Housing in Wharf and Waterfront Districts

Local Schools & Restaurants -- Featured Listings

Since Boston is located on the eastern seaboard, there's a long stretch of oceanfront properties which are locally known as the North Shore, the South Shore, and Boston Harbor. There are other waterfront properties within the city limits along the Charles River. The harbor area includes the neighborhoods of Charlestown, North End, Downtown, and the north end of South Boston. These areas are further subdivided and given the names: Navy Yard, Wharf District, Waterfront District, and Seaport District. The two districts most alike due to their locations closest to Downtown Boston  - Wharf District and Waterfront District - are the focus of this page.

City officials have recently combined these two districts under the name of one neighborhood, the Wharf District. However, everyone just calls the area what it is - the waterfront. When you see the wharves jutting out into the harbor and populated with many high rises, it is understandable why this area should be called the Wharf District. For real estate purposes, waterfront properties are more desirable and have more value for most people. Therefore, including waterfront properties with non-waterfront properties skews statistics when trying to determine comparable sales or market activity. Also, different parts of the waterfront have differing values from others. This is why properties which are technically in North End as well as in Downtown are combined here in order to give a better idea of sales activity for buyers and sellers alike as well as making it easier for buyers' searches to only include true waterfront properties in these areas.

Waterfront housing, consisting mainly of high-rises, naturally consists mainly of condominiums. These condominiums might be pied-à-terres, varying sizes of 1 to 3 bedroom units, varying sizes of townhomes, and penthouses. The wharves include: Rowes Wharf, India Wharf, Central Wharf, Long Wharf, Commercial Wharf, Lewis Wharf, Burroughs Wharf, Sargents Wharf, Union Wharf, Lincoln Wharf, Constitution Wharf, Battery Wharf, and Lovejoy Wharf.

Housing has been running from $500,000 for a modest one bedroom to $4,850,000 for a three bedroom plus study. Rentals can run from $1,300 for a studio to $15,000 for a four bedroom. Obviously, pricing depends upon size, location, and amenities. Real estate sales and pricing are very fluid and can fluctuate in a matter of hours because homes come on and off the market daily... even hourly. What is currently offered for sale is listed below.

The following chart is a visual representation of the cyclical nature of real estate activity and compares the ups and downs of Wharf District to those of all of the city of Boston. The taller the column the better it is for buyers. The shorter the column the better it is for sellers. Hence 2010 was the best time for a buyer to buy in Wharf District, while 2012-2016 were great years for sellers. However, the graphic below indicates we are in a buyer's market right now.

How to Search for North End Real Estate

Many towns or neighborhoods are straightforward to search. Enter a zip code or a town name, and a bunch of listings appear; but, this only works well if you are just poking around and not seriously needing to find a home in a specific area. Zillow and the vast majority of brokers do not provide accurate results! A simple example: An MLS search for North End, Boston pulled up 8 listings when there were actually 35 listings! If you are a serious buyer, know that this is your best real estate site to search for homes in North End. Compare for yourself the results this page shows vs other search sites which include properties:

1. already spoken for,
2. not actually located in this neighborhood's limits, or
3. which do not include all listings due to broker input errors.

So, save yourself time and frustration and bookmark this page and check back anytime to see what is truly currently available in North End. This site is updated by the official REALTOR®’s database every 15 minutes.

Our map search feature allows you to search and view properties on a map which you can manipulate simply by clicking on the map and moving it around. To save a map search, zoom in or out over your preferred area and then,

1. Click on the hexagonal symbol to the top far right of the map,
2. Click on the map where you'd like to mark your outer limit search, then
3. Click where you'd like to end that line segment; and then,
4. Continue clicking to end and begin each subsequent line segment until you have created a search box.

Not really confining your search to North End? Click on Refine Your Search at the top of the page and enter the town/neighborhood you wish to focus on.

Click here to open the Interactive Map Search.

Are you already a homeowner and considering selling/refinancing your home or just curious about its current value?

Get an ACCURATE property valuation now!

Curious about what’s happening in your neighborhood? You can create a custom market report to see what’s active, under contract, and sold in your neighborhood! Not tech savvy? Contact us and we'll set it up for you or assist you in any other way to make your next move painless and perhaps enjoyable!

Area Schools

Great Schools provides ratings for most schools in the United States. Below, you can see what schools are near the address you are thinking of buying and then compare it to other neighboring schools.