Avenir Boston Condos Now Luxury Rental

November 1, 2007 By

Following suit with Harborview at the Navy Yard, Avenir Boston, a large-scale 241-unit condo development in Boston’s West End is officially changing directions, and will now become a luxury rental development rather than for-sale condos.

A Dennis Duffy design, Avenir Boston was to play host to condos with price tags up to $1.5 million. When the Sales Center opened, they were only able to put one unit under agreement. If you call the Sales Center today, you receive a recording that states “reservations are not being taken”, and calls go unreturned.

Not to worry. Construction is moving on, and Trinity Financial, a Boston-based real estate development firm (also behind The Carruth in Dorchester), is anticipating a 2009 completion of Avenir, at which time, the building will be turned over to Archstone Smith for management.

We’ve received a lot of inquiries on Avenir, especially from those of you who work close to the construction site, in anticipation of purchasing a unit. Until 2009, and a rental at that, we suggest looking at Strada 234, which is quite close to Avenir and offers upscale living in a development that is about half the size of Avenir. 2 one-bedroom units are currently available at Strada 234 (priced at $455K and $549K). Contact us for further details.

Avenir Boston

Filed Under: West End Condos Tagged With: , ,

Condo Prices at InterContinental Boston

October 31, 2007 By

How would you like to enjoy the comforts of a home, but the amenities of a hotel? It’s been called the “Manhattanization” of Boston, and the trend is definitely not stopping any time soon. Boston is home to a host of what are known as condo-hotels, a combination of (typically) a five-star hotel with condo residences. The Boston Intercontinental is probably the most recent to open, and it will soon be followed by Battery Wharf (Regent Hotel), and then by the Boston W Hotel & Condos.

The Intercontinental is in a prime location, adjacent to the almost sprouting Greenway, overlooking Boston Harbor and the Fort Point Channel, and a horizon that includes the bustling Seaport District of Boston.

Boston Intercontinental residents have not been disappointed with the amenities, from high-end kitchens, to great light through floor to ceiling windows, not to mention all of the services the hotel provides – it’s a “valet lifestyle” (you heard it here first).

According to the Boston MLS, there are 10 condos remaining at the Intercontinental: View Boston Intercontinental Pricing Details. All of these units do include one deeded garage parking space in the heated underground garage.

For more information about the Intercontinental Boston Condos, feel free to contact us.

Filed Under: Waterfront Condos Tagged With: ,

One Condo Left at 360 Newbury…Still

October 29, 2007 By

You have more than likely seen the advertisements, walked by and/or stopped into Tower Records Virgin Megastore Best Buy on the ground floor of this loft-style condo development, you guessed it, 360 Newbury, at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Newbury Street.

There is currently one unit remaining in this luxury development of 54 high-end condos with soaring ceilings, huge windows, high-end finishes, and a sophisticated loft feel. 360 Newbury, a Frank Gehry design, renovated in 2005, and the remaining unit, penthouse number 7, has been on the market for well over 200 days. It’s a 2,062 square foot, one-bedroom two-bathroom $1.795 million unit that does not come with parking, and has gone through a $200K price drop this year alone.

What’s keeping this unit from selling? The $870 price per square foot is somewhat typical of high-end concierge buildings in the Back Bay. The HOA fee of approximately $1,000 a month sounds relatively high, but 50 cents a square foot is a fair price given the amenities. The views, amenities, and craftsmanship are stellar in the unit. What’s missing? Parking – we hear repeatedly from buyers that they have no desire to drive around the neighborhood looking for a parking spot when they come home at night (especially if they are paying more than $1 million).

The Listing Brokerages, Otis & Ahearn, are currently offering the brokerage who represents the Buyer on the unit a $25K gift certificate to Best Buy. Boston Condo Guy would be committed to putting those funds towards the purchase or rental of a parking spot in the Back Bay area, please contact us more details about penthouse number 7, and the possibility of including parking in the purchase.

360 Newbury Condos

360 Newbury Condos

360 Newbury Condos

Filed Under: Back Bay Condos Tagged With: , ,

Channel Center Seaport District Lofts Open Houses

October 28, 2007 By

Our Featured Open House of the week is taking place at the Channel Center condo development in Boston’s Seaport District. The development, located at 25-35 Channel Center Street opened in 2004, a combination of a loft-conversion of an existing warehouse, and the development of a new modern lofty-style condo building.

You’ll have the opportunity to tour two (2) units today in the development, which is located just up the street from Fort Point Place (21 Wormwood Street), and still quite close to the under construction FP3 development.

Unit 406 is a 1,489 square foot loft priced at $589,000 that features great brick and beam detail. Garage parking is not included, but the Seller has agreed to pay for 2 years of parking fees in the Channel Center lot located just south of the development.

Channel Center Unit 405

Unit 411 boasts 1,337 square feet, and is priced at a $615,000. This loft features 12 foot ceilings along with a wall of windows, and includes one garage parking space.

Channel Center Unit 411

Channel Center

Both units will be open on Sunday, October 28, 2007. Unit 411 will be open from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM, and Unit 405 will be open from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Filed Under: Boston Open Houses Tagged With: , , , , ,

Several Price Reductions at D4 Condos

October 26, 2007 By

Three of the remaining seven units at the D4 Condo Development in Boston’s South End underwent price reductions this morning. Units include the grand penthouse, moving from $3.2 million down to $2.9 million, Unit 6 (the unit on the far left of the building with the huge windows) moving from $1,385,900 down to $1,299,900, and finally, Unit 1, the corner unit with a private entrance that overlooks both Warren Avenue and Berkeley Street, moving from $1,399,900 down to $1,299,900.

For more information on the D4 Condos located at 7 Warren Avenue in the South End, feel free to contact us.

Filed Under: South End Condos Tagged With: , , ,

New FP3 Boston Condo Photos

October 26, 2007 By

The Seaport District of Boston is literally bustling with activity. FP3 Boston is the forerunner for the area, pushing through with development while others have been slowing, and doing a lot of the leg work in marketing the area. FP3 is now aiming for a Q2 2008 occupancy date, and you can see by the exclusive photos below, that construction is moving right along.

FP3 is a Congress Street condo development that includes the renovation of two existing buildings, the construction of a third infill building, and the creation of three upper-level floors set back from the street – all to create 90+ high-end loft-style condos.

Let’s start with the photo immediate below, which provides a good survey, seen from the northwestern end of Congress Street, looking back down towards the new convention center – immediately in the foreground is the fire house, the green mesh to the right of that is the new building being constructed, and the two buildings adjacent to the green meshing are the structures being renovated, thus making up the three building FP3 condo development.

FP3 Boston

The below two photos provide you slightly different angles of the construction, and most importantly, give a glimpse into the three-floor structure that is being constructed on top of the buildings, which will be set back from the street – these are the floors that will house outdoor terraces (see related story FP3 Boston Condos with Outdoor Terraces). For more information on FP3 Boston, please contact us.

FP3 Boston

FP3 Boston

Filed Under: Seaport District Condos Tagged With: , , ,

Why You Should Use a Buyer’s Agent to Buy a Condo

October 25, 2007 By

Interested in buying a condo in a new Boston condo development? Have you considered working with a Buyer’s Agent, or do you want to buy directly from the development’s sales center staff (i.e. the seller)? You should think twice before moving forward without a Buyer’s Agent representing you exclusively.

If you’re a real estate agent yourself, or a professional real estate investor, it might very well make sense to “go it alone” when buying into a new condo development, but for the majority of the buying public, it’s wise to leverage a Buyer’s Agent not associated with the development’s sales center.

Why would you want to do this? Let’s look at some of the reasons why using an exclusive Buyer’s Agent is something that you should seriously consider.

  • The price you pay is the same if you are buying a condo with Buyer’s Agent representation or through the sales center. It is oftentimes misunderstood that you will get a better price buying directly from the sales center without a Buyer’s Agent present – this is almost never the case since developers want to create a win-win relationship with the thousands of Buyer’s Agents and their clients across the city.
  • Having an independent Buyer’s Agent (not directly affiliated with the condo development like someone from the sales center staff) protects you from being pressured into any one particular condominium project. Remember, the sales center staff are employed by the project developer and are compensated for selling only units from their development. An independent Buyer’s Agent, on the other hand, gets paid (not by you, but by the Seller) regardless of which development you buy, thus, advice and analysis of the entire market, including other developments, will be more objective.
  • A Buyer’s Agent can assist in a lot of the legwork before you make your decision. Buyer’s Agents answer questions like what’s a fair price per square foot for this area and comparable quality, what do comparable condos now on the market look like, what new listings are on the horizon, is this a building all the agents are talking about as an investment for themselves, how would this specific unit and layout appeal to future buyers, etc.
  • A Buyer’s Agent is also a project manager. Buyer’s Agents work on your behalf, representing your best interests exclusively, throughout the entire buying process.

All this sounds too good to be true, right? What’s the catch for the Buyer, how is the Buyer’s Agent getting paid for their work? The answer to this is simple; the Seller/Developer pays the Buyer’s Agent. When a Listing Agent (the party responsible for representing the Seller/Developer in marketing the condo development) takes the listing, the Listing Agent and the Seller agree upon an overall transaction commission, which includes payment for the Listing Agent’s services, as well as those of the Buyer’s Agent. That’s right, a Buyer does not pay any out of pocket expenses to have an expert exclusively represent them.

This all makes sense you say, so who do you work with? Boston Condo Guy is looked at and respected in the Boston real estate market as one of the top information sources for downtown condos and condo developments. Boston Condo Guy is recognized by not only Buyers and Sellers as a great information source, but Agents, Brokers, and Developers come to Boston Condo Guy to find out the latest information about the Boston condo market – this speaks volumes. Boston Condo Guy is a leader in online technology, and provides professional representation throughout the entire buying process. Learn more about Boston Condo Guy.

Filed Under: Buyer Advice

Sapeo South Boston No More

October 24, 2007 By

Recent updates to the ground floor commercial space in Allele Boston has a Jae’s Cafe TBD restaurant moving in, rather than a spin-off of Newbury Street’s Tapeo, as reported earlier in the summer (Tapeo Restaurant to Open in South Boston).

A restaurant in Allele, regardless of who gets the coveted spot, will make a great addition to what is quickly becoming the hottest area to call home in Boston.

Filed Under: Boston Restaurants Tagged With:

Allele Boston Condos Show Progress

October 24, 2007 By

One of the Three South Boston Amigos, Allele Boston, is showing significant progress towards its Q1 2008 occupancy target. The best vantage point to view the Allele development is from Dorchester Avenue looking south, where you can get a great view of the rounded bow facade of the building. The exclusive photos below provide a great time series piece on what has been happening over the past several months on the construction progress at Allele.

allele-condos-9

Allele, meaning hybrid, will be a loft-style condo development at 150 Dorchester Avenue, consisting of 48 units priced between $429,000 and $1,100,000. As you can see from the pictures, terraces accompany most units. Garage parking will be available for $30,000 $40,000.

For more information on Allele Boston, or any other South Boston or Seaport District condo, please contact us.

allele-condos-11 allele-condos-11-1

Filed Under: South Boston Condos Tagged With: , , ,

Broadluxe Financial District Condo Update

October 23, 2007 By

For the most up to date Broadluxe condo auction information, see Broadluxe condo auction.

We are continuing to stay close to the Broadluxe development in Boston’s Financial District at 99-105 Broad Street as it moves closer to completion, and perhaps more importantly, available for sale.

TD Banknorth foreclosed on the property several months back, and they brought in Union Construction (a greater-Boston company) to finish off outstanding construction. As of Monday morning, TD Banknorth communicated to us that they were approximately 30 – 45 days out from construction completion. What remains up in the air are title issues that TD Banknorth absorbed when they foreclosed on the property.

Until TD Banknorth can work through the outstanding title issues with the title company, they are not in a position to convey individual units to Buyers (i.e. no units have been sold yet, and none will be until title issues can be cleared). At this point, there is no clear and concise answer as to when the title issues will be handled. TD Banknorth appeared excited that Boston Condo Guy has several interested Buyers, and wished they could convey units immediately.

If you have continued interest in the Broadluxe condo development, please contact us so that we can stay connected with you as things move closer to completion.

Broadluxe condo development

Broadluxe condo development

Filed Under: Financial District Condos Tagged With: , ,
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