What Makes the City Fun?​
Sports
Boston is a big "sports" city. Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox, and the TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, are both located in the city. Boston residents enjoy short commutes to these fun games on a daily basis. Although the New England Patriots are not directly in downtown Boston, you can easily jump of the commuter rail and catch a game down in Foxborough. In addition to professional sports teams, there are many colleges in the area that have some exciting sports games and tournaments including Boston College, Harvard, Northeastern, and BU.
Fine Dining
While some neighborhoods are known for their fine dining more than others, there are innumerable delicious restaurants around Boston. From North End Italian food to South End Tapas and wine bars, there are options for everyone's palate. View our individual neighborhood pages for some of our favorite spots!
Social Clubs
There are a number of social clubs around Boston that provide an opportunity for friends and acquaintances to join as members. Many of them have dining rooms, bars, and event spaces as well as fitness centers and more. Some of the clubs in the Back Bay and Beacon Hill include the University Club, Harvard Club, The Quin House, and Union Club.
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A few of the other fun things around the city include:
- Concerts and Comedy Shows
- Farmers & Artisan Markets
- Pop-up shops and Breweries
- Experiential Bars and Eateries
Why our clients have made the move from the suburbs to the city:
Whether it is a move to a new luxury, full-service building in the Seaport, a charming Victorian home in the Back Bay, or a new gut renovation of a brownstone in the South End, empty nesters are making the move from the suburbs to the city. This generation is drawn to the city because of its energy, convenience, and accessibility. Below is an outline of what we have seen as the key drivers for empty nesters making the move and what they are looking for in their new city homes.
Downsizing
Many baby boomers have just become empty nesters or are on the verge of seeing their last child off to college or a first job. For most, this means that having a large backyard and/or numerous bedrooms is no longer necessary and these luxuries become more of a burden to upkeep than they are worth enjoying. The ability to downsize into a living space that is comfortable and cozy but still offers space for the kids to visit in a fun environment makes a move from a single-family home to a condo attractive. Additionally, the decrease in square footage often means a decrease in cost and efforts related to landscaping and other maintenance. For many, this maintenance-free lifestyle is quite enticing. A small private outdoor space with a view where one can enjoy morning coffee or entertain small groups of people often provides as much enjoyment for empty nesters than the large backyard they may be leaving behind. A home purchase in the city becomes more about the location and design of square footage than the quantity of square footage.
Pace of City Living
A number of baby boomers arrive in the city seeking a new, exciting change of pace. The city of Boston has become a vibrant and active place to live and work. The bustling atmosphere of downtown offers exciting new restaurants to explore, bars to try, performances to attend, weekend markets, charitable events to participate in, and more.
Many of the new, luxury buildings in Back Bay, South End, Downtown, South Boston, and Seaport offer a host of in-house amenities and community spaces allowing for social events, exercise classes, and the like which brings people together in the space where they live. Some meet each other and build an internal community. The Back Bay and South End neighborhoods offer a bit more of a neighborhood experience across buildings/ row houses. On weekends, neighborhoods will host “stoop parties” or gatherings in local parks. With less time spent focusing on children, baby boomers enjoy these opportunities to keep busy and meet new people.
When choosing a location to live, baby boomers often make note of the type of community they will be buying into. While some prefer the innate community feel of a luxury, full-service building with organized events and spaces for social gatherings, some prefer the neighborhood feel of the South End, Back Bay, and Beacon Hill. Often, this becomes a key factor in the decision process for our city clients.
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Easier Commute + Lower Upkeep Costs
Moving to the city can offer a significant decrease in commuting time to work and homeowner’s maintenance and upkeep responsibilities. Mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, replacing a roof, and painting a house are just a few of the tasks that are alleviated when one moves from the suburbs to the city. Whether one is moving into a managed building or not, the cost and time necessary to upkeep a condo in the city tends to decrease substantially from a suburban home.
Many of the luxury, full-service buildings provide a comprehensive variety of concierge services and hotel-like conveniences that allow residents to live without thinking about home maintenance. Some add-on services that have been included in some of these new projects include full fitness centers, spas, dog walking services, and valet parking. Another aspect of these buildings that attracts the baby boomer generation as they think about their future is the accessibility factor of elevators and the opportunity to obtain one-floor living.
Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and the South End offer smaller luxury boutique buildings with elevators and concierge services, however, the majority of homes are brownstone row houses often made up of two or three condos. While brownstones often do not offer on-site concierge service, the option for full property management and add-on concierge packages to make city living seamless is still an option.
The consideration of stairs vs. elevators, options for concierge and a low home- maintenance lifestyle are all factors that are considered when empty nesters start their home search in Boston.
Adjustments
Parking in the city can definitely be an adjustment for some of our clients who are moving to the city. Not all condo units come with a parking spot and typically, they are not as convenient as parking in a private driveway in the suburbs. While, in the Back Bay, South End and Beacon Hill, all homeowners receive a free, resident, on-street parking permit, deeded spots come at a premium. Uber, Instacart as well as other transportation and delivery services are available and growing which alleviate this inconvenience. The good news is our clients in the city realize the need for a car diminishes and they actually enjoy the walkability of Boston.
While each of our clients has their own reason for making the move from the suburbs to the city, these are the trends that we have identified.
