What housing styles are typical of Boston?

The housing stock in Boston is quite diverse. As expected with city living, there are many condo and apartment buildings. You can find more of the luxury apartment buildings in places like downtown Boston, Seaport, and Back Bay. In other neighborhoods – i.e. Charlestown, the South End and Beacon Hill - you can find more multi-family homes, townhouses, and the historic rowhouses that many people envision when they think of Boston. Single-family homes are also available and more common in the outer neighborhoods like Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, West Roxbury, Roslindale, etc. Also, as anyone who has spent time in Boston knows, the housing stock here is older when compared to many other U.S. cities, which often surprises buyers who are moving from out of state.

Who is looking to buy in Boston?

A large proportion of buyers in Boston are urban younger professionals who are looking for walkability and proximity to work, public transportation, and city living amenities (i.e. restaurants/cafes/nightlife etc). These types of buyers often gravitate more towards condo and apartment housing. Families are also a big portion of the buyer pool, and they tend to gravitate towards larger condos or single families.

What does effective staging look like in Boston?  

Staging is incredibly important in a high-demand, competitive housing market like Boston. When staging a condo or apartment, it’s important to create a modern, elevated feel that simultaneously maximizes the functionality of what’s typically a smaller or tighter layout. When staging a single family, you need to show how a family could easily move into the space while simultaneously maintaining an elevated design and aspirational lifestyle. This sort of balance is even more important when staging older homes (whether they are apartments or single families) – since you can’t rely on the home’s finishes or built-in features to showcase a luxury vibe – that needs to come 100% from staging.

In my experience, great staging has the power to elevate any space, whether it’s a new building or an older home, it just takes someone with the right inventory and the right design sense. At Baan Home, we specialize in creating a warm yet luxurious feel to whatever property we stage. This feel comes in part from the high quality furnishing we use, but also from the custom manufactured, large-format art pieces that we use in every stage. These art pieces represent a mix of styles and transform whatever room they are in. We have gotten feedback from agents that these art pieces not only make the real estate photography stand out, which leads to more saves on Zillow – but they also wow buyers who walk in the door, which ultimately leads to serious inquiries and more offers with better terms.