Families considering a move to Wayland will want to make connections with other Wayland families to establish relationships for their children and friends for themselves. The Wayland Children and Parents Association (WCPA) is committed to bringing Wayland families together for fun and educational events from ice creams socials to a beach concert to toddler playgroups. While connections can be made through work and school, a large social organization like the WCPA offers tremendous acclimation opportunities for a new Wayland family. Parents can meet at one of the 75 plus annual programs and comfortably ask about preferred doctors, the best babysitters, and landscaping companies. Some WCPA activated are scheduled just for parents to promote adult social interaction and support the Wayland community. Whether introductions happen at the library, the playground, or at a WCPA event, Wayland welcomes new families.

Wayland’s real estate market is ready to kick it into high gear for the fall market!  With 100 single family homes to choose from, buyers can tailor their search to fit their needs and budget and become a part of the Wayland community. 

One of the benefits of purchasing in a more rural community than nearby Wellesley or Natick is that the average home has a little more land and square footage at a similar price point.  Consider the new listing located at 8 Erwin Road.  Listed at $879,000, this contemporary-style home has 3200 SF, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and nearly an acre of private land.  A comparable listing in a more densely populated town may have less room for you and your family to enjoy!

As the construction at Wayland High School continues, one critical piece is complete just in time for the 2011-2012 school year. Families considering a move to Wayland might be excited about the new high school, yet concerned about the effects of construction on education and extra-curricular opportunities in the short-term. The completion of Wayland High’s Field House is a symbol of significant progress on the project. This milestone ensures that normal athletic activities will proceed in the new school year. The certificate of occupancy has been issued for the Field House and parking lot work has progressed. The new school bus loop and new parents’ drop-off loop are complete. The wastewater treatment plan should be in commission in just a few weeks. The construction team will turn its focus to completing work on buildings A and B.

The town of Wayland has a legacy of civic engagement. Civic involvement, however, extends beyond Wayland’s borders. Wayland’s leaders pursue continuing education and actively participate in professional organizations. For a full list of education and roles, check Wayland’s town website.  For example, Wayland’s Director Assessing is on the Middlesex County Association of Assessor’s executive board. That lends some confidence that the director is familiar with best practices, legal requirements, and current trends. Wayland’s Director of Recreation is the current president of the Massachusetts Recreation and Park Association placing the Director in a position to evaluate new programming across the state that may benefit the Wayland community. Wayland’s leaders feel that, “Participation in such groups brings new ideas, best practices, and innovative programming to Wayland. And it often gives Wayland citizens a greater voice at the Statehouse and in the development of regulations.”

Due to zoning restrictions the number of multifamily homes in Wayland is fairly limited, but investing in a multifamily may be a shrewd move for some buyers looking to move to Wayland or just generate some rental income.  Excellent school systems and commuter access to the Mass Pike and 95 are huge draws for tenants.  Given the high Wayland taxes, buying a multifamily may be a practical way to defray one’s mortgage and taxes.

Presently, there are three multifamily homes for sale in Wayland located in Cochituate Village ranging from $389,000 to $569,000.  According to MLSPin, only two multifamily homes have sold in the past two years in Wayland.  Given lack of movement and small pool of multifamilies, perhaps it is an opportune time to consider branching into Wayland real estate by purchasing a multifamily.

A town’s library is often the heart and soul of a community because it is a non-political public gathering place offering something for every resident. There’s story time and kids’ programming for the little ones; teen book clubs and homework to help keep adolescents engaged, and museum passes, audiobooks, and an endless supply of classic hardcovers for the rest of us. The Wayland Public Library is doing some seasonal sprucing for the Wayland community. This summer, renovations are taking place primarily on the upper floors, consisting in re-carpeting, completing new plastering, and repainting. Due to planning and coordination on behalf of the library staff and the town of Wayland, the library is remaining open throughout renovations.  So if you are considering a move to Wayland, please stop by, see the updates, and get to know a little bit about the Wayland community.

Wayland embarks on a new housing project this year. A 3-acre parcel of land on Stonebridge Road will be the site of four new housing units. A collaborative effort of Wayland community volunteers, the town of Wayland, Habitat for Humanity, and selected homeowners, the construction will meet local design standards and Massachusetts code “green”.

Voters approved the transfer of the town owned property for this development. The estimated $600,000 building cost of the two duplexes will be met by donations, and, potentially, Community Preservation Act funds. The project will be under the state’s Chapter 40B law.

The first year of the project is devoted to site and foundation work. One duplex will be built in each of the next two years. Two units will be available to Wayland buyers; two to qualified buyers chosen by lottery. Monthly meetings will offer updates on the project. There is always room for additional volunteers as the Wayland community supports this low-cost housing project.

With temperatures heading for a hundred degrees this week, we’re all looking for ways to stay cool. No need to travel, though!  The Wayland community heads to Cochituate State Park to cool off on its three lakes. Wayland residents have plenty of recreational opportunities there from which to choose: swimming, boating, windsurfing, and fishing. Or, if you’d prefer, head over to the Wayland Town Beach for some swimming and sunbathing to enjoy the dog days of summer. Prefer to keep cool while doing some laps? Wayland offers summer fun at the Wayland Community Pool. Pool, beach, lakes – Wayland offers great opportunities for summer recreation and keeping cool. Grab the kids and head out!

Wayland’s Dudley Pond is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from larger Lake Cochituate, but it serves the Wayland community with a plethora of recreational outlets.  Covering about 84 acres, the pond is surrounded by Wayland neighborhoods and rolling woodlands well suited to walking and biking.  While no swimming is permitted in the pond, canoeing, kayaking and fishing are popular. 

In the Wayland spirit of excellence and community, the non-profit Dudley Pond Association works hard to ensure that the pond is kept clean and safe.  Fundraising such as an annual 5K promote the preservation of the area and also allow for various community-building events at the pond throughout the year. 

At any given time, there are a variety of “pondfront” slices of Wayland real estate for sale starting as low as $138,900!  This area is a lovely little sanctuary just steps away from Routes 30 and 126 and the conveniences of Cochituate Village.

Wayland is showing an important commitment to meeting the needs of the Wayland community by standardizing interdepartmental office hours. While the changes may seem minor, coordinating office hours between departments minimizes resident confusion and allows departments to work together more effectively. Previously, some offices would close at 4 or have uncoordinated evening hours. Now, all town departments will be open at 8 a.m. every weekday. All will be open until 7 p.m. Monday nights and will close at lunchtime on Fridays. The evening hours should help Wayland residents who work out of town, and the coordinated hours should reduce multiple trips to various town departments. Wayland has made a productive change that should increase efficiency and efficiency for all Wayland residents.