As the Boston winter begins to crack and Spring weather and warmer temperatures become more the norm, one of the first things on the minds of Bostonians is getting outside. And while roof decks across downtown Boston neighborhoods are not ubiquitous, there appears to be a growing number of buyers who will only consider purchasing a condo if it has a private outdoor living area.
“I won’t look at a condo unless it has outdoor space,” says one South End condo buyer.
The merits of a private roof deck run deep, anywhere from taking in great city views, to increasing the size of livable space and square footage of a condo. Case in point is Unit 4 at 167 Warren Avenue in the South End, a 614 square foot one-bedroom penthouse condo, where owners added a 160 square foot private roof deck in 2009, in effect, increasing the square footage of the unit by almost a third. The Warren Avenue condo was recently listed for sale with an asking price of $439,000.
“The roof deck at this South End penthouse condo is gorgeous, with stunning views. The use of the composite redwood decking material for low maintenance, and the incorporation of extra storage via an innovative bench, was very thoughtful,” says John Keith, listing agent for the Warren Avenue condo.
In addition to the views and practical uses of a roof deck, some of the added value that a private roof deck brings to a unit is the result of the effort expended by a unit owner to construct a deck that is fully permitted, up to code, and approved by the city of Boston. This process can be arduous, and includes numerous application and approval processes from various city of Boston governing entities, rounds of plans and engineering documents from licensed architects and/or structural engineers, at least two inspections by Boston’s Inspectional Service Department, and a sizeable investment of time to shepherd the process through.. As a buyer, the ideal situation is that you walk into a unit not with deck rights or plans to build a deck, which both imply hope and a dream of a deck but a long runway ahead, but rather, an actual constructed and city approved deck that can be enjoyed immediately upon purchase.
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Tim Ryan 
Great article and I hope you’re right! I’m currently selling my South End condo (38 Worcester St. #3 http://bit.ly/bvTapX), which has a private 175 sq ft roofdeck and am hoping this great weather brings out the buyers.