The following are 3 factors to know when looking for a new condo in the Back Bay.  While searching for downtown Boston real estate can be stressful and full of decisions – here are a few lesser-known things to think about.  Pricing is not an exact science, but we like to go beyond the obvious here at Charlesgate Realty, so these three items can help you determine what is important to you.

1. Which direction is the home facing

Not all views or exposures are the same.  While the view can pretty self-explanatory, the exposure can sometimes not be so easy, especially at night.  Exposures are ever so important when determining what type of light an apartment gets because it can impact  the overall of enjoyment of the home – and play a major role in determining value both in an apartment or condo.  Since light is important to most people, here are your Back Bay direction tips as if you were looking from Commonwealth Ave.

• Northern Exposure – looking toward the Charles River and MIT dome
• Western Exposure – looking toward the Citgo Sign and Fenway Park
• Eastern Exposure  – looking toward Beacon Hill and the Gold Dome of the State House
• Southern Exposure – looking toward the Prudential and the brownstones of the South End

2. What part of the Back Bay is most important to YOU

Getting to know “the grid” of the Back Bay and the local shops will help you find what is best for you.  Beacon Street, Marlborough Street, Commonwealth Avenue, Newbury Street, and Boylston Street run east/west, while (in alphabetical order starting with A closest to the Boston Common and ending with H closest to Massachusetts Ave) Arlington Street, Berkeley Street, Clarendon Street, Dartmouth Street, Exeter Street, Fairfield Street, Gloucester Street, Hereford Street all run north/south. (special bonus: if you want to see the properties available specifically on those streets right now, click the previous links).  These  Back Bay streets form what is the only neat grid pattern in Boston.  While the first few blocks of the Back Bay closest to Boston Common have often sold for the highest prices, sometimes that may not be the best fit for your lifestyle.  In general, the center of the Back Bay tends to be most convenient to everyday shops like the hardware store, drug stores and dry cleaners – as is indicated on the map below:

3. Which type of building do you prefer

While there are not many full service buildings, there are many different types of brownstones and often it will affect the price with either renting or buying.  Here are a few variables that can lead to a higher priced apartment or condo.

• Elevator buildings tend have higher prices because of the cost to operate and convenience for people living on upper floors.  I wouldn’t advise ruling out an elevator building because you will not benefit from its use (if you prefer a lower floor, for instance), but it is worth considering in your decision in rationalizing the price.
• Professionally managed properties can often be better maintained than those that are self managed by the association or by a private landlord.  Hiring a management company often leads to slightly higher values, but not all management companies do a good job, so be sure to take this into context when looking.
• Storage and outdoor space, such as roof decks, are a premium in the Back Bay, and will often factor into the price.  While storage is not as common, private or common outdoor space is a premium that is important to some but not to others.  The Back Bay is in the heart of Boston and there is a lot of green space nearby, from the Boston Common & Public Gardens to the Esplanade along the Charles River to Newbury Street window shopping, there are a lot of places to be outside and enjoy the city in the Back Bay, but a private (or semi-private) oasis a highly sought after perk.

Here are just a few tips to help complicate, oops I meant simplify your search.  🙂

(photo courtesy of Scutter)