2008 February

The 1850 Grand Open House

By Anthony Longo 29 02 2008

The Sales Team at The 1850 is excited to announce that The 1850 full website has gone LIVE!! Please check it out for the facts, floorplans, and other fabulous information about The 1850 and life in the South End. Basically, The 1850 is offering outstanding value for new construction with pricing starting at $326,000 for 722 square feet. Yes, you really did read that correctly, low prices in the City’s hottest neighborhood.

This Saturday & Sunday - March 1st and 2nd from 11AM-3PM The 1850 is holding their first sneak preview opening to the public. The 1850 2 model units have been furnished with bedroom and living spaces and handsomely decorated by Terrat Elms, one of the South End’s award winning design firms. So take a stroll over or park in the lot behind The 1850. A hostess will meet you in the lobby and take you up to our stunning new sales office for a tour.

Tour The 1850 online!

WHEN YOU VISIT THE 1850 MAKE SURE TO TELL THEM YOU ARE WORKING WITH US AS YOUR BUYERS BROKER!!!!

90 Wareham Street Unit 201 Boston, MA 02118 (Google Map It)

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Categories : Boston Condos, Boston Lofts, New Developments

Real Estate Ads

By Anthony Longo 29 02 2008

Saw this ad for OptHome in this months Boston Magazine Home Edition. Can you say WOW! A pretty powerful statement here…(although we must disclose that we absolutely love it!)

We are excited to have more RE.Tech companies launch here on the east coast and very close to Boston. OptHome is right next door in Southborough, MA….more to come.

So What is OptHome?

OptHome is the ultimate homeowner resource combining the power of the internet with the knowledge and experience of industry professionals who practice their trade everyday!

OptHome can help you:

Evaluate and choose the agent that best fits your needs if you are looking to buy or sell
Connect you with other homeowners to share or receive insight on all matters pertaining to your home and your community
Maximize the comfort, quality and resale value of your home by providing you with online tools and resources as well as pairing you with a real estate advisor to consult with on your specific questions
Become the smartest homeowner on the block! By providing you access to information about the community you live in from school rankings to crime statistics. You can even compare your town to others to see how they stack up.
- but remember if you are searching for Boston Condos…this is your only stop!

Comments : 3 Comments »
Categories : Boston Real Estate, RE.TECH

Russia Wharf

By Anthony Longo 28 02 2008

Strolling the Seaport neighborhood today looking for a good snack for lunch and we ventured across the Fort Point Channel to check out what the latest was with Russia Wharf. This is some of the coolest construction I have seen. As you can see in the photos they are leaving a huge portion of the facade on 2 sides of the building and giong to infil teh rest with a modern glass housing and tower. It is going to be a new landmark building in Boston! Hopefully, we will get some condos up there too!

Other notes: FP3 Lofts seem to be flying away with construction. Residences at the InterContinental glistening in the sunlight today and Fan Pier continues to drive steel!

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Categories : Boston Lifestyle, Boston Real Estate, New Developments, Seaport

Schoolhouse at Lower Mills

By Anthony Longo 28 02 2008

A few weeks back we noted we had a little secret about an upcoming new condo development in Dorchester which we thought was a winner…..well here it is…

PS- Open House: 03-01-2008 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

We got to tour School House at Lower Mills with Developer Vin Norton from Urban Captial Partners. School House at Lower Mills is an all new condo development located in the Lower Mills part of Dorchester right on the Milton Line. School House at Lower Mills is priced from 239 to 340K. The condo buildings are a low-rise condo at 4 stories and include a total of 62 units.
HISTORY
School House at Lower Mills was founded in 1856 modern day housed the Knights of Columbus until Stop and Shop Acquired property. Stop and Shop tried to set up mega store but neighborhood resistance prevented this and Shaws eventually acquired the land. After years of negotiation Urban Capital Partners acquired the land and permitted this great new condo development in a great residential neighborhood in Dorchester.
PARKING
All units at School House at Lower Mills in Dorchester include 1 outside spot per unit. There are 20 additional spots in underground garage that are for sale for an additional price. Pricing on parking at Schoolhouse at Lower mills will be approximately $12k to 15k.

Unit SPECS
3 Color finishes available. All contingency construction funds rolled back into units due to ease of build. $600K upgraded to gas, new counter tops, Washer and Dryer in each unit. Each Unit has its own water heater that serves as both water heat source and heating and cooling system for each unit. This is a stand alone system that allows each unit to have individual climate control. Acoustics or unit are great due to extra sound barrier via both floors and wall construction.
Cable is set up for Comcast and Verizon Vios not set up yet but all ready to go once they drop the line into the building. No onsite security or Concierge but each unit has telephonic access control system and card reader entry for building and garage.
Condo Fee will come in at the $250ish range. The Lower Mills neighborhood is a quaint area right on the Milton line. Cool coffee shop 5 min walk away, Flat Black Coffee house.

Schoolhouse Condos for sale in MLS: (over favorites hyper linked)

$342,500, 2 Bd, 1 Ba, 859
$339,900, 2 Bd, 1 Ba, 919
$325,000, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 967
$310,000, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 868
$309,900, 2 Bd, 1 Ba, 894
$309,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 940
$305,000, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 924
$305,000, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 825
$299,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 815
$295,000, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 766
$289,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 967
$279,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 737
$279,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 805
$275,000, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 820
$269,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 817
$249,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 846
$229,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 857

(Indoor garage: L -R John A. Keith from BostonReb, Vin Norton from UCP & Christian Major from CondoDomain.com)

Search other Dorchester Condos

More Pictures on Schoolhouse at Lower Mills here.

Comments : 3 Comments »
Categories : Boston Condos, Boston Real Estate, Dorchester, Featured Listings, New Developments

DO NOT BUY ALONE

By Anthony Longo 26 02 2008

Do not go out and buy on your own. Let me say that again….Do Not Buy Alone!

I know sometime real estate agents are a pain in the butt to deal with…but don’t make the bad decision and buy alone. Of course it is fine to search properties via the web or even visit open houses, etc….but when the time gets close, make sure you DO NOT get stuck buying alone.

Many people think that buying a condo is pretty simple and straight-forward, and many times it is…but I would say more times than not they are just as complex or even more complex than buying a single family home.

To put the product type (condominium) aside, buying real estate is one of the biggest financial purchases you will make in your entire lifetime. Most sellers hire a selling broker often known as a listing broker. These real estate brokers are professionals and they work for the seller, ALWAYS. Even though many of these listing brokers are very kind, they have legal obligation to work solely in the sellers best interest and to get their client (the seller) the highest possible price. Now why would you want to try and negotiate with a listing broker alone.

When you hire a buyers broker (there is never a charge…we get compensated by the listing broker -split commission), you are hiring a broker who is going to work legally and solely in the best interest for YOU. Helping YOU scout and compare properties and eventually to help YOU negotiate the Lowest Possible Price!

To sum this up short and sweet. Do Not Buy Alone. You are not saving any money (because buyers brokerage is free for you) and you will have all of the stress of running comps, negotiations and paperwork. You don’t gain anything if you buy your new condo alone.

Now that we drilled that message home you can also look into innovative brokers like us, BuySideRealty or our pals at Redfin. Even though all buyers brokers are free for you to utilize, some (like us) take it one step further and actually compensate YOU for using a buyers broker.

For example, we operate on a Flat Fee Buyers Brokerage model (Compare Us) and we only accept the first $5,000 of our commission paid by the seller and we REFUND the remainder to you.

On an average $500,000 condo, our company receives a $15,000 commission check from the sellers broker, we accept the first $5,000 and REFUND you the remainder…or $10,000 cash back to you in this example. So yes…you get our professional services & assistance, your new condo for the lowest possible price AND the majority of our Buyers Brokerage Commission check! Sound too good to be true…. See How It Works

Top Priorities of CondoDomain Team Members as an EBA:

Exclusively and confidentially represent you as our client and put your interests first
Provide transparency in our opinions, the good and the bad including property information, neighborhood information and community information.
Help in the search & compare process
Negotiate and get you the lowest price possible with the best terms possible
Refer you to top legal, financial, appraisal & inspection professionals

Bottom line: Do Not Buy Alone…work with a buyers broker! If your looking to buy a condo…hopefully we end up representing you!

Visit our site today…it is the most elaborate real estate website in Boston !!!

Comments : 4 Comments »
Categories : Boston Condos, Boston Real Estate, Commissions, Featured Listings, RE.TECH

You Could Wait To Buy

By Anthony Longo 26 02 2008

Check out this video produced by WCI. Its got a clear message to something so simple we often overlook it.

The message that “Look & See” offers a whole lot more options than “Wait & See.” As we all know when it comes to the law of Supply & Demand, it is far better to be ahead of the curve than lagging behind. You want to be a day early or a day late Watch The Video

Comments : 1 Comment »
Categories : Boston Condos

285 Columbus Lofts The Movie

By Anthony Longo 25 02 2008

Just released - 285 Columbus Lofts The Movie is now playing right here on CondoDomain.com!

Filmed last month by sister company - Virtuale Productions has yet again told the story right from the developer himself. Starring in the 285 Columbus Lofts flick is Curtis Kemeny, Preseident & CEO of Boston Residential Group and Patrick Cutter & Elaine Dolley, Sales Directors on this hip-lux Boston loft project!

Well, the video is live, no need to write anymore… Watch 285 Columbus Lofts Now!

Comments : 5 Comments »
Categories : Back Bay, Boston Condos, Boston Real Estate, Featured Listings, New Developments, RE.TECH, South End

Super Luxury Boston Condos

By Anthony Longo 25 02 2008

What does the very top look like in Boston’s Super Luxury Condo market place Take a look below at the top 10 most expensive condos for sale in downtown Boston.

1. Price: $11,950,000

128 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02116

MLS # 70519008

Beds: 6 Bedroom
Bath: 4 (Baths)

Sq/Ft: 9000
Price per Sq/Ft: $1,327.78
Condo Fee: $0 (monthly)
Taxes: $50,155 (annual)

Estimated Payment: $51,980

Unit Details: Renovated Beautiful Beaux Arts Single Family home on Comm Ave. 5 floors of fabulous living + lower level which includes access to private 2 car Garage plus 3 heated paved outdoor spaces). Master suite includes luxurious onyx marble bath. Elevator and magnificent staircase connect all floors. Formal and Informal Living Rooms, sun-drenched gourmet Kitchen opens to oversized Great Room, handsome Library, and 3 Private Roof Decks are a few features that set this home apart from the rest.

2. $10,995,000 - 56 Beacon Street, Boston, MA (Back Bay)

3. $10,250,000 - 150 Beacon Street, Boston, MA (Back Bay)

4. $7,995,000 - 40 Chestnut Street, Boston, MA (Beacon Hill)

5. $7,900,000 - 198 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA (Back Bay)

6. $7,000,000 - 1 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA (Back Bay)

7. $7,000,000 - The Mandarin Oriental, Boston, MA (Back Bay)

8. $7,000,000 - 8 Walnut Street, Boston, MA (Beacon Hill)

9. $6,900,000 - 78 Beacon Street, Boston, MA (Beacon Hill)

10. $6,500,000 - 257 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA (Back Bay)

Ok, now the fun part. Buy one of these magnificent homes and your Cash Back Refund from CondoDomain will range from $234,000 to $125,000 !!! See How This Works

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Categories : Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Boston Condos, Boston Real Estate, Commissions, Featured Listings, Super Luxury

Jamaica Plain Condo Clearance

By Anthony Longo 25 02 2008

The American Brewery Lofts in Jamaica Plain is having a WINTER CLEARANCE!

$30,000+ off the loft of your choice!

Limited Availability… Plus coupon for closing or flooring.

American Brewery Lofts presents 79 individual units on 6 floors. The majority of the building was a condo conversion from an old brewery which has some dynamic features and interior architecture. At American Brewery Lofts there was also a little infill new construction in the development too giving you the choice for a more condo feel or a more brick and beam traditional loft style.

All the units have a ton of volume. Great open spaces with great ceiling heights. Full size open kitchen, w/d hookups, very naturally bright spaces. Also you can enjoy the beautiful 5,000 square foot interior courtyard which is a great amenity living in Jamaica Plain. American Brewery Lofts also has a brand new underground parking garage and easy elevator access from your garage.

American Brewery Lofts Units in MLS:

$579,900, 1 Bd, 2 Ba, 1438
$509,900, N/A, 1 Ba, 1198
$459,900, N/A, 1 Ba, 1055
$449,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 949
$439,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 810
$439,900, 2 Bd, 2 Ba, 923
$419,900, 2 Bd, 2 Ba, 1001
$399,900, 1 Bd, 2 Ba, 800
$389,900, 1 Bd, 2 Ba, 800
$369,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 806
$349,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 652
$299,900, N/A, 1 Ba, 589
$299,900, N/A, 1 Ba, 674
$269,900, 1 Bd, 1 Ba, 680

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Categories : Boston Condos, Boston Lofts, New Developments

Weymouth The New Hollywood?

By Anthony Longo 24 02 2008

The Boston Herald reports today that more scouting for an East Coast Hollywood continues. We have been very involved with scouting for residential and some commercial real estate since Massachusetts lifted off with its new tax incentives for major motion pictures here.

Recently we helped with some location & condo / apartment scouting for The Departed (starring Jack Nicholson), The Woman (starring Meg Ryan) and are currently helping a new client place a super luxury Boston condo for an upcoming Disney movie coming to Boston starring Sandra Bullock. So if you are a movie scout or a new production team interested in learning more about Boston and our neighborhoods & buildings, feel free to contact us anytime @ 877 852 6636.

via the herald…

The Bay State could take a major step toward becoming Hollywood East under a detailed proposal to build a $200 million movie production complex on the South Shore barely 10 miles from Boston.

Seeking to build political support and persuade the state to expand existing tax credits, a team of Hollywood film moguls is flying into the Hub this week for meetings with state lawmakers and the development firm that controls the former naval air station in South Weymouth, industry sources said.

Principals from Culver City Studios, Ray Art Studios and Sunset Gower Studios will make the rounds, detailing Culver Citys plans to build a 30-acre campus- style studio complex complete with sound stages at the former military base. The plan is also expected to include a hotel and other development. Continued…

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Categories : Seaport