Archive for the ‘Back Bay, Beacon Hill’ Category
July 2, 2008
The Fox25 anchors flipped their desks over with excitement when the story broke around 10 last night: a meth lab, downtown, in Beacon Hill, right behind the State House? Right down the street from their Beacon Hill Studios!?
Sadly, it wasn’t to be.
The ravaging muckrakers would have to settle for a Level 2 HAZMAT situation. Disappointed, too, no doubt, was an army of developers and would-be homebuyers looking to sweep in and pick off properties now that the massively-overhyped meth epidemic took hold. After all, Dot residents warned us long ago it would happen to us.
But really, isn’t the idea of a mad chemist more disturbing than a simple drug lab? Beacon Hill is crawling with well-educated, expensive minds with all sorts of destructive knowledge. Those who can’t cook exotic toxins or build nuclear weapons could certainly bury you in torts, claim denials, and hostile takeovers.
So forget the ongoing flap in JP/Mission Hill/Roxbury—Beacon Hill is the most dangerous neighborhood in town. Here’s a list of “safer” properties, just in case this disturbing trend continues:
19 Joy St #A
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
2 Beds, 1.5 Bath
1,345 sq. ft.
$699,000
You might be thinking “hmm, seems a little close to last night’s chaos”; and it is. But chemicals tend to roll downhill, and winds prevail from the West, meaning that this place would put you first on the scene without any of the danger.
6 Goodwin Pl #B
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
0 Beds, 1 Bath
235 sq. ft.
$185,000
Want to keep people from messing with you? Buy the smallest, cheapest property in the neighborhood. They’ll think “This guy’s got nothing to lose” and step aside when you walk down the street. Plus, the basement location is useful for natural disasters, such as tornadoes, as well any explosions that might occur nearby.
145 Pinckney St #432
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
1 Beds, 1 Bath
625 sq. ft.
$429,000
First to know, first to go. When disaster strikes, you’re on Storrow, then 93 North in seconds. Or, if the roads are already clogged, be the first to the North Station ticket window to reserve a seat on the Downeaster. And if things have really gone wrong, you can sprint to the river, steal a boat and sail to Mexico.
Start Saving for Winter Now
Sweet Digs Boston Home
June 27, 2008
Today’s been hot and stormy, but the weekend forecast looks much more inviting, or at least less hot. Perfect weather to take a nice, relaxed stroll down Commonwealth Avenue, and take in a few open houses.
The Comm Ave Mall, with its Victorian-style benches, statuary and much-needed downtown greenspace, might seem like just another nice feature of Back Bay neighborhood. But it also serves as the third link (going outbound) on Boston’s Emerald Necklace, a string of parks running from the Common practically to Roslindale.
So while it makes for the nice urban equivalent of a front lawn, the Comm Ave mall also serves as on-ramp to a massive non-automotive thoroughfare. Want to take in a movie on the Common? Just scenic walk away. Game at Fenway? Another scenic walk. Heck, disco bowling in JP. Yeah–another scenic walk.
And to think there was once talk of turning it all into condos.
64 Comm Ave #9
Back Bay, MA 02116
0 Beds, 1 Bath
595 sq. ft.
$429,000
135 Comm Ave #1
Back Bay, MA 02116
0 Beds, 1 Bath
450 sq. ft.
$349,000
183 Comm Ave #2
Back Bay, MA 02116
1 Beds, 1 Bath
677 sq. ft.
$435,000
Mount Vernon Street for a Mere Six Figures
Sweet Digs Boston Home
June 26, 2008
Were I a man of unlimited means, the sort who could live anywhere Beacon Hill, without a doubt I’d choose to live on Mount Vernon Street.
Say what you will about the cachet of Louisburg Square–I find the combination of cobblestones and speed bumps redundant, I hear the neighborhood association is something of a beast, and c’mon: it used to be called “Mount Whoredom” (bawdy pun no doubt intended by the coiner).
Mount Vernon Street has plenty of things that the Square simply can’t offer. The option to drive in either direction, for example. Off-street parking. Driveways. A lawn. Gardens. Shade trees that aren’t confined to a silly little park.
But what really seals the deal for me is the architecture. The brick bowfronts in Louisburg Square look OK, but are fairly anonymous; they turn up all over Boston (Back Bay, the South End, Charlestown) and once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.
Mount Vernon, on the other hand, is a veritable feast for the eyes. The novelist Henry James called it the most beautiful street in America, and it samples the full range of styles employed by one Charles Bulfinch; you might remember him from such buildings as the Massachusetts State House, Faneuil Hall, and the US Capitol Building.
The downside is that, of course, is such real estate is prohibitively expensive. But a few opportunities do occasionally arise for mere equestrians to buy in. Here are three properties on that Street of Streets asking less than one million dollars:
93 Mt. Vernon St. #A
Beacon Hill, MA 02108
Beds:1 /Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 654
$479,000
57 Mt. Vernon St.
Beacon Hill, MA 02108
Beds:1 /Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 913
$635,000
80 Mt. Vernon St.
Beacon Hill, MA 02108
Beds:2 /Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 1,206
$849,000
Making the Delivery: Lowball if you Dare
Sweet Digs Boston Home
June 20, 2008
Buyers: I understand you want a deal. It’s a down market and you’re slobbering to take advantage of that. But enough with the crazy lowballing. This is Boston.
Dense population and tightly packed services, an established well-to-do population, and still-lucrative technology and finance sectors driving the economy mean the only thing moving for under 100k is parking spaces.
Now that doesn’t mean you can’t slide a low offer past sellers now and then. It’s an art, really, like a Wakefield knuckleball, and it can be just as tricky to throw.
The first step is finding a good target—and price reductions are a good place to start. Start by zoning in on a couple of these listings, and I’ll elaborate more on delivery tomorrow.
234 Beacon St #5A
Back Bay, MA 02116
Beds:1 /Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 674
Original Asking Price: $522,000
Today’s Asking Price: $509,000
1 Charles St S #3E
Boston, MA 02116
Beds: 1 /Baths: 1.5
SQ.FT.: 1,150
Original Asking Price: $925,000
Today’s Asking Price: $895,000
9 Joy St #3
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
Beds:2 /Baths: 1
SQ.FT.: 1,250
Original Asking Price: $869,000
Today’s Asking Price: $830,000
Is Flipping Making a Comeback?
Boston Redfin Sweet Digs Home
June 17, 2008
Ah, flipping. The very word conjures fond memories of 2002, when granite countertops and a “for sale” sign were all it took to realize a 30% ROI.
But those days are as gone as the “Reverse the Curse Sign” and renovation fever, right? I mean, have you seen the lastest issue of Newsweek? It says “recession” right on the cover.
As it turns out, though, things might not be so grim. Hoping to spark a stagnant market, the White House repealed a statute designed to stop flipping, which means distressed properties are eligible to be sold for government loans as soon as they’re purchased—no more 90-day waiting period.
And downtown Boston is apparently booming; in fact, a few condo buyers at Back Bay’s Mandarin Oriental are looking to turn their properties around before the building’s even open. Could this really be the return of the flip?
Value investors would say no, and look instead to find the undervalued asset and invest for the long term—depreciated property in Florida, for example.
But other schools of thought suggest there’s quicker money in sniffing out a short-term market disparity—in this case, the apparent undersupply of luxury condos in downtown—and cashing in.
So while you won’t find me looking for a fast turnaround on a 15th story two-bed anytime soon, for those who think they have the savvy to out-hustle the market, there may be still be room for the occasional quick flip, even in this national down market.
New Citizens, New Records, New Listings
Sweet Digs Boston Home
June 16, 2008
24 hours later and I still can’t believe it. A 24-point comeback in under 24 minutes of play. #24 was shut down. Did I mention the C’s only had 24 wins last season?
Talk about an epic way to celebrate David Ortiz’s first day as a US citizen (he’s #34, and 32 years old, though. Kinda blows my whole “24″ pattern. Ah well…)
Anyway, with new comeback records and new US citizens, it sounds like the perfect time to toss out some new listings.
254 Comm Ave, #2
Back Bay, MA 02116
2 beds, 1 bath
SQ.FT.: 1,080
$895,000
Time on the Market: 2 days
127 Beacon St #42
Boston, MA 02116
1 bed, 1 bath
SQ.FT.: 540
$429,000
Time on Market: 2 days
25 Chestnut St #5/6
Beacon Hill, MA 02108
3 beds, 2.5 baths
SQ.FT.: 2,142
$2,195,000
Time on Market: 2 days
Getting as Far from Bad Mortgages as Possible
Sweet Digs Boston Home
June 11, 2008
Is there anyone a bad mortgage can’t bring down? I mean, let’s be honest: we all knew Jose Canseco was a prime candidate for a “Behind the Music” style denouement. And Canseco hasn’t done much to make anyone feel bad he’s losing his house. Some might call it Just Desserts.
The same can’t be said for Ed McMahon. His hearty baritone guffaws entertained for decades on “The Late Show with Johnny Carson”, and his intro to the same inspired one the great moments in cinematic history. I’m hoping for an 11th hour save from his old employers at Publishers Clearing House.
And now, with one of the most contentious vice presidential selections of all-time looming, a key member of Barack Obama’s VP selection committee has been forced to step aside due to his receipt of perhaps the only payable mortgage Countrywide ever issued. You had to be “in” with Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo to get such a deal, however, and that’s definitely going to put you “out” with the Democrats.
So, lest you suffer a similar fate as these three, here’s a list of properties over 3,000 miles from Countrywide’s corporate headquarters. Homeowners across Boston can only pray that’s far enough.
4 Charlesgate E #304
Back Bay, MA 02215
1 Bed/1 Bath
680 sq. ft.
$419,000
Miles from Countrywide Headquarters: 3001.2
34 Comm Ave #3
Back Bay, MA 02116
1 Bed/1 Bath
1,086 sq. ft.
$799,000
Miles from Countrywide Headquarters: 3002.2
17 Bowdoin St #2B
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
1 Bed/1 Bath
428 sq. ft.
$300,000
Miles from Countrywide Headquarters: 3004.6
Barney Frank and the Bailout Battle
Sweet Digs Boston Home
June 9, 2008
Massachusetts is blessed (or cursed, I suppose) with a number of very long-serving legislators, and one of the longest serving is Barney Frank, of the Commonwealth’s oddly configured 4th district.
A notoriously quick wit and champion of liberal causes, Frank enjoys widespread popularity across the region, But his recent bailout plan for adjustable rate mortgage holders raised a few hackles, even among his long-term supporters.
AngryRenter.com leads the charge against the bill, followed up with a number of auxiliary petitions across the web. For me, it’s a tough decision: the math on an adjustable rate mortgage just isn’t that hard, and people that entered into them foolishly ought to bear some brunt.
But then again, the government already picked up the tab for the big boys, and Americans who spend money make the economy better for everyone. My rural-bred populist roots lean toward relief, but an over-educated mind demands accountability.
So where do you stand? (Some property listings, to help you think:)
416 Marlborough Street #304
Back Bay, MA 02115
1 Bed/1 Bath
738 sq. ft.
$469,000
1 Garden Street #5
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
1 Bed/1 Bath
688 sq. ft.
$569,000
116 Mount Vernon Street #2
Beacon Hill, MA 02108
1 Bed/1 Bath
445 sq. ft.
$399,000
Heat Wave! Time to Find A Place with Central Air
Sweet Digs Boston Home
June 7, 2008
All that CO2 from all those millions of miles run up by hundreds of thousands of commuters. All those times you should have taken the T. You always knew they’d come back to bite you in the butt, didn’t you?
Well, no sense in suffering, right? Though they might be gargantuan entropy pumps, churning your coal-fired electricity into even more heat so that a very limited space can be made a few degrees cooler, to many, they’re all but a necessity in this weather.
223 Beacon Street #1
Boston, MA 02116
2 beds, 2.5 baths
1,495 sq. ft.
$894,000
201 Newbury Street #307
Boston, MA 02116
1 bed, 1 bath
908 sq. ft.
$719,000
290 Marlborough Street
Boston, MA 02115
4 beds, 4 baths
5,000 sq. ft.
$5,200,000 (yeah, it better have central air)
June 5, 2008
No, it wasn’t in the Middle East, but it did involve Boston’s last remaining immigrant-era shul. It seems the long-standing beef between the people of Beacon Hill and Suffolk University has finally been stomped, or at least temporarily squashed.
The deal was thus: Suffolk University agreed to a far reaching “non-expansion zone” covering nearly all of the Beacon Hill neighborhood, and also the disputed “Bowdoin Strip” between Bowdoin St. and Tremont St.
The school also said it would limit enrollment to 5,000 students for the next decade, which, in conjunction with a new 12-story dormitory relocating undergrads from the rathole apts scattered across the Hill, should collectively reduce blood-pressures in the region by several millimeters of mercury.
In return, the people of Beacon Hill signed off of a series of existing expansion plans, none of which are in the Beacon Hill architectural district, and most of which are entirely non-residential and surrounded by similarly-sized buildings.
Though the Esplanade behind the Flat of the Hill remains unprotected, it’s located some distance from the rest of the University, and seems an unlikely candidate for new facilities. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal for residents, but I bet the Beacon Hill Times will still find a way to complain.
41 Revere Street
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
1 Bed, 1 Bath
310 sq. ft.
$220,000
A FSBO! No pictures, but no complaints—I found it on Craigslist, too. Definitely the sort of place that will look much better with the Suffolk students absorbed into a new dining hall.
23 Brimmer Street #3
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
2 Beds, 2 Baths
1,050 sq. ft.
$997,500
Now this is a gorgeous photoset, but brownstones generally aren’t made out of brick. Use that, and the possible-if-unlikely threat of Suffolk builing a dorm that blocks out your river view to talk these guys down.
12 Walnut Street #3
Beacon Hill, MA 02114
1 bed, 1 bath
966 sq. ft.
$699,000
I can see, back when expansion was looming everywhere, paying a mere $700 a square foot a block from the State House. But now? I smell bid war.
Boston Sweet Digs: Special Neil Entwistle Edition
Boston Sweet Digs Home
