Townhomes offer the ideal mix of space and city life.
By Kellie Innes
For those who seek the essence of suburban living with the excitement of downtown Boston, high-end townhomes area perfect choice. Spanning multiple levels, they offer plenty of space while being appealingly close to amenities like businesses, public transportation, cultural attractions, and shopping. “Townhomes are great for folks who want to stay in the city as long as possible,” says Joe DeAngelo, a senior sales associate with Coldwell Banker’s Boston South End office. “They want the urban lifestyle and comfortable living space.”
DeAngelo’s earlier careers in technology and project management have given him a keen ability to help people through the sometimes-complicated real estate buying and selling process. He loves the challenge of figuring out what clients really want or need when buying or selling a home. “I feel like I have a certain knack of knowing what someone wants before they even express it to me,” DeAngelo says. He also leaned into a passion for real estate design, which he expresses when highlighting one of the townhomes’ most significant selling points: their ability to be customized in fit, finish, style, and layout.
From opening up spaces for front-to-back living to adding glass walls that allow more sunlight, developers and designers can often work with buyers and sellers to add modern interior touches that contrast with many of the properties’ historic facades. “Homeowners have control over choices and appreciate creating a space that works for them,” DeAngelo says. “You can create custom luxury living by adding the finest available finishes.”
Over the last decade, townhouse sales have increased along with their price point. Estimates for a townhome in Boston currently range from around $5 million to over $10 million.
Families account for much of the recent boom in townhome sales, but young people who are building careers also want the functionality of suburban-level space without sacrificing the experience of city living. DeAngelo says that townhomes allow them to stay connected to urban centers while providing a sense of independence.
“Townhome living provides privacy in an urban setting,” he says. “It’s truly one of the only ways you can live in Boston without other homeowners above or below you.”
The South End, in particular, has emerged as one of the most popular places to find this style of real estate. Having spent most of his 23-year career in this neighborhood, DeAngelo has witnessed the South End expand and become a booming new place for young Bostonians who want to raise a family.
“The South End has become a melting pot of families,” DeAngelo says. “That’s really, to me, what’s driving the South End to be as popular as it is.”
While the South End feels very chic and contemporary, it hasn’t lost the timeless charm it’s known for. Walk down any one of its streets lined with historic brownstone townhomes, and you’ll experience the appeal of Boston’s traditional architecture and discover parks or coffee shops around nearly every corner. Each pocket of the neighborhood offers its own distinct personality, which come together to form an alluring community.
“In my mind, the South End is the best city living you can get,” DeAngelo shares. “It’s made up of multiple neighborhoods within a neighborhood, yet it is still convenient and walkable to Back Bay and Downtown Boston. And here, like other sections of the city, townhome living is considered to be the finest style of living in Boston.”
