Does a cheap summer house still exist?

September 6, 2007 6:52 AM

Are there any reasonably-priced summer homes left in New England? (more inside)

I went whitewater rafting this past weekend in the middle of Maine, and absolutely loved the whole cabin-on-the-river idea. The problem is that we were 4 hours north of Boston - that's a bit too far. Does anybody know of any reasonably-priced areas within 90 minutes or so of Boston for waterfront (ocean, lake, river) property? Obvious places like Cape Cod are way out of the price range, but there's got to be a lake or a river *somewhere* that hasn't been discovered yet... Not looking for a specific house, but more a particular area that's still reasonable.

posted by um_maverick to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

The North Quabbin area may work. Quiet, and not touristy, so hopefully the prices are better than the more traditional vacation areas. I don't think I'd consider an unfinished cabin for $270000 cheap, but it's a starting point.
posted by saffry at 7:24 AM on September 6, 2007

There are some lake areas in Western Mass, Ludlow and similar towns, that might not be too expensive and are within that driving range. No idea about prices, but I can't image they are very high.
posted by bobot at 7:36 AM on September 6, 2007

The New York Times recently did a story on Portsmouth, NH. I've only been there a couple of times, but I really do love the vibe of the city and the harbor there. And, apparently the real estate is temporarily still affordable.
posted by B-squared at 7:39 AM on September 6, 2007

Seconding the Western Mass. My grandparents have a cottage in Windsor (the northern Berkshires, and more like 2.5-3 hours from Boston, but very pretty country), and I'm pretty sure that places on the lake there go for less than $100K.
posted by hwickline at 7:50 AM on September 6, 2007

Try some places along the Saco River in lower Maine (pushing the edge of your 90-minute requirement, but still possible).
posted by mikepop at 8:11 AM on September 6, 2007

I never looked at real estate in Portsmouth, but yes, it's awesome. Some local real estate for your convenience. (Plus, no sales or income tax in NH.)
posted by fogster at 8:37 AM on September 6, 2007