01
Feb
Please note this blog post was sponsored by Dan Bernal. To read more about that, please click here.
Happy Monday everyone and welcome back to the blog. Today I am super happy to have Dan Bernal offering you all his insight and wisdom into everything real estate in Salem, MA. I have worked with Dan before and everything he has shared has always been super helpful. Today we are going to chat about moving to Salem and some things you may want to consider ahead of time. We have covered how to move to Salem in the past and this post is an elaboration on that topic. I see so many questions regarding moving here and I hope this helps those of you looking to relocate to the witch city.
So without further delay, this is what Dan had to say.
“Most people who visit Salem are coming for a seasonal or holiday event. Halloween, historical sites, Haunted Happenings, spooky history…these are the New Orleans style draws that most commonly inspire people to travel here for a weekend. What’s funny about that as a local resident is these are hiccups in the otherwise unrelated local lifestyle.
Salem is 16 miles north of Boston with a train station in the middle of town. It’s a commuter city and Salem is also one of the oldest deep water ports in the USA. Salem enjoys the open ocean but also the protection of a relatively tight harbor, so hurricanes and other heavy weather systems generally affect us less than nearby exposed coastlines. I walked to Forest River Park on the harbor and watched the rain during Hurricane Irene while it was flooding roads in Revere just a few miles away with open ocean exposure.
As historically significant as Salem is, it’s also a new restaurant foodie destination. Chefs who would be employees in Boston restaurants come here to open their own places, and are well rewarded by the local community. Even through the pandemic, retro-fitting venues to focus on takeout has preserved most of the local food culture.
Over the past year, with office time becoming all but extinct and people vacating dense urban areas like Boston, we have seen a huge influx of former city-dwellers migrate to Salem. You get more for your money, more space, great food culture, seaside parks, local culture and more physical space between people, all for a fraction of the expense of living in the city.
If you’re visiting Salem with the consideration of moving here, please take note of the following. North Salem (over the bridge) is not particularly walkable to downtown despite the short distance, so consider what your intended amenities are and where you want to be. Salem has only one middle school and one high school but a bunch of elementary schools. Look them up and do your homework. There are very distinct regions in Salem, each has it’s own character both architecturally and culturally. Don’t mistake the whole town as being one thing, If you’re thinking of moving here, look into each neighborhood you’re considering and talk to somebody who lives in each.
What you should know about moving to Salem is it’s not all witches. It’s not Halloween. It’s a harbor town in New England like Newburyport or Portsmouth, NH or Portland, ME. All very similar cities that are beautiful, old and full of charm on the water. Don’t get caught up in the historical references to Salem. They’re here, they’re relevant, but they have nothing to do with the thriving foodie boutique shop progressive seaside town Salem is today.”
Thanks again to Dan for all of the insight and I hope this blog post helps. There is truly no place like Salem.
If you’re a Salem based or North Shore based business and are interested in working with me, click here for information or feel free to contact me with any questions.
Dan is a top producing agent providing concierge level service to buyers, sellers and investors throughout eastern MA since 2006. He works closely with clients to ensure they’re fully informed, expertly advised and supported with the best available resources and services.
Whether a first time buyer, a luxury seller, a rental/ rehab investor or anything in between you can rely on Dan’s extensive experience, unswerving attention, constant availability and honest advice. Dan is a certified relocation specialist, recipient of numerous sales awards and was featured on the popular HGTV show House Hunters twice.
Dan holds a B.A. in Classics from Tufts University and lives with his family in Salem, MA where he is also an enthusiastic foodie and performing guitarist.
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