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Brief Synopsis

Wellesley, originally called “Contentment”, is known as the home of the #3 ranked National Liberal Arts college – Wellesley College. Having the finest of beautiful land, homes, schools and colleges, Wellesley is marked with affluence and prosperity, making it a much sought after community in which to live. Wellesley, a hub of culture and education, contains over 1,500 acres of unspoiled woodland, as well as places like Morse’s Pond and Lake Waban, where opportunities for outdoor activities abound. The town focuses on green technology and has invested in green schools, renewable energy, waste management, and preserving and protecting resources, all in an attempt to reduce its carbon footprint. Wellesley has two post offices – 02481 and 02482. Since Wellesley is truly an upscale, bedroom suburb of Boston, its “downtown” retail area is a mixture of fashionable shops and specialty stores.

Where is Wellesley?

Wellesley is located about 14 miles east of downtown Boston. It is bordered on the east by Newton on the north, by Weston on the south, by Needham and Dover, and on the west by Natick. The town comprises about 10.5 square miles, of which only .40 is water. Wellesley, virtually bisected by Route 9, has a commuter-friendly location with fairly quick access to I-95, I-90 and downtown Boston. The major shopping centers for Welleslely are located 6 miles west in Natick and Framingham, 7-8 miles in Chestnut Hill, or about 10 miles south in Dedham. For those who must commute outside the town, there is an abundance of highway access – routes 9, 16 and 135 criss cross through town, I-95 skirts it, and Mass Pike is close by. The MBTA commuter rail (Framingham-Worcester Line) has three stations – Wellesley Hills, Wellesley Square, and Wellesley Farms.

Education

Wellesley’s schools are some of the best in all of Massachusetts and is a major draw for those looking to provide their children with a top-notch education without paying exorbitant private school tuition fees. So popular are its schools, it is not unusual for enrollment to close at different schools and in different grades. You will want to enroll your children as soon as you find your new home in Wellesley! The Wellesley public schools include P.A.W.S. Preschool; 6 elementary schools: Bates, Fiske, Hardy, Hunnewell, Schofield, Sprague, and Upham; Wellesley Middle School; and Wellesley High School. Higher education is available at Wellesley College, Babson College, and MassBay Community College.

Wellesley Neighborhoods

The town has several beautiful neighborhoods that are ideal for family living, including: Wellesley Lower Falls, Wellesley Farms, Wellesley Square, Wellesley Fells, and Wellesley Hills. The layout of Wellesley Farms differs from the traditional “grid” that was popular in other neighborhoods in town. Yet, Its homes reflect traditional New England, architect designed homes made of stone, timber and shingles and set back into the homesite… all the while respectful of the existing unique topography of rocky outcroppings, significant pines and heavy vegetation in a somewhat romantic and very countrified way.

Housing

The residential neighborhoods of Wellesley weave a wonderful fabric for community living. The rich variety of architecture – Colonial, Tudor, Victorian, Cape or Townhouse – with zoning allowing for 10,000 – 40,000 square foot lots, makes Wellesley a superb choice for a first home, for the years of a growing family, and as a empty-nester setting.

Points of Interest

Swing by Wellesley’s many playgrounds, tennis courts, cross-country ski trails, and two recreational lakes for outdoor fun. Spend the day at Wellesley College – Lake Waban is a favorite of our dogs to cool off in on hot summer days. Stroll along its terrific walking trail which we love to do with out dogs. Spend some pensive time in its Davis Museum. Enjoy nature at its finest in its lovely Hunnewell Arboretum and Elm Bank Horticulture Center. Partake of wonderful summer concerts at Town Hall Green where live music floats on the breeze. The Wellesley Symphony Orchestra puts on six concerts each year, including classical works, a holiday pops concert and a family concert. Soloists are often well known Boston area musicians and sometimes include players from the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Wellesley also hosts the annual Wellesley’s Wonderful Weekend which includes an annual Veterans’ Parade and fireworks.

Other Info About Wellesley

Access the Town of Wellesley’s official website which provides links to important information, including an online database which you can access to see what value the city Assessor gives the property you are interested in buying and calculate what its annual taxes are. Almost all properties are serviced by town sewerage; all have town water.

It is always wise to check and see if there is reported criminal activity in the area in which you plan to live. The Wellesley Police Department has a web site which you can access for their latest news.

To keep up with daily goings on, in general, have a look at The Swellesley Report, The Wellesley Townsman, The Wellesley Channel, and The Patch, which are purveyors of local news. Of course, there are also the Boston Globe, and the Boston Herald.

Area Schools

Great Schools provides ratings for most schools in the United States. Below, you can see what schools are near the address you are thinking of buying and then compare it to other neighboring schools.

Except for an occasional multi-family sale a year, the rest of the sales are predominantly single-family homes. There are a few dozen condo/townhome sales each year. Single family homes have seen prices running from $550,000 to $10,000,000. A few dozen condos and townhouses have been offered between $500,000 and $1,800,000. A small handful of multi-family homes have been offered between $1,400,000 and $1,900,000 Understandably, pricing varies depending upon size, location, and amenities.

Real estate sales and pricing are very fluid and can fluctuate in a matter of hours because homes come on and off the market daily… even hourly. What is currently offered for sale is listed below. The following chart is a visual representation of the cyclical nature of real estate activity and compares the ups and downs of Wellesley to those of Boston proper. The taller the column the better it is for buyers. The shorter the column the better it is for sellers. Hence 2006 was the best time for a buyer to buy in Wellesley, while 2021-2022 were good years for sellers. However, the graphic below indicates a weakening seller’s market for Boston with Wellesley sure to follow shortly behind.

This next chart shows the number of sales occurring in Wellesley month-to-month, year-to-year since 2018 and provides you a historical overview of the best times to sell – months with the greatest number of sales (spring and fall) – and the best times to buy – months with the fewest number of sales (summer and winter). CAVEAT: there are usually more houses to choose from in the first half of the year.

Search Wellesley Real Estate

This is Wellesley’s best real estate site to search for: homes, condos, multi-families, land and foreclosure properties. It is seriously the only site you will ever need to find your next home or investment property! Bookmark this page and check back anytime to see what is currently available in Wellesley. Unlike other search sites which includes properties already under contract, this site only shows properties that are truly available.

*** If you should see some properties listed twice it is because brokers like to list a condo/townhome as a condo plus as a single-family house, or list a dilapidated house as land, as well as a residence.