The Boston Condo Blog

A client of mine who works for the Boston Redevelopment Authority (Hi Sherry!) was kind enough to pass along a flier regarding a walking tour of Downtown Crossing homes.  The point of the tour is to give you an idea of what the Downtown Crossing neighborhood is and what it will be in the future.  You will have the chance to:

- VIEW a 15th floor 1970s flat
- VIEW a 100-year old former headquarters for a sheet music publisher
-VIEW an elegantly appointed high-rise full-service executive suite
-VIEW a contemporary bi-level penthouse
-VIEW a luxury condo with first-class hotel services
-VIEW a “will be” condo in a 32-story tower
-VIEW a high-rise rental with sweeping views
-VIEW a walk-up loft in a cool old building

There are a lot of great things going on in this neighborhood with millions of dollars being invested in projects like 45 Province and the old Filene’s Building which will feature luxury condos, a hotel, and new high-end retail.

I am really happy they are doing this as it gives people a chance to see what life is like in this neighborhood and maybe even get a chance to picture themselves living here.

For more information or for tickets, please call the Downtown Crossing Association at 617-482-1641 or visit downtowncrossing.org/homesweethome

Samuels and Associates, the local developers/movie producers who are behind the great success of The Trilogy, another luxury apartment building in the Fenway, have just released availability and pricing for their new luxury apartment high rise called the 1330 Boylston!  This amazing new construction building will be home to luxury apartments which will feature:

• Granite Counters
• Stainless Steel Appliances
• In-unit Washer/Dryer
• Hardwood Floors
• Skyline views from some units
• Walk-in Closets
• Concierge
• Rooftop Deck
• Club Room
• Private Balconies from some units
• PET FRIENDLY!!

Pricing starts at:

• 1 Bed/ 1 Bath from $2574
• 1 Bed/ 1 Bath/ Study from $2595
• 1 Bed/ 1.5 Bath from $2750
• 1 Bed/ 1.5 Bath/ Study from $2800
• 2 Bed/ 1.5 Bath from $3300
• 2 Bed/ 2 Bath from $3550
• 2 Bed/ 2 Bath/ Study from $3620
• 3 Bed/ 3 Bath from $7500 

To setup a showing call or email a Warren Residential Group rental agent today at 617-848-9616 ext. 2 or rentals@warrenre.com to setup a no obligation showing today.  And again, there is no broker’s fee!

New legislation put forth by U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter could result in lower-interest loans for people who purchase “Green” or energy-efficient homes or people who retrofit existing residences with ”green” features.

Seems like a great idea right?  It still needs some working out though.  Some home builders argue that it would result in increased construction costs and Fannie May is worried that it would be required to have certain percentages of “green” mortgage by benchmark dates.

I think this is new legislation could definitely be a step in the right direction.  Green building should be a high priority but we need to find a way to make it affordable.  I have to really give a hand to the Pappas family who developed the Macallen building in South Boston, it’s first green building.  Even with construction costs being significantly higher to build this way, they felt it important to be pioneering.

What are your thoughts?

Source: Realtor.com

Since last years collapse of the sub-prime market, luxury builders have been getting requests for smaller floorplans.  People are trending away from large great rooms and moving towards more specialized rooms such as media centers and home offices says a spokesman for luxury specialist Pulte Homes.

Even furniture makers are following the trend and its paying dividends.  “Apartment sized” furniture has been estimated to increased demand by 30% since last year. 

I believe this can only help the condo market.  Many people are looking for a somewhat maintanence free livestyle and the smaller living spaces of condos provide that.  Plus, many of the full-service luxury buildings such as the Ritz Carlton, One Charles, The Clarendon Back Bay, and the Waterworks all have common areas which many residents use as extensions of their homes.

One of the most exciting projects in recent memory has officially hit the market with listings on Boston’s MLS.  The Clarendon Back Bay is a luxury high rise in Boston’s Back at the corner of Clarendon and Stuart St. near the John Hancock tower.  This building will feature both luxury condos for sale and apartments for rent.  The homes will feature expansive windows with views of the Charles River, South End, Back Bay and Boston Skyline.  The finishes will be second to none as well.  Check out the Warren Residential Group website’s luxury building page and click on The Clarendon Back Bay for more pictures and current listings! 

Feel free to browse some of the other buildings like the Ritz Carlton, Heritage on the Garden, Zero Marlborough, 360 Newbury, and more while you are there!

We are proud to announce a new rental listing at The Folio in Boston’s Financial District. This beautiful luxury apartment has all the amenities one could ask for. The building features an design award winning lobby with a welcoming 24/7 concierge who is there to help with things such as packages, dry cleaning, reservations, and guests. From there you take the high speed elevators up to the 7th floor and head to the corner apartment.

Upon walking in you immediately notice an open kitchen layout which features absolute black granite, stainless steel appliances, gas cooking, and tons of cabinet space; perfect for the at-home-chef! Off of the kitchen you find a laundry closet with a full-size stackable washer/dryer. The living space is well laid out with large windows bringing in lots of natural sunlight. The entire unit is wired for cable and high speed internet as well.

The first bedroom has a large closet and large windows and would make a perfect guest bedroom or home office. There is also a full bathroom in the hallway leading to the master suite. Once inside the master suite you find a beautiful 5-piece master bathroom featuring a glass standup shower, soaking tub, and double vanity! The master bedroom has a wonderfully deep closet and beautiful corner exposure.

The Facts:

• 2 Bedrooms
• 2 Full Bathrooms
• 1220 square feet
• Washer/Dryer in Unit
• Concierge
• Available June 1st
• Valet Parking Space INCLUDED!
• Asking $4000/month

Call a Warren Residential Group agent today for more information at 617-848-9616 ext. 2 or email us at rentals@warrenre.com!

According to the Mortgage Banker’s Association the number of mortgage applications increased 5.7% last week on a seasonally adjusted basis.  On an unadjusted basis the index rose 10.9% compared with the same week last year. 

What you might be thinking is that people are just refinancing much more often due to the fear that rates may rise but that is not the case.  The bulk of these loans were purchase loans which rose 8.1% compared to the refinance index which was up only 3.4%. 

Mortgage rates were up slightly:

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased to 5.78 percent
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.39%
• 1-year ARMs increased to 7.06 percent