Your Norwell Home Buying Guide

The Basics/History

 

The Town of Norwell, a community of approximately 11,000, is located in Plymouth County, approximately twenty miles south of Boston, along the picturesque North River. Norwell was originally settled in 1636 as part of Satuit (later Scituate), which encompasses present-day Scituate and Norwell. Shipbuilding was a major industry of the town during the 1700s and much of the 1800s. Some of the finest sailing vessels in our nation’s history were produced in Norwell, including the Columbia, which was the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe. In 1849, the portion of Scituate, now known as Norwell, broke away from Scituate and was incorporated as South Scituate. In 1888, the town incorporated again as Norwell in recognition of Henry Norwell, a dry goods merchant and summer resident of the town, who provided funds for the maintenance of its public roads. 

 

Today, Norwell is an upper-middle-class community. Norwell has a high level of public services, ample amenities, and a convenient geographical location, which make it an attractive place to live for professional families and more! In addition, its highly ranked school system is one of the reasons that many move to Norwell.

 

Home Values and Taxes

 

The typical home value of homes in Norwell is $738,756. This value is seasonally adjusted and only includes the middle price tier of homes. Norwell home values have gone up 13.4% over the past year.

 

The estimated single tax rate for all property classes in Norwell for the 2019 fiscal year was $16.40, going up to $.06 from the 2018 single tax rate of $16.34. The average single-family value in Norwell in 2018 is $623,790 and is estimated to increase to $640,211.39, a difference of $16,421.69.

 

Public Schools

 

The Norwell public school system is top-notch. The town also is home to one of the state’s oldest charter schools, the South Shore Charter Public School. Founded in the coastal town of Hull in 1995, it was relocated to its Norwell campus in 2004. It was named America’s Greenest School in 2010.

 

Commuting

 

The typical American commute has been getting longer each year since 2010. The average one-way commute in Norwell takes 36.7 minutes.

 

How people in Norwell get to work:

– 76.8% drive their car alone

– 4.7% carpool with others

– 7.6% work from home

– 8.9% take mass transit

 

There are several viable options for commuting in Norwell. The Greenbush and Plymouth-Commuter rail lines and routes 3 and 3A are a few to mention in the first place.

 

What to do

 

There are many recreational areas throughout the town offering a variety of outdoor activities. Norwell residents can enjoy canoeing on the North River as well as the quiet serenity of a local wildlife reservation. The Albert E. Norris Reservation bordering the North River provides miles of hiking and cross-country skiing trails, swimming, bicycling, areas for snowshoeing, and ponds for ice skating. Of course, traditional activities such as Little League and youth soccer are popular too.

 

During the year, The Norwell Recreation Office organizes a wide range of activities for residents of all ages. For children, there’s bowling, gymnastics, roller skating, and more. Adults can participate in a wide range of activities from woodworking to money management.

 

Safety

 

Norwell has been named one of the best places to live in Massachusetts. Safe and quiet, Norwell has a rural vibe with plenty of parks. Boston Magazine cites Norwell as the place where you’ll find the best value on South Shore homes.

 

Are you thinking about relocating to Norwell? Our team of professionals is here to help you secure financing and introduce you to the best real estate agents in the area so you can get you into your dream home. Contact us today to get moving!