By Scott Van Voorhis

Boston.com Correspondent | 12.12.14 | 3:52 PM

When it comes to real estate, Celtics and Red Sox players love the upscale western suburbs while the Patriots generally stick to the unpretentious towns near the Rhode Island border by Gillette Stadium.

Meanwhile, Bruins hotshots like to snap up condos in downtown Boston.

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The multimillionaire players on Bostons four pro sports teams have carved out what are effectively team neighborhoods over the years, and they often buy mansions in the same set of towns, year after year.

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However, for house hunting players, its not just about landing a glitzy address. Easy commutes to morning practice or to catch a plane for the next road trip are also key criteria.

Privacy from the prying eyes of over-eager fans is another.

They are so much in the public eye for their career. When they come home, they want it to be a sanctuary and they want to have their privacy, said Rosemary McCready of Coldwell Banker Residential in Weston, who has helped local sports stars find homes.

Patriots players tend to buy homes in the middle and working class suburbs near Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Given Bill Belichicks policy of sending players home if they are late for practice and sometimes benching them for the next game it probably pays to live close by and avoid potentially disastrous traffic jams and lengthy commutes.

Linebacker Jerod Mayo bought a $1.5 million, five bedroom colonial in North Attleborough a couple years ago, while Nate Solder lives even closer to Gillette. The now infamous Aaron Hernandez also lived in a big house in North Attleborough, with a condo in nearby Franklin.

Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork lives in Franklin, having bought a house in town nearly ten years ago.

The big exception to the Patriots rule, of course, is Tom Brady, who, with supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen, recently moved into a new, $4.5 million mansion the couple built in Brookline near team owner Robert Krafts compound.

Before he became a superstar, Brady lived in a condo in the Marina Bay complex on Quincys waterfront and also owned a condo in the Back Bay.

Celtics

Now of the Wizards, longtime Celtics Paul Pierce just landed a buyer for his $2.2 million mansion in Lincoln. having knocked $200,000 off the price.

Another Celtics great, Kevin Garnett, built an avant-garde mansion in Concord overlooking Howes Pond during his memorable years in Boston. Garnett, who plays for the Nets these days, sold the 11,000- square-foot spread over the summer for $3.6 million.

Ray Allen camped out in Wellesley during his days here.

Other Celtics greats from the 70s and 80s M.L. Carr, John Havlicek, and Cedric Maxwell have wound up in posh Weston, where the average listing price is a stunning $3.1 million, Trulia reports.

A quick commute is one reason so many Celtics have wound up settling down in the western suburbs, McCready said. Its no coincidence that the practice facility is just a 10-minute drive away in Waltham.

When the team is headed out of town for games, it flies out of Hanscom Field in Bedford, which is also a quick drive from Lincoln, Concord or Weston, McCready noted.

As for privacy, all these towns also have an array of multimillion properties on wooded, semi-secluded spots that can be gated off, an important consideration for sports stars looking for a little privacy and protection, McCready said.

Cameras and a high-tech security system are a plus as well. Celtics fans have been known, at least in years past, to gather outside a stars home during the playoffs, hoping to catch a glimpse or get an autograph.

They are really so sought after all the time that when you are out in public with any of these athletes and you are looking at a property, people do come up and ask for autographs and to have a picture taken with them, she said.

Red Sox players have had similar taste in real estate, though players have tended to buy a little closer into Boston, with Newton and Brookline popular as well as Wellesley and Weston.

Besides being great places to live, all these towns are a hop and a skip away from Fenway Park, either right down Route 9 or on the Massachusetts Turnpike.

Jon Lester lived in a Newton colonial during his last years in Boston, selling it a few months ago for $1.8 million.

Johnny Damon sold his Brookline spread for $8 million after signing on with the hated Yankees, while one-time Sox outfielder Carl Crawford owned a $2.8 million mansion in Wellesley during his stay in Boston.

That said, Weston is still popular. David Ortiz lives in a big spread on the south side of town, near the Turnpike, with retired Sox player Kevin Youkilis also calls Weston home.

Adrian Gonzalez, the first-baseman traded by the Sox a couple years ago, also had a thing for Weston, selling his 10,729 square foot manse for $4.3 million after he was shipped out of Boston.

By contrast, Bruins players tend to be urban warriors, with an affinity for the North End, which is within walking distance of the Garden. Brad Marchand plunked down nearly $1.5 million last year for a three bedroom, 3,500-foot condo on Lincoln Wharf, which came with a tree-lined deck overlooking the harbor.

This affinity for city living on part of Bruins players is only likely to grow, with the team having opened a new practice facility in Boston.

Scott Van Voorhis can be reached at sbvanvoorhis@hotmail.com