just moved to the Boston area this spring. I work in Cambridge so finding a decent home (under $700K) with a decent commute, while big enough for our growing family was the task at hand. It was a long process, we looked at old, cramped homes in Arlington and Belmont, and tear-down quality homes in Lexington. In the end, we bought a new construction 4bed /2.5 bath 2500sqft colonial in West Woburn with a 2 car garage, hardwood floors, granite, etc for just under $650k, all within 10 miles from my work. The house is close to an elementary school that is rated 42nd in the state out of 903. Their high school is also brand new, looks like a hospital campus - impressive. Most older homes around me go for ~$400k, not bad for the great location (access to 128, 2, 93)."

I particularly like Ted's observations about the home buying process in Greater Boston - he compares it to circling around a packed parking lot in search of a spot.

Moreover, he throws in some useful pricing details as well - Ted found new construction in Lexington started at $900,000 while buying smaller, older home in Arlington or Belmont would mean shelling out $10,000 a year in "improvements."

"Finding homes in Boston is like driving around a parking lot, eventually you'll find a spot. There is no logic that can be applied, you just need time. However, there are a few rules we picked up along the way. New construction in Lexington, you're going to pay minimum $900k. Arlington and Belmont are great, but you can't get new construction, so plan on dishing out $10k a year in "home improvements". Another thing, Belmont is at sea level (Arlington, Woburn and Lexington are up on the ledge) and after this spring their roads (and basements) were a mess."