Abington, MA Real Estate: A Local Guide

Abington at a glance

A short history

Abington was settled in the 1660s and incorporated on June 10, 1712, named for the Countess of Abingdon. Around 1815 Jesse Reed’s tack-making machine helped turn the town toward shoemaking, and Abington factories made footwear for the Union Army. From 1846 to 1865 Island Grove hosted abolitionist gatherings where William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips and Lucy Stone spoke.

Getting around

Abington station on the MBTA Kingston Line serves the town, and Routes 18, 58, 123 and 139 cross it. Check mbta.com for current schedules and parking, and test your route at the times you would travel.

Parks and open space

Ames Nowell State Park, managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, has a pond and woodland trails. Island Grove Park, the old meeting ground, is a town park beside Island Grove Pond.

Records to check for a Abington property

• The assessor’s record and current tax bill from the Town of Abington; compare the assessed value, rate and any exemptions.
• For two-family and converted houses: the permit history and approved use from the building department, reviewed with your attorney.
• Permits for additions, finished basements and decks from the building department.
• The Abington school district profile on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education site, if schools matter to your decision.

Massachusetts requirements for every sale

Homes built before 1978 need the state lead paint notification. Every sale needs a smoke and carbon monoxide compliance certificate from the local fire department. Homes not on public sewer generally need a Title 5 septic inspection.

This guide covers places, history and public records. Under fair housing law it does not describe neighborhoods by who lives in them. Confirm facts with the Town of Abington and the agencies named before relying on them.

Sources: Abington, Massachusetts; Dyer Memorial Library; DCR: Ames Nowell State Park.