Committee to keep Dorchester sh*tty (Boston, Dudley: how much, homes, neighborhood) - Massachusetts (MA) - Page 6 - City-Data Forum

bostongymjunkie · 04-15-2022, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msRB311

I'm older than you both and that's not how i remember it. Southie was pretty happening in the early 2000's.

I don't think you're older than me. In any event, I spent a lot of time in that area back then and lived very close. But yeah the rental market in Southie was definitely hot and gentrifying during the early 2000's, but it wasn't heavily gentrified in ownership. Old timers were still holding on to their properties.

bostongymjunkie · 04-15-2022, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestieWhitie

Southie in its entirety didn't start to take off until after 2010, prior to that condos in less desirable areas were still selling for next to nothing.

I will add that those "condos" you are referring to were often apartments in old run down wooden apartment buildings that people were trying to cash in on. They were not brownstones or 1920's style rowhouse apartment buildings. Not a great comparison.

msRB311 · 04-15-2022, 10:53 AM

Of course it's different now but in the early 2000's i was in my early 20's and I knew a lot of people renting/buying in southie. All college educated people with good jobs. The east side was considered better than the west side. I'm guessing the beer garden and playright are gone but those were popular places

BostonBornMassMade · 04-15-2022, 10:56 AM

msRB311 · 04-15-2022, 11:09 AM

Why do you think there's so many vacancies on blue hill ave? My guess would be it's just not a desirable neighborhood.

The thing that is ridiculous about Boston to me is that you have neighborhoods that are unaffordable for many/most unless you're making 200k+ a year then you have these vacancies a few miles away that NO ONE wants to live in.

This is a problem I see with Boston that needs to be solved. The problem is also that as soon as these neighborhoods become 'desirable' they go right into the unaffordable ranges keeping many people from being able to live there. I blame developers and I guess landlords. It's like nothing is worth renting unless you're charging someone a huge amount.

bostongymjunkie · 04-15-2022, 11:16 AM

But here you have real estate values that are high before any gentrification could even occur (not that I'm necessarily a fan of gentrification). I don't know what current rentals cost over there, but this is one area where transit is definitely an issue currently. No easy access to the subway and buses I wouldn't want to rely on. If the buses were reliable it may improve the situation but these neighborhoods have definitely been under-served by the T in past and present years.

msRB311 · 04-15-2022, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

But here you have real estate values that are high before any gentrification could even occur (not that I'm necessarily a fan of gentrification). I don't know what current rentals cost over there, but this is one area where transit is definitely an issue currently. No easy access to the subway and buses I wouldn't want to rely on. If the buses were reliable it may improve the situation but these neighborhoods have definitely been under-served by the T in past and present years.

That's also a good point. It seems like the days of an average person scooping up real estate in Boston and doing well from it are done. I know a few people who were able to get in but it's just hard to imagine anyone less than a millionaire doing that now. Again kind of sad. Now it will just be the rich scooping up properties to keep on being rich. I know folks who have moved on to other cities to try to get in there as well.

BostonBornMassMade · 04-15-2022, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bostongymjunkie

But here you have real estate values that are high before any gentrification could even occur (not that I'm necessarily a fan of gentrification). I don't know what current rentals cost over there, but this is one area where transit is definitely an issue currently. No easy access to the subway and buses I wouldn't want to rely on. If the buses were reliable it may improve the situation but these neighborhoods have definitely been under-served by the T in past and present years.

They will continue to be underserved because the plan is simply to make a center running bus lane. These place and Hyde Park Ave that are in Boston don’t get GreenLine extensions and red line with tensions like suburban communities. So I think the bus lane will be helpful but it’s still not a subway. Even right now with free busses in Blue Hill Ave the commute time has actually taken longer according to the city. Albeit the bus feels safer and is more frequently used.

The prices are high in this area. Because they get sold to suburban landlord who keep doing the same thing that’s always been done. Developers see no physical room for lab space and no market for luxury housing.I remember Habitat for Humanity building in Grove Hall as recently as 2012, that’s how under the radar these places are.

https://goo.gl/maps/sdZ6Y5zFxjBY8wZK7

https://goo.gl/maps/1wYx7yhWQJ3gXZu18

https://goo.gl/maps/zctBAchENKvxMFDh6

https://goo.gl/maps/mRwN8zRoqKoywr2J8

https://goo.gl/maps/niYSn5eKg1cJ51E66

https://goo.gl/maps/QaT8cwbDtJTnUkHb8

https://goo.gl/maps/BXJ1tDE1b4k9XRks8

https://goo.gl/maps/WrbyPWm7twtPsuZz7

Even right in Mattapan Square: https://goo.gl/maps/VBryy3SAqYZSgn4V7

Any Jamaica Plain like scenario is decades away. In my lifetime driving yup and down blue hil Ave I saw a few major apartments built in grove hall (most recently the clarion), the new Mattapan library branch, the grove hall Mecca and the redevelopment of Franklin hill. It hasn’t changed the general vibe or the faces I see on the Ave. along the 4 miles of Blue Hill Ave (a third of the length of Boston N-S) there are just 6 liquor licenses, only 4 of which are full licenses. That’s one half of one side of one block in the north end. Why would someone with disposable income want to move to a street like that and where there are no national retailers and minimal banking services, no water, no colleges, no train stations etc etc

bostongymjunkie · 04-15-2022, 11:40 AM

Well buses across the city seem to be taking longer because they seem to be less frequent which causes more riders on one bus and more stops. And when you give free rides you are definitely increasing ridership. I think dedicated center lanes would be very helpful if they are run reliably. There is certainly room for them along the avenue until they bottle neck closer to town. Not sure how that will work. I think a run down Seaver to Columbus would be timely. The liquor license thing is a political problem. But the other part of that is lack of community participation in the political process which means under representation where the decisions are made. The reality is that communities that are involved in the political process get better services.

BostonBornMassMade · 04-15-2022, 01:45 PM

Lets look at real estate in this corridor.

Old Triple Decker on Old road about 100ft from BHA and 100 ft from a large vacnat lot. 12 beds, 6 bath 1.3 M

https://www.trulia.com/p/ma/dorchest...21--1086662581

2 doors down: https://www.google.com/maps/place/20...!4d-71.0848506

heres the pitch:

Calling all investors!! These larger multi family properties do not come around often. Unit 1 has a new bathroom floor, sink, vanity, medicine cabinet, and toilet. Unit 2 includes a newly installed vanity, medicine cabinet, and sink. Unit 3 is freshly painted with newly installed window blinds and door knobs. Units 1 and 2 are leased through August 2022. Each unit spans roughly 1400 Sq Ft. These large units have tremendous rentability with full living room, 4 beds and 1.5 baths each. All units are separately metered for gas and electricity. The property is just a short walk to Franklin Park boasting Franklin Park Zoo and golf course respectively. Major bus lines are steps away and only a few minutes to the Four Corners/Geneva MBTA Stop. The roof, back decks, and windows were replaced in 2015. The water heaters were just replaced 1-2 yrs ago. Max out market rents with these large units or transform each unit into a luxury condo conversion.

I mean.. well see hard to imagine what luxury about this. Having decks windows and roof replaced 7 year ago in the 100 year old tenement might not cut it.

Heres a 12 bed 5 bath riple decker a block away- going for 1.65M
https://www.trulia.com/p/ma/boston/9...24--1049887370

WELL MAINTAINED BUILDING; LARGE MULTI-FAMILY; CLOSE TO MOST AMENITIES INCLUDING CLOSE TO THE "T". POTENTIAL FOR GREAT RENTAL INCOME. PARTIALLY FINISHED BASEMENT WITH 2 MEANS OF EGRESS. OPEN HOUSE TO BE SCHEDULED AWAITING CONFIRMATION.

Just around the bend, a vacant lot has been converted to a parking lot and an abandoned building sits boarded up.

This bad boy complete with broken porch, and graffiti on the front of the building going for a cool 950k: https://www.trulia.com/p/ma/mattapan...-streetViewTab

^This is the RE market that has been on Blue Hill Ave for a decade. Several of the properties for sale her eon Trulia ar eon street with multiple vacant lots. Needless to say its not particularly appealing to any regular people who arents investor landlords/speculators