Boston First-Time Home Buyers
What to Know about Condominium Fees
If you are considering a move to a Boston condo, you need to be aware of what the costs will include. When you first purchase your condo, you will have to pay a down payment, a mortgage, and property tax. In addition to these one-time costs, there will be condominium and special assessment fees.
What are Condominium Fees? Also referred to as maintenance fees, these fees are paid monthly by all condominium owners towards the maintenance and repair of common areas in the building, as well as salaries for groundskeepers, repairmen, and security guards. Set and managed by the condo association, they are typically determined based on the size of your unit.
Before you move into your new condominium, whether it is in prestigious Back Bay, or the architectural landmark neighborhood of Mission Hill, the amount of the fee will be disclosed to you, and you will have access to an itemized list to find out exactly where your dollars are going. While it may seem like an annoyance to have these monthly bills, they allow you to enjoy all the perks of your condo such as access to a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a beautiful lawn, without all the hard work that goes into keeping these amenities nice.
Make sure to tour your unit before buying: get an inspection done on the unit and the entire structure to identify any potential problems that will raise your fees. If the association has maintained the building repairs and maintenance requirements before they become big problems, your condo fees will most likely remain the same each month.
Special assessment fees may be requested when an unexpected repair or planned modification exceeds the cost of the condo fees that have already been collected. To determine if you will be likely to be required to pay these fees, find out if the association maintains a reserve of funds to pay for these unexpected and potentially expensive repairs.
Remember to contact an agent at Phoenix Realty when looking for your next condo or apartment in the greater Boston area.
Top 5 Reasons to Live in Boston
1. Getting Around
Boston has great, cheap, and safe public transportation provided by the MBTA. There are multiple MBTA subway lines, as well commuter rail trains with a farther reach than the MBTA trains, and a multitude of buses to choose from when planning your travel route. In addition to the fine public transportation available to city residents and visitors, Boston is also known as one of the most walkable cities in the U.S., earning the nickname “America’s Walking City.”
2. Historical Destination
Boston is one of the most culturally rich cities in the United States, being dubbed “America’s Athens” with its centuries-old architecture and historical sites including the Freedom Trail and the site of the famous Boston Tea Party. It is also the unofficial “Capital of New England” for its economic and cultural impacts as one of the oldest cities. Boston also has a variety of excellent walking tours and trails to explore throughout the numerous neighborhoods.
Boston is a great place to look at when choosing a college or university; it is one of the largest college oriented destinations in the United States. There is a great range of four-year and two-year schools, medical, business, vocational, and law schools, and schools for the performing or liberal arts. The city is also home to the iconic Harvard University, Boston College, and Boston University. Phoenix Realty can help you find a Boston apartment in close proximity to your school.
4. Amazing NightlifeThere are lots of fun things to do at night in Boston with a great variety of restaurants and nightclubs that cater to different groups including upscale lounges for those in their mid-late twenties, low-key sports bars for Red Sox and Celtics fans, and great ‘dive bars’ for the younger college crowd. Boston is also home to numerous convention centers, theaters, and other entertainment venues, to ensure you’ll never have a boring night!
The Red Sox won the World Championship in both 2004 and 2007, creating an even more loyal fan base than they already had, with fans flocking to historic Fenway Park to cheer on their favorite baseball team to even more victories. The communal nature of the Celtics and Bruins fans also adds to the charm of the city.
If you’re looking for a Boston apartment to rent or a Boston home for sale, contact Phoenix Realty to schedule an appointment today.
Featured Listing: Chestnut Hill Luxury Apartment
Located in Newton’s Chestnut Hill area, this amazing one bedroom apartment is fully loaded with every feature you can imagine! The modern kitchen is outfitted with over sized cherry cabinets, beautiful tile walls, a dishwasher, a built-in microwave, and a gas range stove.
The apartment also has wall to wall carpet, a walk in closet, and an in-unit washer and dryer set up. This Newton apartment is also pre-wired for cable, internet, and telephone and has a personal alarm system.
The apartment complex features a resident lounge with a kitchen, a state of the art fitness center, and a resident study with a fax machine and copier. The residents also have access to a beautiful heated outdoor pool, underground garage parking, and an onsite concierge. The D Riverside train is just a quick walk away, making for an easy commute to downtown Boston, Boston College, Boston University, and other area hot spots!
This is a great example of the Newton, MA real estate that we have available. Click here to view the listing and contact a Phoenix Realty agent to schedule a viewing!
Questions for Your Realtor!
Before you dive into renting or buying a Boston home, you need to examine the agent that will help you find it! Finding somewhere to live is one of the most important decision you will make, whether is be a luxury Back Bay condo or your first Boston college apartment. You must make sure to adopt a set of standards for the new Realtor, and with those standards must come well thought out questions to ask before you decide on one. Here are a few important questions to get you started!
What is your average list price-to-sell price ratio? When buying, you want a Realtor that can negotiate a lower sale price than listed and has a track record to prove it!
Do you have relationships with any of the area management companies? When renting, it is good to work with someone that can vouch for you to the management companies that own the Boston apartments you will be viewing.
What is your service charge? Getting this question out of the way right off the bat will help you avoid any surprises later.
Do you have any references that I can contact? You don’t actually have to contact any of those provided if you don’t feel that it’s necessary, but ensuring that the agent has them at all is a great indicator.
The best way to ensure that you’re working with the perfect Realtor is to choose an agency that has the assurance of experience and a proven track record of success. Phoenix Realty has a team of hand picked agents that are experts in selling, buying, brokering and renting Boston condos and apartments. Contact a Phoenix agent today to set up an appointment to find your dream Boston home.
Beware the Bait and Switch!
It is a well understood fact that apartment searching is often stressful. Because of its usability and ease of access, Craigslist is often a starting point for renters. When it works, this is a great way to start – as long as you keep your guard up and know what you are looking at. There are some brokers and agents that intentionally place misleading advertisements just to get you to call.
So the photos look amazing, the description sounds ideal and you can afford it – anyone would call! So you call the broker and he sets up an appointment to show you the place. When you meet up, he will tell you that your dream apartment was had been snatched up by someone else, but that he luckily had a few similar apartments to show you. These apartments will be smaller, more expensive, or slightly less desirable than the original. Assuming that were to happen, you will have witnessed the bait and switch. The bait and switch is often used to move undesirable apartments; it is rare that the realtor will have something “just like it” to show you.
We at Phoenix Realty have seen this tactic used on sites like Craigslist constantly – and it drives us nuts! When you are looking for your dream Boston apartment – whether it be a Back Bay condo or a Brookline home – you should be given the respect of knowing that what you see is what you get! We have compiled some tips to help you avoid the bait and switch by helping you identify bait apartments.
1. Analyze the photos. If the provided pictures are of apartments filled with modern, stunning furnishings, you are looking at a model apartment – not the real deal. This is probably the nicest apartment in the building and chances are it was rented eons ago. If the photos are of unfinished apartments, play a quick game of “find the inconsistency.”Are the windows different in what is meant to be the same room? Is the hardwood floor a different color or pattern in different shots? Does the layout seem to change? If you find any inconsistency like those, the broker may have just compiled the best images from a few different apartments just to get you to call.
2. Call and ask. Even if you think the photos are legit, still be sure to ask the agent directly when you call if the photos are from the actual, real life apartment. If he says that they are pictures of a typical apartment in the building, beware. Maybe he did not have a chance to get to the actual apartment and take photos, or maybe he is trying to bait and switch. Either way, use your best judgment and go with your gut.
3. Watch out for vague descriptions. If there are no photos at all, odds are it is not real or the agent has not been inside it. Vague adjectives (stunning, cozy, elegant, huge) are often thrown around on ads that lack photos. These ads can describe many Boston apartments – take care to ask for specifics when you call the phone number listed. Even asking for something as simple as the cross streets and interior descriptions will help you determine the legitimacy of the apartment.
The best way to ensure that you are working with a legitimate, honest real estate agency is to choose one with a great reputation. Browse our listings of Boston apartments for rent or contact us to begin the process of finding your dream apartment.
Featured Listing: Cozy Alcove Studio
Located right on Commonwealth Avenue, this Brighton condo is a solid investment with fantastic rental history. It is on the third floor of a professionally managed elevator building. The studio has an alcove to provide a separate sleeping area and a separate eat-in kitchen (both are rarities for Boston studio apartments.) The main living space has beautiful hardwood floors throughout and well kept detailing on the walls and trims.
It is just steps from the MBTA B, C, and D green line trains, and has excellent access to both Boston College and Cleveland Circle. It is directly across from a beautiful reservoir and park.
This apartment is a fantastic example of the Brighton real estate that we have listed. To learn more about this Brighton condo, view the listing or contact a Phoenix Realty agent to schedule a viewing.
Featured Listing: Allston Condo for Sale
100 Linden Street, Unit 5 has been completely renovated from floor to ceiling by a renowned local developer. This second floor unit features a designer eat-in kitchen equipped with granite counters, cider cabinets, and breakfast bar – all covered in beautiful custom made granite counter tops. The living room has a beautiful fireplace and large bay window. The large master bedroom has a walk in closet and the entire apartment is covered in shiny new maple hardwood floors.
This one bed/one bath is a bright spark of luxury in Allston. It is only a one minute walk to the B Line (Harvard Ave Stop) and area buses.
Take a virtual tour, check out the listing, or contact a Phoenix Agent to take a look at this fantastic condo. Be sure to check out our other great Allston Real Estate.
Renter Beware! The Top 3 Craigslist Apartment Rental Scams
Whether you’re searching for the perfect luxury Back Bay condo or your first post-freshman year Allston apartment, chances are you will probably start your search with a simple inquiry into the real estate section of Boston’s Craigslist. While this is an excellent way to start, there are a few scams that seem to be infesting the real listings for greater Boston apartments for rent.
The first scam is considered a ‘phishing’ scam, and begins with an advertisement that does not give out any name, property information, or any means of contact besides an email address. Upon inquiry, the renter is asked to fill out a “rental application” in order to receive more information. Rather than receiving any information, they end up supplying the scammer with personal information. Never give out any personal information to any so-called realtor over Craigslist. Any licensed Boston realtor will be more than happy to meet in person and discuss Boston apartments for rent without requiring a pre-emptive application.
The second scam can usually be spotted easily; just look for an absurdly low, “too-good-to-be-true” rental price. The basis of this scam is to con the renter into buying a supposed list of similarly priced Boston apartments. Once the potential renter pays for the list, they receive a phony list of fake Boston apartment listings and fake Boston addresses. Never pay for any list of properties, no matter how vehemently the poster promises to deliver. Any address, no matter what kind of Boston realty property you’re looking for, can be easily looked up. No Boston realtor has an “exclusive list” that needs to be paid for, so make sure never to fall for this one!
The last scam will begin with a full home for rent. The advertisement may seem reasonable (the price probably won’t be dropped suspiciously low), but the actual scam is far from it. This scam is actually a ploy to rent a home that is pending foreclosure. The scammer will pocket the money given by the prospective renters without paying their mortgage off. As soon as the foreclosure proceedings are finalized, the victims will be evicted. This scam is a bit trickier to spot right away, but in order to avoid it, make sure you only work with a license real estate agent. You can also research the supposed address and inquire as to its status.
Craigslist offers the following advice as means to avoid scams on their website:
· Trust your instincts
· Deal only with local buyers and sellers
· NEVER wire funds to a distant buyer, via Western Union or any other carrier
· Be wary if the other party wants to use an escrow service like Squaretrade, or even PayPal
· NEVER give out personal info (eBay or PayPal info, checking account number, SSN, etc.)
· always remember the most important rule — BUYER BEWARE
Phoenix Realty can help you find an apartment under the terms that best suit your needs. Contact us for help, or browse our online listings of Boston apartments and other Boston rental properties.
Featured Listing: Back Bay Condo
Today’s featured listing is a beautiful Back Bay condo available for sale.
Located on Gloucester Street in Boston, this condominium is beautiful and stylish. Come see this studio Back Bay condo with amazing original details in true “Back Bay style”. This includes gorgeous hardwood floors, a fireplace, a bay window, crown molding, chandelier and 10′ and higher ceilings.
This property is perfect pied-a-terre (parking spot behind building available for purchase) or investment (rented through August 2011 for $1,500/mo). Separate white galley kitchen has chandelier, dishwasher, Bath with huge window, and pedestal sink. Building was recently repainted and roof done. This unit is also pet friendly, too!
Home Sweet Condo!
Check out more details at the full Boston homes for sale listing, with 16+ beautiful images!
This is just one of many Back Bay Condo that we have available – contact us for more information, or to schedule a viewing!
Newton Ranks #3 Best Place to Live
Money Magazine’s recent search for nation’s ‘Best Places to Live’ found Newton, MA worthy for the #3 spot. This year’s search, which focused on small cities within the US, attributed Newton’s ranking to its esteemed school system, low crime rate, and resistance to the unstable economy.
This small city just west of Boston has a lot to offer. Its quiet and safe neighborhoods, New England charm, and fast commute to downtown Boston make it a great living environment for those who are raising a family or working in the city. It also has plenty of downtown shopping centers, parks, and local bars and pubs. It even ranked #2 on Money Magazine’s ‘Top 25 Place for the Rich and Single’.
Another Boston neighborhood, Brookline, also made the list, ranking in at #39.
To inquire more about Newton, MA homes for sale, feel free to contact Phoenix Realty.
Sales Search
Rental Search
Search
Categories
- Allston Amenities
- Allston Apartments
- Allston MA
- Allston MA Apartments
- Allston Real Estate
- Apartment Rentals
- Back Bay
- Back Bay Apartments
- Back Bay Condos
- Back Bay Real Estate
- Beacon Hill
- Beacon Hill Apartments
- Beacon Hill Homes
- Beacon Hill Real Estate
- Boston
- Boston Apartments
- Boston Apartments for Rent
- Boston Condos
- Boston Events
- Boston First-Time Home Buyers
- Boston Homes
- Boston Homes for Sale
- Boston Luxury Real Estate
- Boston Property Management
- Boston Real Estate
- Boston Rental Property
- Boston Seaport District
- Boston Studios
- Boston Waterfront Condos
- Brighton Apartments
- Brighton MA
- Brighton MA Apartments
- Brighton MA Homes
- Brighton MA Real Estate
- Brighton Real Estate
- Brookline Apartments
- Brookline Homes
- Brookline MA
- Brookline Real Estate
- Buying or Selling Homes
- Cambridge
- Cambridge Apartments
- Chestnut Hill
- Chestnut Hill Apartments
- Featured Listings
- Fenway
- Fenway Apartments
- Luxury Real Estate
- Mission Hill
- Newton Apartments
- Newton MA
- Newton MA Homes for Sale
- Newton MA Real Estate
- Real Estate News
- Reasons to Live in Boston
- Renter's Guide
- South End
- South End Apartments
- South End Homes
- South End Real Estate
- Student Housing
- Studio Apartments
- Tax Credit
- Uncategorized
Archives
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009