A living room with a high ceiling, beams on that ceiling, and a large exposed brick wall.

Around Boston’s Charlestown and North End, 7 solid starter home options right now

Two of the city’s oldest neighborhoods offer a few deals for first-time buyers

By Tom Acitelli@tomacitelli Feb 10, 2020, 3:32pm EST

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By Tom Acitelli@tomacitelli Feb 10, 2020, 3:32pm EST

Listed by: Compass

Neither Charlestown or the North End are inexpensive places to buy a home in Boston. But the neighborhoods—two of the city’s oldest and most historic—do offer relative deals to first-time homebuyers willing to hunt and crunch the numbers.

The seven options here give a good idea of what’s available in terms of starter homes. All are condos, all are in more than decent shape, and, most importantly, all are under the median condo sales price for each neighborhood. For Charlestown, that sum was $690,000, based on closed deals during the last three months of 2019. For the North End, it was $732,000.

And don’t let the sizes put you off too much. Buyers would be trading space for location.

30 Polk Street, #207

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A 170-square-foot private deck comes with this 816-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom. The condo includes central air. The asking is $652,000, with an HOA of $382.24.

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30 Polk St, Charlestown, MA 02129

A new modern kitchen with cabinetry and an island.

57 Bartlett Street, #5

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Central air and a washer dryer come with this 785-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bathroom asking $639,000. The HOA is $235.

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57 Bartlett St, Charlestown, MA 02129

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A spacious living room with a couch and a chair around a coffee table, all arranged around a fireplace, and there’s a kitchen in the background.

42 Eighth Street, #2316

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This 672-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom is in a high-service building that includes a heated pool and a fitness center. The $509,000 price and the $550.78 HOA also cover one garage parking spot.

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42 8th St, Charlestown, MA 02129

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A living room with furniture and a window at the end.

152 Prince Street, #8

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This 718-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom has central air and access to a shared roof deck. The price is $575,000, with an HOA of $145.

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152 Prince St, Boston, MA 02113

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An empty living room-dining room area with a kitchen at the back.

126 Salem Street, #1

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This 397-square-foot studio includes a balcony and central air. The asking is $585,000, and the HOA fee is $229.

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126 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113

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A living room in a studio, with furniture and leading to an open kitchen area.

21 Moon Street, #12

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This 562-square-footer with one bedroom and one bathroom includes access to a shared roof deck and to a waiting list for parking in an adjacent lot. It’s asking $549,000. The HOA is $300.