Most of us dream of living in a historic location, rife with charming architecture, friendly faces, and preferably, a gorgeous waterfront. You can find all that – and more – in North End, Boston.
One of the oldest neighborhoods in Massachusetts, North End is famous for its welcoming atmosphere and Old World flavor, along with its vibrant food scene, colorful historic sites and cultural attractions, and proximity to Boston’s downtown area.
If you’re an investor, putting your money in North End, Boston can be an excellent decision. Learn about your real estate options here and find out what makes this historic and beautiful neighborhood a highly desirable place to live and invest in.
What’s inside:
- What to know about North End, Boston?
- Where is North End, Boston located?
- What is the North End, Boston real estate market like?
- What’s in store for the North End, Boston real estate market in 2022?
- Why Should You Invest in North End, Boston?
- North End, Boston has an affluent, upwardly-mobile population
- North End, Boston is in a premium location
- North End, Boston has a premium lifestyle and ambience
- North End, Boston has a wide variety of residential and commercial options
- North End, Boston has steady property value appreciation
- Tips to keep in mind when investing in North End real estate
- Find out the best time to invest North End, Boston real estate
- Consider all available financing options
- Conduct due diligence
- Work with an experienced Realtor
- North End, Boston Investment Properties: Where To Buy?
- Why should you choose Giancarlo Tiberi as your Realtor?
What to know about North End, Boston
Located in Suffolk County, North End is a historic neighborhood that was first settled by the English Puritans in the 1600s. During the late 19th century, the area welcomed a wave of Italian immigrants, whose influence can still be felt to this day with the proliferation of authentic Italian restaurants, coffeehouses, pastry shops, old-school delis, and small retail stores in the community.
Today, Boston’s Little Italy, as North End has come to be called, is home to over 12,000 people and is considered to be one of the best places to live in the entire New England area.
Where is North End, Boston located?
North End, Boston is located in the historic Shawmut Peninsula, and falls within the 02109, 02110, and 02113 zip codes. It is bordered by the Mystic and Charles Rivers to the north, Boston Harbor, Commercial Street and Atlantic Avenue to the east, Boston’s West End neighborhood to the west, and the Financial District to the south.
North End can be accessed via the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), with a Blue Line stop at Aquarium Station, and Orange and Green Line stops at Haymarket and North Stations, all of which are just five minutes from the neighborhood.
Within North End, walking and biking are the best ways to get around, thanks to the neighborhood’s network of winding narrow, cobblestone-paved streets.
What is the North End, Boston real estate market like?
North End, Boston has a very competitive real estate market. Townhouses and condos, for instance, are priced upwards of $759,000, while single-family homes in the neighborhood can easily fetch around $2.2 million or more.
Commercial real estate in the area is also in high demand, with properties such as entire apartment complexes fetching prices of up to $3,750,000.
Because of the high demand for North End, Boston real estate, it is not unusual for some homes and commercial properties in the area to get multiple offers and sell a couple of weeks after hitting the market.
The rental industry in North End is also on the upswing, with tenants paying an average of $2,200 for a studio unit, $2,500 for a one-bedroom apartment, $2,800 for a two-bedroom unit, $3,795 for a three-bedroom property, and $5,960 for a four-bedroom unit.
Why should you invest in North End, Boston real estate?
Given its laid-back atmosphere, Old World charm, and convenient location close to the heart of Downtown, North End, Boston is a highly appealing neighborhood for home buyers and renters alike.
These are just some of the reasons North End, Boston real estate make a great investment:
North End, Boston has an affluent, upwardly-mobile population
A huge chunk of North End’s population is made up of young, white-collar professionals, most of whom are employed in the scientific, technical and finance industries, as well as in education and insurance. Families and wealthy retirees also make up a large percent of the population. The median household income here is about $117,327, much higher than the national median of around $80,000.
North End, Boston is in a premium location
As is often said about real estate, it’s all about location, location, location, And North End checks all the boxes of what makes a great location.
- Proximity to offices and commercial centers
- Proximity to the top attractions in Boston
A major economic hub, Boston is home to several Fortune 500 companies such as multinational conglomerate General Electric, furniture manufacturer and retailer Wayfair, chemical firm Cabot, outsourcing service Iron Mountain, and pharmaceutical firm Alexion. This makes the city extremely attractive to young professionals, most of whom are keen on finding homes in places like North End, which is mere minutes from the downtown area.
North End is packed with history and culture, and is famous for being home to numerous historically-significant sites that draw millions of visitors each year.
Some of the most popular historic and cultural sites in and around North End include:
- Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, which serves as the resting place for thousands of artisans, craftspeople, and merchants
- The Paul Revere House, a three-story building that served as the home of the silversmith and Boston Patriot from 1770-1800
- The Old North Church, which is famous for being the first stop on Revere’s “Midnight Ride.”
- Fenway Park, a historic ballpark that serves as the home base of the Boston Red Sox. Also known as “America’s Most Beloved Ballpark”, Fenway Park first opened its doors to the public in 1912, and is considered to be one of the most fabled sports complexes in the country.
- The Museum of Fine Arts Boston, which houses impressive collections of Impressionist paintings, ancient Egyptian artifacts, and Asian and Persian art.
- The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum which boasts a fine collection of paintings, sculptures, and tapestries
- The Museum of Science, Boston, which is famous for its 700 permanent, hands-on exhibits.
North End, Boston provides an amazing lifestyle and ambience
Millennials and young professionals put great emphasis on work-life balance. And living in a community like North End provides them with plenty of opportunities to engage in other interests away from work and find a respite from the daily grind.
The neighborhood’s home-grown, family-run Italian restaurants from its early days give it a unique charm and identity, and the ultra-modern nightclubs and other event spaces provide an endless array of entertainment options.
Shopping is also at an arm’s reach in North End, as the neighborhood is home to a good number of luxury boutiques, independent clothing shops, and upscale department stores.
North End, Boston has a wide variety of residential and commercial options
North End is home to some of the most impressive real estate developments in Boston, the most notable being its historic warehouses and industrial properties which have been rebuilt and reimagined as luxury residential and commercial spaces.
A good example of this is the Custom House Block, a brick-and-mortar warehouse from 1845 that was converted in the 1970s into a luxury apartment building.
Also worth noting are the tenement buildings from North End’s early days, some of which are still in operation as residential and commercial buildings. These include the McLaughlin Building and the Lebowich Tenement House.
Aside from repurposed historic buildings, North End, Boston is also home to several newly-constructed and pending developments by firms such as Related Beal, all of which offer good investment opportunities to buyers.
These developments range from high-rise condos to townhomes, and can be used for either residential or commercial purposes.
North End, Boston has steady property value appreciation
The typical value of homes in Boston currently stands at $696,083, reflecting an increase of 4.9% over the past year. This value, according to real estate data aggregators, is expected to further increase over the next 12 months.
Because of this, property owners and investors in Boston can expect to see very strong home price gains should they decide to put their homes up for sale on the market. The same can be expected in North End.
Investors can also take advantage of the rising values of North End, Boston real estate, which has made renting a more viable option for many of the area’s residents.
Investors should note, however, that the competition for premium North End, Boston real estate is tight, and that they are very likely to encounter stiff bidding wars for properties.
That said, the steady reopening of Boston’s business centers and the introduction of low-interest mortgages and loans from banks can prove helpful to investors, as these can allow them to remortgage or refinance their existing properties. By doing this, they can add more funds to their capital, which, in turn, can help them acquire new properties and investments in the area.
Things to keep in mind when investing in North End real estate
Find out the best time to invest North End, Boston real estate
Given the area’s limited property inventory, it is highly recommended that investors establish — and follow — a strict timeline in purchasing North End, Boston real estate properties.
Aside from drafting schedules and timelines, investors should also make an effort to study the neighborhood’s housing and commercial real estate market and its listings, as these are good indicators of whether or not it’s the right time to invest in North End, Boston real estate.
That said, the best time to buy in North End is usually in the summer, as this is the season in which the area’s inventory typically picks up. The catch, however, is that they will also be competing with other property investors during this period.
Consider all available financing options
One of the most important steps investors need to take is finding the right financing options for their investment.
Some of the most common financing options for investors include:
- Conventional mortgage
- Bridge loan
- SBA 504 loan
- Hard money loan
Investors should note that the type of financing they will be able to secure will depend on many individual factors, such as their personal and business credit scores, the type of property they are investing in, and their lender.
Conduct due diligence
Investing in real estate entails large sums of money. Because of this, it is vital that investors have a full professional survey carried out on the commercial premises before following through with any purchase or deal.
To avoid any pitfalls, potential investors must conduct due diligence on the property . This includes commissioning a thorough survey and inspection of the actual property, and asking lawyers and real estate professionals to review the property’s legal documents. Failing to do so can cause significant problems to everyone involved.
It is also important to look into the profitability of the property. A seasoned real estate professional can help you go through previous records and assess its income-generating potential using such tools as the Capitalization Rate, Net Operating Income, and other valuation methods.
Work with an experienced Realtor
While it is certainly possible for anyone to purchase and invest in real estate without any professional assistance, investors and buyers will do better if they tapped the services of a Realtor — especially if they want to increase their chances of securing a North End, Boston property with good investment potential.
Realtors are trained and licensed to guide buyers and investors in real estate transactions. With their local specialization, they’re highly knowledgeable about important factors that can impact your investment, such as potential renters, economic conditions affecting the market, new developments that enhance or distract from the area’s or property’s desirability, and so on.
Realtors can also help investors and buyers drill down on specific residential and commercial properties, and provide them with assistance in completing the mountain of documents and financial requirements often needed for a successful closing, including titles, mortgage documents, insurance, and more.
North End, Boston Investment Properties: Where To Buy?
When searching for North End, Boston real estate investments, it is important to choose those that best match your needs and overall investment goals.
We at Core Property Group represent properties that have been carefully evaluated to provide the best value for both buyers and sellers. Take a look at some of
- 21 Henchman St, Boston, Massachusetts 02113
- 58 Prince St, Boston, Massachusetts 02113
This is a multi-family building built in 1899 and boasts a floor area of 2,864 square feet. Priced at $2,575,000, this property is an exceptional real estate investment that can easily net $133,800 in rental income per year.
The property is professionally managed and well maintained. It comprises four units – three are two-bedroom units, and one is a one-bedroom unit with a private patio. All units have their own spacious kitchen areas, and private bathrooms. The property has a common roof deck area as well as a common laundry.
Located near North Station, Downtown Boston, and the Financial District, this property is perfect for investors, given North End’s historically scarce inventory.
This spacious multi-family property was constructed in 1920, and has a total floor area of 4,665 square feet. Selling for $3,750,000, this gorgeous property is an excellent investment that can potentially earn $222,000 annually.
Conveniently located near North Station, Downtown Boston, and the Financial District, the property is composed of 5 one-bedroom units and 3 two-bedroom units. Each unit also has its own bathroom and kitchen, and boast efficient layouts, making them perfect for those who work in the above mentioned areas and their families.
Why should you choose Giancarlo Tiberi as your Realtor?
If you are planning to invest in North End, Boston real estate, call me, Giancarlo Tiberi.
I am one of Boston’s top producing brokers and have over 16 years of experience in the real estate industry. Over the years, I have built a reputation for steering my clients into making sound decisions regarding real estate.
I currently lead the Core Property Group, a full service real estate brokerage dedicated to providing clients with outstanding, top-quality customer service.
If you want expert guidance regarding North End, Boston real estate, call me and the rest of the Core Property Group at 617.909.9191. You can also send us an email at Gtiberi(at)bostoncpg(dotted)com to set an appointment.