Norfolk, MA Real Estate
Single Family Home Market
Located in a fairly competitive market, the homes in this area traditionally are located on large lots, with a half an acre or more of land surrounding the house. The houses are also roomy, with three and four bedroom homes making up a significant portion of the market offerings. The median purchase price in this town for a single family home is $230 per square foot, and the average time a home remains on the market is two weeks.
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The majority of homes in this area were built between 1970 and 2010. Architecturally, the styles of these houses range from neoclassical to a ranch home to faux colonial. The interiors invariably include hardwood floors with a relatively open floor plan, and generally span two or more floors in height. The kitchens in these homes take advantage of the flexibility offered by the relatively modern styles with ample, U-shaped counters that often use one end for socializing and the other for additional appliances, such as a microwave oven. The kitchens will sometimes feature a back wall that offers more cabinets and drawers, as well as a counter space for odds and ends such as bills or car keys. This space can also be adapted into a wet bar. The living rooms tend to be the largest rooms in the house, and are usually located on the ground floor. Enormous brick fireplaces tend to act as the center of the living room, with hallways or staircases leading to the other parts of the home, such as the bedrooms and bathrooms. An outfitted study or office is also frequently located on the ground floor. Radiant baseboard heating is common.
Exterior decks are popular in this area. Most homes place an exterior elevated deck at the rear of the house, accessible from the main living space. These decks are usually large enough to host a party. In some cases, the decks can be enclosed with glass or plastic partitions so that they may function as an interior space during inclement weather. Attached garages, usually with space for two vehicles, are also a common feature of single family homes in this region.
Despite their relatively recent construction, many homes in this region choose to cultivate a brick and beam interior, especially in the main living area. The exposed timber is sometimes painted to match a particular decor scheme, but otherwise is mounted without any special treatment across the ceiling, creating a ribbed effect. Patches of brick are sometimes left exposed, especially in the foyer or near the exterior decks, to create a rustic aesthetic.
Many homes in this region, in addition to their principal square footage, also offer finished basements. These basements are frequently carpeted, with recessed lighting and open, highly configurable floor plans. Pools in the backyard or hot tubs under a covered wooden overhang occasionally are part of a property. If a pool is not featured, often the lot will feature a small garden or cultivated crop of bushes or hedges, with hand-laid stone pathways winding throughout the yard. A shed for storage of gardening tools is also common.
Condo/Townhouse Market
With an average listing remaining on the market for six weeks, the condo and townhouse market in this area is less aggressive than in other regions, offering savvy investors the chance to secure a property in an area that will undoubtedly rapidly appreciate due in part to its proximity to easily accessible public transit. Many of the properties in this town have been built within the last decade, and are within easy walking distance of restaurants, boutiques, and other businesses near the heart of downtown. The average price for a condo or townhouse is $220 per square foot, and monthly association fees range between $350 and $450.
The exteriors typically are clad in clapboard, with a covered entryway and small porch. Gabled roofs are common, and enclosed garages or designated parking spaces are contained within the complex. The interiors generally feature large kitchens with wooden cabinetry, hardwood floors, and granite countertops. These kitchens do not always have an island, preferring instead to maximize space by having a continuous countertop. In some cases, seating for visitors is provided at the edge of the kitchen countertop, creating a large space for both food preparation and socializing.
Most of the condos feature a second story, which traditionally is carpeted. Depending on the size of the condo, this second story will frequently have a common area adjacent to the staircase that functions as a kind of informal living space for the surrounding bedrooms and bathrooms. This living area can sometimes be expanded into a mezzanine featuring skylights, creating an aesthetically dramatic light well. The master bathroom traditionally features either a shower with an extended ceiling or an enlarged bathtub that has been positioned under a window. In some cases, the master bathroom will feature both the shower and the enlarged bathtub, although this is not as common. However, brand new fixtures and tile flooring typically accompany whatever arrangement of bathing options the designer has chosen. The bathroom mirrors are expansive, and sometimes feature a small vanity cabinet behind them for storage of intimate items.
For those who prefer more exterior space, some properties are located in more residential neighborhoods on larger lots. These townhouses often make the most of their location with cathedral ceilings, aesthetically vibrant banks of windows, and elaborate exterior decks and patios. Instead of sliding glass doors, many of the exterior portions of the house can be accessed via french doors that open grandly into the yard. Some rooms are designed to offer nearly panoramic views of the outdoors while creating cozy living spaces within. Many of the condos in this area are inventive, punching out spaces in interior walls to create a visual throughline from one room to the next. Some condos feature a columned portico along the front or rear of the structure, allowing for scenic, covered strolls during any time of the year. Hanging plants and built-in flower boxes or planters are common on exterior decks. The yards outside of the decks are traditionally landscaped, with trees lining the perimeter of the property, creating a private enclosure for the residents.
Apartment Market
The apartment market in this town is highly competitive. This is partly because large, dedicated apartment complexes in the town are rare, and the turnover rate among tenants in the complexes is low. Some home owners have converted portions of their property into apartments, creating a wide range of styles and floor plan configurations. The average purchase price for an apartment is $400 a square foot, and the average rent is $2.00 a square foot per month.
The creative repurposing of space in this area means that many apartments have custom kitchens and living rooms. Instead of a sprawling, U-shaped counter, the typical kitchen is often a galley style, with a relatively narrow corridor between the two principal counter spaces. Appliances are often placed close together to take advantage of a power outlet, with cabinets stacked above them in a tight block formation. Large tiles make up the floor. Occasionally, a mosaic pattern with much smaller tiles is used in the kitchen.
Hardwood flooring is common in the other rooms, including the bedrooms. Sliding glass doors usually provide access to either an exterior deck or an exterior yard. The balconies here are typically designed for one to three people to enjoy comfortably. The apartments in this town traditionally are located all on one floor, although in some cases the apartments can have a second level or a loft space that can double as a bedroom or office space. The bathrooms traditionally have a shower without a bathtub, although in some cases a combination of the two is included. Linen closets are located in the bathroom and often can be found in the hallways. Walk-in closets in this area are rare; many of the apartments, in an effort to maximize space, do not offer especially roomy closet spaces within the bedrooms. Some apartments make use of closets to house a vertical stacked washer and dryer. Others leave the closets open for future adaptation, providing no racks or shelves.
Typically, the newer the construction, the more amenities the apartments feature. The exteriors often are a mixture of clapboard, vinyl, and asphalt roofs. Some complexes mirror each other; the apartments on the right side mirror the floor plans of the apartments on the left side of complex. In others, apartments with a larger number of bedrooms are grouped together in one portion of the complex, while one bedroom units are sequestered in another area. Onsite single car garages are common, although in larger complexes a dedicated underground garage may be available. If the tenants do not possess a car, these garages can function as storage space for different items. In some cases, the underground garages have seperate storage spaces that can be accessed with a key.
Lighter woods make up the hardwood floors, while freshly plastered walls and ceilings create a bright, welcoming interior. Recessed lighting is common in many of these newer apartments, as are stainless steel appliances. Built-in cabinets and large windows also feature prominently in these properties. Central heat and gas heat are commonly used for climate control, and the windows usually feature double or triple pane insulation.
Many apartments in this city are located near the MBTA transit stop, which functions as a major selling point for realtors and property owners. The ease of commuting to Boston and other neighboring communities makes living and renting in this town very desirable.
Notable City Features
In 2017, the city announced plans for a major new housing development, referred to tentatively as “Preserve at Abbeyville,” to be located on a former industrial site near Park Street. The 190 acre parcel would add 49 apartments and 148 single family homes to the city. The homes would be broken into different sizes, with 32 two bedroom homes, 60 three bedroom homes, and 56 four bedroom homes. The apartments, meanwhile, would be primarily split up into duplexes, with 23 total units, and two single family homes that would double as apartment rentals. There would be two garage buildings with a total of 20 bays. The development as a whole would also feature three primary areas of open space. Each of these spaces would be landscaped, with one of the spaces functioning as a central park with hedges lining the elliptically shaped lawn.
Another public space would feature a covered barbeque area. The building proposed for this purpose would have a stainless steel ceiling and open walls to make it easy to set up supplies or hold events under the canopy. The third public space, which abuts a small pond, would feature an enclosed events space on the waterfront, along with an illuminated dock leading out to the water. The dock could function both as a place to tie up small pleasure craft and canoes, as well as a pedestrian access point and walkway. Meanwhile, a network of trails would encompass the development, forming a rectangular shape that journeys around the outer edge of the properties, and then ventures far out into the natural woodlands to create an area for residents to exercise and clear their heads among natural scenery.
Within the development, several different species of shade, ornamental, and evergreen trees would be planted, including Autumn Flame Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Pin Oak, Red Oak, Greenspire Linden, Green Vase Zelkova, Cucumber Tree, Sargent Crabapple, Norway Spruce, Oriental Spruce, Douglas Fir, and Austrian Pine. The trees would be interspersed throughout the development to create a leafy, yet varied, atmosphere. A comprehensive lighting plan featuring oval streetlights in a bell-like shape has also been proposed.
The project, if approved, would have seven principal stages of construction. The first phase would build twenty houses, the second 27 houses and 12 duplexes, the third phase 24 houses and 12 duplexes, the fourth phase 25 houses and 12 duplexes, the fifth stage 20 houses and 12 duplexes, with stages six and seven building 17 and 15 houses respectively. The architecture of these houses would include both single story and two story floor plans. The duplexes would be on one story, but would feature cathedral ceilings.
An age-restricted condo development for people fifty-five years and older known as “The Village at River’s Edge” has started to sell units to qualified buyers in this town. The development consists not only of condos, but also has a restaurant and a clubhouse. The condos in this development generally feature hardwood floors, a kitchen with a seperate island, and ceiling mounted fans for both ventilation and additional light. Each unit also features a small fireplace and a bathroom with dual sinks.
Norfolk Condo Developments
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