MARKET SNAPSHOT
Want a place in these towns? Better move fast. A look at communities with the fewest average days on market before a sale:
ARLINGTON
Single-family: 26 days
Condo: 25 days
CAMBRIDGE
Single-family: 33 days
Condo: 27 days
WATERTOWN
Single-family: 33 days
Condo: 38 days
MELROSE
Single-family: 36 days
Condo: 37 days
MEDFORD
Single-family: 37 days
Condo: 35 days
WALTHAM
Single-family: 42 days
Condo: 33 days
— Source: Data from Massachusetts Association of Realtors
HOUSE HUNTING
. . . IN LYNN
Johnny: “[What brings us to Lynn] is probably the price, value, affordability, and space.”
Loren: “We are currently renting in Back Bay, and we need more space.”
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Johnny: “We’ve broadened from potentially a condo in East Boston. I’d rather drive farther to have a single-family home and have more space and a yard.”
Loren: “We have two dogs.”
. . . IN MEDFORD
“We live in Melrose now, and we can walk into the downtown. . . . Medford’s a little tough. Last week we put in an offer over asking price, and it didn’t get accepted.”
“[What brings me to Medford] is probably the distance to the city. I want to live in a house instead of a town house-type condo. And price. . . . it’s a seller’s market. There isn’t too much [for sale] currently.”
“We are living in Somerville right now, and we need somewhere more suburby. We are having a baby in August. [The market] has really competitive prices and really isn’t what I expected.” — Carolyn Jin, 29, biopharmacy professional
. . . IN BELMONT
“We worry about being stuck in the real estate bubble. The market has really elevated in the last two years. . . . The way the market is going, now is the right time to buy.”
. . . IN WELLESLEY
“Before settling on Wellesley, we looked in Newton, Quincy, Milton, Medfield, and Brookline. . . . You need to be thrifty with your money to afford a home here. [You have to] be willing to make sacrifices and prioritize for the things that are important to you.”
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WHY DO YOU LOVE YOUR HOMETOWN?
I LOVE EVERETT BECAUSE . . .
“I think it’s a great opportunity to have all of Boston at your doorstep and have a little more breathing room. . . . I would love to see more young people move into town.”
— Robert Burns, 32, cofounder of Night Shift Brewing, Everett
“I love the people. The city is very welcoming to the arts. . . . I’m very happy for the direction that Everett is leaning toward.”
— Alvin Colon, 35, art director of Paris Street Gallery, Everett
“I feel very proud of the relationship that the schools and the library have. I think the community really comes together. The schools are phenomenal.”
— Patricia Ells, 65, acting children’s librarian at Parlin Memorial Library, Everett
I LOVE SOMERVILLE BECAUSE . . .
“It’s a big area but a small community. You see somebody you know everywhere you go. . . . I’ve lived here for 63 years, in the same house I grew up in. I’ve seen the town change and grow a lot.”
— Jimmy Del Ponte, 63, City of Somerville’s youth arts coordinator
“I love my town because there are lots of small businesses and everyone is really friendly.”
— Stephanie Kirkpatrick, 28, teacher at O2 Yoga, Somerville
I LOVE LEXINGTON BECAUSE . . .
“. . . of its history and civic engagement. We are the birthplace of American history. We are proud of the legacy we have created by standing up for what we believe in.”
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— Trisha Perez Kennealy, 46, owner and general manager of The Inn at Hastings Park, Lexington
“There are many cultural events that take place and many ethnic restaurants in town. . . . There’s something for everyone here.”
— Frank Sarno, 70, owner of Crickets Flowers & Gifts, Lexington
“There are a lot of chances for children to have amazing educational opportunities, but there are also a lot of extracurricular activities, like in the arts, to provide a nice balance.”
— Cristina Burwell, 52, director of Munroe Center for the Arts, Lexington
I LOVE CAMBRIDGE BECAUSE . . .
“It really feels like a community. we share many values, we care for . . . and support each other, and have a spirit of cultural and intellectual curiosity.”
— David Sandberg, 57, co-owner of Porter Square Books, Cambridge
Top Spots to Live 2017 contributors: Rebecca Szkutak, Alaina Leary, Alexa D’Agostino, Molly Williams, and Emily Heidt. Send comments to magazine@globe.com. Follow us on Twitter @BostonGlobeMag.