2013 was a tough year for home buyers in Cambridge and Somerville, with very limited inventory, and a lot of potential buyers competing from those properties that were available. But if you were out there shopping, and were one of the lucky ones to win a bidding war, here’s what you could have bought…
With a budget of $300k…
Well, there wasn’t much out there at this price point, but 35 condos did sell in Cambridge this year for less than or up to $300k. The lowest sale price was $182k for a 288 SF studio at 9 Mullins Court in East Cambridge. Small to be sure, but renovated and a second-floor unit, which is rare at this price point — most of the lower-end of our inventory is “garden level” (aka, basement). For example, here’s a 2BR 692 SF garden-level condo at 269 Harvard St near Central Square, which sold for $299k.
In Somerville, there were 61 condos listed this year that have sold for up to $300k. Excluding one affordable-housing unit, the lowest price sale was $170k for a 350 SF 1BR condo in East Somerville, WITH a parking spot! At the top of the range, three condos sold for $300k on the nose, including a top-floor, 790 SF 1BR, under-the-eaves unit at 42 Cedar Street, just a couple blocks from Porter.
Moving up to $500k…
At this price point, 2013 condo buyers were solidly in the price range for a new or nicely renovated 1 – 2BR condo in either Cambridge or Somerville. For example, coming in at an even $500k, one happy Cambridge buyer scored a 1 BR/1.5 ba loft with 927 SF at NorthPoint. Garage parking included.
62 Central Street, Unit 2 in Somerville also sold for $500k on the nose. For that price, buyers got three bedrooms, two full baths and 1257 SF of living area in a nicely renovated unit on Spring Hill. No parking with this one.
And for $700k…
You can now comfortably afford a renovated two or even three bedroom condo in most Cambridgeville locations. For example, check out this new construction, 3 BR/2 ba, 1609 SF condo with one garage spot at 141-3 Harvey Street in North Cambridge, which sold for a cool $699k.
Our Somerville example is a great 3 BR/2.5 ba penthouse unit with 1447 SF on two levels at 80 Webster in Union Square, which came in right at $700k. It sort of has parking — in this building you have to rent a parking spot in the garage next door, but rates are reasonable at $125/month.
And if you have a million dollars…
You’re now entering the realm of river views and/or really nice amenities. Here’s an example of what one buyer bought for $1M in Cambridge: a 4 BR/2 ba, 1885 SF condo on the Charles at 985 Memorial Drive. No parking but it did come with a fireplace, if that’s any consolation.
And over in Davis Square, just shy of a million, this 1938 SF, 3 BR/2 ba Wallace Street “urban chalet” sold for $950k. It offered high-end finishes and all kinds of bells and whistles including TWO parking spaces.
Money is no object, you say?
Well, Somerville condo prices maxed out at $1,125,000 this year (only three condos sold for more than $1M), but there was still room to go up in Cambridge, where condo prices topped out just under $4M. And the distinction of being the most expensive condo sold in Cambridge this year goes to a 2170 SF, 2 BR/2 ba penthouse in the heart of Harvard Square, just above the soon-to-be-gone Upstairs on the Square restaurant. And here’s that buyer’s $3,974,000 view:
Happy shopping — ho, ho, ho!