Archive for the 'Boston Realty Advisors' category

The Renaissance continues in Downtown Crossing, with $3.2 million in city funds slated for improvements in the area, including sidewalk repairs, new illuminated street signs, street repaving, and bike racks.

“It’s time for us to go back into the Downtown Crossing area and do some reinvestments there, because things are changing and new businesses keep wanting to come there,” Mayor Thomas M. Menino is quoted by the Globe.

In addition, developers in the area are expected to make $10 million in privately funded improvements, including a new entryway for the MBTA station at Franklin and Washington Streets.

Over the next four years, 1,200 housing units will be built in and around Downtown Crossing, drawing some 3,000 residents to the area.

In the same vein of revitalization, a total of ten new restaurants have recently opened or are on the horizon. Back Deck, a collaboration of Bradley Fredericks of Fajitas and Ritas fame and acclaimed chef Paul Sussman, opened earlier this summer on West Street.

407 Washington Street is a 7-story, 25,616 SF mixed-use development opportunity. 

This is an opportune time for investors to capitalize on Downtown Crossing. Boston Realty Advisors has been retained as the exclusive agent for the sale of 407 Washington Street, located in the heart of Downtown Crossing directly across from the Millennium Tower project. Although historically occupied by retail users, 407 Washington is fully permitted and approved for 8,000 SF of retail and 14 residential units. Its current unoccupied status allows for easy renovations. For more information about this offering, please visit 407Washington.com.

• Downtown Crossing to get $3.2m face lift (Boston Globe)
• Boston's Downtown Crossing to get $3.2M touch up (Boston Business Journal)

As I am sure many of you have read, Boston is undergoing several transformations throughout several of its neighborhoods. Some are undergoing new additions, while others are getting renovated.

Here is an inside look with David Manfredi, principal of Elkus Manfredi Architects, whose firm happens to be one of which that is highly involved with several current/upcoming projects.

"Given all the development in places like Dudley Square, the Fenway, and the South Boston Waterfront, how do you expect the design and atmosphere of the city to change in coming years?

We’re very fortunate, planners and architects especially, to be in Boston. There is activity here, and there are large parts of the country where there’s not nearly as much activity. What’s exciting is that we have this incredible waterfront that sits right next to our downtown, and there is a lot of development there now. It’s not like we’re building at the edges; we’re building so close to the heart of everything." ...Read more HERE (photo credit boston.com) 

NEW TO THE MARKET!  SPACIOUS, IMMACULATE JAMAICA PLAIN LOFT FOR SALE!

Last week I got a call from a listing agent to preview a loft in the Boston Area about to hit the market, which is always a pleasure, as I'm eager to get a jump on what's coming up and always willing to give an opinion when asked. It's rare to find something I haven't seen before, but this one was in a complex that I had actually never visited in Jamaica Plain.

From the photo that was sent to me, I knew I was going to see something special, but I was truly delighted by what I saw when the door was opened. 
Every detail in this delightful modern / clean / bright / inspiring loft is about as perfectly thought-out as you can find. From enormous windows to giant canvas-ready walls, to the elegant and industrial style staircase anchoring the levels, to the airy & extremely functional kitchen and dining areas, to the hardwood floors (YES they are gleaming), to the lofted Master Suite (perfectly perched over the huge livingroom) with a spa-like bath, this is about as flawless as it gets with a loft.


Usually when I'm assisting a client in their search, about half of the loft spaces have a "flaw" – well, because lofts sometimes don't always give you much storage or closets, or there is something to be desired in the layout. I really can't find anything that I don't like about this loft! It has amazing storage space (even the well-place murphy bed minimizes the space taken up in the lower level is a thoughtful touch), tasteful lighting, well-designed baths / pantry / closets. The bonus is an easily accessible roof area that is ready to for a roof deck - Boston views included!


Oh, and ever so convenient is that it's steps to the Green Street T stop in Jamaica Plain, has parking included, and is on the bike path!



• 1900 Square Feet (although feels closer 25')
• 2 Bedrooms (including the amazing Master Suite)
• 1 Full Bath & 1 Half Bath
• Parking Included
• Great Jamaica Plain location
• Price: $519,000

Boston Realty Advisors has proudly announced the fourth annual "Playing for Parkinsons" charity tennis event and dinner to support the Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center on Wednesday, September 14, 2011.  

The two part benefit will feature tennis on grass courts at the Longwood Cricket Club, followed by a dinner at the Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center with honorary speaker Karl "Chip" Case, co-creator of the acclaimed Standard and Poors Case-Shiller Home Price Index.

Full information and registration for the event is available at www.gratefulnation.org/playingforparkinsons

The sponsor, Boston Realty Advisors, is one of Boston's biggest and best real estate firms.  If you or someone you know is interested in residential or commercial real estate, contact Boston Realty Advisors today!

Recently, Boston Realty Advisors' principal and founder Jason Weissman was featured in New England Real Estate Journal as well as Banker & Tradesman for selling two retail properties in Beacon Hill. The two properties were located at 125 Charles St. and totaled 2,073 square feet. The final sale price was $1.4 million to Charles Avenue LLC who was represented by Chuck Silverston of Prudential Real Estate. Weissman represented the seller, 125 Charles, LLC.

Boston Realty Advisors (BRA) was featured in the July 15th, 2011 issue of The Real Reporter because they are currently handling two exciting listings in Back Bay that will prove to be great rehabilitation projects. 

493-497 Commonwealth Avenue

Formerly the JS Waterman Funeral Home, BRA's listing at 493-497 Commonwealth Avenue has been out of use for several years, and is finally going to be brought back to life.  It is a 19,500 building currently in "shell condition."  This makes the building a blank canvas.  It may possibly become a residential space, but the central location could make for great offices or other forms of commercial space.  The building is right on the edge of Kenmore square, which is a great area and will soon benefit from major improvements to Boston's Green Line.  Boston Realty Advisors has not announced any definite details of a deal, but whatever happens, Kenmore square will soon have a new great space.

463 Beacon Street

Just a few blocks away, this beautiful building is currently a 20-room lodging house offering nightly and weekly rates.  This property may stay as is, but according to BRA founder Jason Weissman, it is possible that the space may work as a single household.  He also told The Real Reporter that converting the space to condominiums could be a viable and possibly more valuable solution.  The building has 2,400 square feet of frontage on Beacon street, easy access to Massachusetts Avenue and a slew of prestigious Universities, and six parking spaces in the rear.

Interested in these listings or looking for more information on buying or renting real estate in the Boston area?  Contact Boston Realty Advisors today!

Earlier this year, renowned economist Karl E. Case wrote a summation of the housing crisis and the 'Great Recession' in the form of a poem called, 'Reflections on the Housing Market'.

Dr. Case is the Professor of Economics at Wellesley College, a Founding Partner of the real estate research firm Fiserv Case Shiller Weiss, Inc., and he also co-developed the Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which is the most widely referenced source of housing market prices in the U.S. today.  

Dr. Case was one of the economists that predicted the current collapse of the U.S. housing bubble.  In his poem below, he writes about the early indicators of the troubles to come, the crisis as it unfolded, the effects the collapse is still having today.

He closes the poem by acknowledging that markets will correct themselves in time, no matter what, and calls for politicians to work towards a solution to the problems created by the housing bubble collapse.       

Do you agree with Dr. Case's summation?  What do you think politicians can do to 'help find solutions'?  Share your thoughts in the comment section below.  

Reflections on the Housing Market
By Karl E. Case

"For the last few years, we have shed many tears
Living through a recession.
The economy's broke and it's not a joke,
When we talk of another depression.
Fifteen million without a job,
Foreclosures and banks that fail,
401K's became 201K's,
And everything's up for sale.

How can it be? What didn't we see
That led to all of this trouble?
There is little doubt that the proximal cause
Was a bursting housing bubble.
But other than that, who can we blame?
And what do they lament?
Millions of people contributed to
This hundred-year event."

Read the full poem by Chip Case.

The collapse of the housing bubble really emphasizes the importance of  investing in a home that has intrinsic value to you and to future buyers.  If you need help finding a Boston property you can feel confident in investing in, you can rely on the experience and knowledge of a Boston Realty Advisor to help you find the ideal Boston real estate to meet your needs.

Boston Realty Advisors is hiring new and experienced agents who want to work in our residential leasing division.

As a full-service real estate firm with commercial divisions and residential sales, we offer opportunities to grow in your business. To learn more about our motivated team environment, please contact Kristy Ganong.

Bed bugs are back, and may even be living in Luxury Buildings in Boston!

1. Receive a thorough inspection by a qualified exterminator, who will confirm the identity of the pest.
   
   
2. Seal cracks & crevices in walls and floors.
   
   
3. Secure loose wallpaper and eliminate other areas of insect harborage.
   
   
4. Properly treat or remove infested furniture.
   
   
5. Mark infested items that are thrown away so others will know not to bring them into their home and spread the infestation further.
   
   
6. Frequent laundering of bedding and clothing during extermination process.
   
   
7. Frequent vacuuming of carpets and steam cleaning of furniture and mattresses during extermination process.  

 

1. Never pick up free roadside furniture (it may be tempting, but it isn’t worth the risk).
   
   
2. When traveling, make sure to keep your clothing in your luggage and your luggage in the bathtub (this may sound strange, but bugs have a hard time crawling up slippery surfaces).
    
3. Bed bugs like warmth, they have even been known to enter laptops and DSL ports.
   
   
4. When looking for bed bugs pay more attention to wood and upholstered furniture. Bed bugs seem to prefer wood and fabric over plastic and metal. Pull back the sheets from the mattress and look for bugs along the seams or tiny blood spots on the mattress.  Also look along the edges of the box springs and in the seams of the bedding.  You might also smell a strong musty smell. 
   
   
5. Many pest control services employ the trained nose of a rescue dog (often a beagle) to sniff out live bugs and viable eggs. Make sure that you check out the dog’s credentials, however. There have been a few instances of people trying to pass off the family pet as a super-smeller. 
   
   
6. Bed bugs are not known to transmit any infectious disease. The bites look very similar to that of a mosquito or other blood-sucking insect. Some bites may be unnoticeable while others might turn into larger sores. 
   
   
7. To treat a bed bug bite, treat the area with antiseptic soap to reduce the infection. Don’t scratch!  If it becomes infected, contact your health provider.  

 

 It appears that Boston real estate developers are finally believing that the recent and expected successes of Boston luxury Condos and Boston luxury Apartments are critical to the viability of commercial development such as the blighted Downtown Crossing's "Filene's Project."

The Boston Globe Article  says it all - there is quite a bit of interest in the purchase of the Filene's development site from Vornado who stopped development due to the downturn in the market a few years ago.

This is not the case in all cities across the country and not so in all of Massachusetts or even all parts of Boston. In any case, we should be pleased that there are positive signs of recovery.

Posted by : David Friedberg, CEO - Residential Division