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An open living room-kitchen with three stools in front of kitchen island, and there’s other furniture. Listed by: Julie Joyce of Neponset River Real Estate

Around Boston’s Dorchester, 10 solid options for starter homes right now

Ashmont, Upham’s Corner, Adams Village, Lower Mills—Boston’s largest neighborhood is full of opportunity for first-time buyers, including actual houses

By Tom Acitelli
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By Tom Acitelli
Listed by: Julie Joyce of Neponset River Real Estate

While it can be nearly impossible to define a starter home in the Boston area—largely because real estate is so expensive here versus much of the rest of the U.S.—it is possible to break down what a starter home might be by neighborhood via sales market data and housing stock.

Take Dorchester, Boston’s largest neighborhood by area. It has a diverse housing stock due to that size, everything from swanky modern condos to dowager Victorians in need of a little TLC. It also has a wide array of prices.

About those prices: Many fall below the citywide medians as of January 2020 of $625,000 for detached single-families and $705,000 for condos. Here are 10, in fact, in different parts of the vast neighborhood—great starter home options for those first-time buyers out there.

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68 Sumner Street, #68

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This three-level condo in the Upham’s Corner area includes four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms in its 2,053 square feet. The $649,900 tag covers two deeded parking spots too. The HOA fee is $250, and the condo has central air.

68 Sumner St, Dorchester, MA 02125
An expansively open kitchen-dining room-living room area with furniture. Listed by: April Zelesnik of Berkshire Hathaway

23 Rowell Street, #3

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The Jones Hill spread includes two bedrooms and one bathroom in its 905 square feet. There are also two private decks. The asking is $445,000, with an HOA of $250.

23 Rowell St, Dorchester, MA 02125
A largely empty kitchen with one counter and two windows. Listed by: Sun Property Group

54 East Street, #2

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The two-bedroom, two-bathroom in Meeting House Hill runs to 988 square feet, and is the product of a recent development. It includes a rear deck and central air. It’s asking $519,000, and the HOA is $260.

54 East St, Dorchester, MA 02122
A long dining room with a table and chairs taking up much of it, and the room leads to a kitchen. Listed by: the Galvin Group

135 King Street, #3

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The 940-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom in Pope’s Hill includes central air, a back porch, and garage parking. The spread in a three-unit building is asking $429,000, with a HOA of $250.

135 King St, Boston, MA 02122
A sunny living room at the top of some stairs. Listed by: Rouhana Real Estate of Keller Williams

276 Ashmont Street

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Dorchester is one of the very few Boston neighborhoods where a starter home can be an entire house. Case in point: The 2,122-square-foot Dorchester Center property here, which includes three bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, and a two-car garage (and a home pub in the basement). It’s asking $629,000.

276 Ashmont St, Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A cozy home pub with stools in front of the bar and lots of stuff on the walls. Listed by: Olde Towns Real Estate

27 Armandine Street, #2

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This 1,051-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom is part of a recent three-unit development. It comes with a back deck too. The tag is $509,000, and the HOA is $250.

27 Armandine St, Boston, MA 02124
An open kitchen with a large fridge and an L-shaped counter. Listed by: Coldwell Banker

47 Evans Street, #C

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This three-bedroom with one and a half bathrooms runs to 900 square feet, and includes a washer-dryer and central air. The asking is $375,000, and the HOA is $315.

47 Evans St, Boston, MA 02124
An open living room-kitchen area with stools in front of the counter separating them. Listed by: Thomas O’Connor of Unlimited Sotheby’s

48 Wilmington Avenue

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Another house as starter home, this 1,530-square-foot property with three bedrooms and one bathroom is asking $585,000. It includes a one-car garage.

48 Wilmington Ave, Boston, MA 02124
A renovated kitchen with an L-shaped counter and a new stove, and there are doors leading off the room. Listed by: Bulfinch Boston Realty’s Ed Deren

135 Granite Avenue, #22

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This 768-square-foot condo, the product of a recent renovation, includes two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a private deck. The tag is $369,000, and the HOA is $311.09.

135 Granite Ave, Boston, MA 02124
A renovated kitchen with new cabinetry and an L-shaped counter. Listed by: Olde Towne Real Estate

52 River Street, #7

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This 1,092-square-foot condo with two bedrooms and two bathrooms is part of a recent seven-unit development in Lower Mills. The spread includes central air, a garage parking space, and a roof deck overlooking the Neponset River. The tag is $599,000, and the HOA is $285.

52 River St, Mattapan, MA 02126
An open living room-kitchen with three stools in front of kitchen island, and there’s other furniture. Listed by: Julie Joyce of Neponset River Real Estate
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68 Sumner Street, #68

68 Sumner St, Dorchester, MA 02125

This three-level condo in the Upham’s Corner area includes four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms in its 2,053 square feet. The $649,900 tag covers two deeded parking spots too. The HOA fee is $250, and the condo has central air.

68 Sumner St, Dorchester, MA 02125
An expansively open kitchen-dining room-living room area with furniture. Listed by: April Zelesnik of Berkshire Hathaway

23 Rowell Street, #3

23 Rowell St, Dorchester, MA 02125

The Jones Hill spread includes two bedrooms and one bathroom in its 905 square feet. There are also two private decks. The asking is $445,000, with an HOA of $250.

23 Rowell St, Dorchester, MA 02125
A largely empty kitchen with one counter and two windows. Listed by: Sun Property Group

54 East Street, #2

54 East St, Dorchester, MA 02122

The two-bedroom, two-bathroom in Meeting House Hill runs to 988 square feet, and is the product of a recent development. It includes a rear deck and central air. It’s asking $519,000, and the HOA is $260.

54 East St, Dorchester, MA 02122
A long dining room with a table and chairs taking up much of it, and the room leads to a kitchen. Listed by: the Galvin Group

135 King Street, #3

135 King St, Boston, MA 02122

The 940-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom in Pope’s Hill includes central air, a back porch, and garage parking. The spread in a three-unit building is asking $429,000, with a HOA of $250.

135 King St, Boston, MA 02122
A sunny living room at the top of some stairs. Listed by: Rouhana Real Estate of Keller Williams

276 Ashmont Street

276 Ashmont St, Dorchester Center, MA 02124

Dorchester is one of the very few Boston neighborhoods where a starter home can be an entire house. Case in point: The 2,122-square-foot Dorchester Center property here, which includes three bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, and a two-car garage (and a home pub in the basement). It’s asking $629,000.

276 Ashmont St, Dorchester Center, MA 02124
A cozy home pub with stools in front of the bar and lots of stuff on the walls. Listed by: Olde Towns Real Estate

27 Armandine Street, #2

27 Armandine St, Boston, MA 02124

This 1,051-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom is part of a recent three-unit development. It comes with a back deck too. The tag is $509,000, and the HOA is $250.

27 Armandine St, Boston, MA 02124
An open kitchen with a large fridge and an L-shaped counter. Listed by: Coldwell Banker

47 Evans Street, #C

47 Evans St, Boston, MA 02124

This three-bedroom with one and a half bathrooms runs to 900 square feet, and includes a washer-dryer and central air. The asking is $375,000, and the HOA is $315.

47 Evans St, Boston, MA 02124
An open living room-kitchen area with stools in front of the counter separating them. Listed by: Thomas O’Connor of Unlimited Sotheby’s

48 Wilmington Avenue

48 Wilmington Ave, Boston, MA 02124

Another house as starter home, this 1,530-square-foot property with three bedrooms and one bathroom is asking $585,000. It includes a one-car garage.

48 Wilmington Ave, Boston, MA 02124
A renovated kitchen with an L-shaped counter and a new stove, and there are doors leading off the room. Listed by: Bulfinch Boston Realty’s Ed Deren

135 Granite Avenue, #22

135 Granite Ave, Boston, MA 02124

This 768-square-foot condo, the product of a recent renovation, includes two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a private deck. The tag is $369,000, and the HOA is $311.09.

135 Granite Ave, Boston, MA 02124
A renovated kitchen with new cabinetry and an L-shaped counter. Listed by: Olde Towne Real Estate

52 River Street, #7

52 River St, Mattapan, MA 02126

This 1,092-square-foot condo with two bedrooms and two bathrooms is part of a recent seven-unit development in Lower Mills. The spread includes central air, a garage parking space, and a roof deck overlooking the Neponset River. The tag is $599,000, and the HOA is $285.

52 River St, Mattapan, MA 02126
An open living room-kitchen with three stools in front of kitchen island, and there’s other furniture. Listed by: Julie Joyce of Neponset River Real Estate