Home to students and young professionals, features a number of affordable housing options.

Located at Boston's northwest corner on the shores of the Charles River, this welcoming neighborhood contains streets lined with multi-family homes and condominiums. Brighton's cost-efficient housing and lively atmosphere attracts families, young professionals and graduates students.

One of Brighton's most notable spots, Cleveland Circle, is the heart of Boston College student living. This spot contains a number of options for inexpensive, but delicious eats. The nearby Chestnut Hill Reservoir, provides scenic views of the Boston College campus for joggers on a mile-and-a-half loop. Along Washington Street, which runs straight through Brighton Center to Oak Square, numerous of Brighton's small businesses call home.

With multiple T stops throughout Brighton, including "B" and "C" branch Green Line stops, transportation around Brighton and rest of Boston is simple. This neighborhood also includes medical resources such as, St. Elizabeth's Hospital, and the Franciscan Children's Hospital.

Some restaurants include:

The Stockyard: (Steak & Seafood) 135 Market Street

Tasca: (Tapas) 1612 Commonwealth Avenue

Eagle's Deli: (Burgers & Deli) 1918 Beacon Street

Some shopping stores include:

New Balance (Factory Store): 40 Life Street

Some bars & pubs include:

The Paradise: 967 Commonwealth Avenue

Boston Wine School: 1354 Commonwealth Avenue

Be sure to let us know your favorite spots in Brighton by commenting on our Facebook! For more information on Brighton, feel free to message our Rental Agents directly at our new rentals Facebook page, Newbury Rentals.

For Brighton listings please visit our website http://www.thecharlesrealty.com/.

Sources:

Boston.about.com

Cityofboston.gov

One of America's most historic city, Boston, continues to see its real estate flourish in today's market.  Boston, home to students and professional alike sees a combination of young and older homebuyers. This city never fails to prosper as it is a key innovator in numerous fields including finance, technology, and medical.

Although "The Beantown" has one of the highest costs of living expenses in the country, it still ranks high on world livability ranking. The high costs may cause caution to some, but it many don't realize the great investment opportunity the city of Boston presents. Our agents at The Charles Realty have come up with some reasons to invest in Boston, take a look at the list:

• #10 for predicted housing market in 2014.
• #6 healthiest market at a Market Health Index of 7.43.
• #1 metro area where renters should buy.
• #1 coziest city in America.
• #1 smartest city in America.

With Boston's high rankings, "The Town" also provides additional statistics and reasons to invest in Boston including:

• Universities and hospitals provide as stable influx.
• Boston vacancy rate is hovering near or under 3%.
• 3.6% capitalization rate.
• Boston rents in 2013 increased 5.5%.

Invest in Boston real estate before it's too late! For more information on why you should invest in Boston, feel free to message us on Facebook or contact us at 617-236-0353.

Sources:

Zillow

MSN Real Estate

Huffington Post

Forbes

WBUR

One of Boston's smallest, but most historically rich neighborhoods.

Often referred to as "The Hill," this neighborhood features a mix of grand townhouses and fashionable shops. Famous for its gold-domed State House, Beacon Hill is outlined by the Massachusetts General Hospital, Government Center, the Boston Common, and Public Garden. Approximately one square mile in size, Beacon Street, Bowdoin Street, Cambridge Street and Storrow Drive surround Beacon Hill.

Beacon Hill proudly displays its historical charm through its numerous brick single family townhouses. Its overall layout and looks resemble that of colonial Boston. One of its most notable streets, Charles Street features gas burning lamps and brick sidewalks is home to antique shops, small cafes, and clothing boutiques.

Some restaurants include:

Cheers (84 Beacon Street) - American

The Paramount (44 Charles Street) - American

Mooo.... (15 Beacon Street) - Steak

Toscano (47 Charles Street) - Italian

No. 9 Park - (9 Park Street) - French

Some shopping stores include:

Black Ink - (101 Charles Street)

Red Wagon - (69 Charles Street)

Moxie - (51 Charles Street)

Wish - (49 Charles Street)

Some bars & pubs include:

The Four's - (166 Canal Street)

21^st Amendment - (150 Bowdoin Street)

Silvertone Bar and Grill - (69 Bromfield Street)

Be sure to let us know your favorite spots in Beacon Hill by commenting on our Facebook! For more information on Beacon Hill, feel free to message our Rental Agents directly at our new rentals Facebook page, Newbury Rentals.

For Beacon Hill listings please visit our website http://www.thecharlesrealty.com/.

Sources:

Boston.com

CityofBoston.gov

Start off the year right with one of three spacious loft style condos that embody the flawless balance between state-of-the-art amenities and modern design elements.

These completely renovated two bedroom, one bath condominium lofts feature completely open living and dining spaces flooded with natural light. The open kitchen boasts recent renovations such as: stainless steel appliances, granite counters, plenty of cabinet space, dishwasher/disposal, and refrigerator.

These residences boasts modern features such as hardwood floors throughout the units, and tranquil bathrooms complete with rain shower heads, tiled walls with inlays, Toto water saving toilets, and Kohler tubs. In addition to these features, the two generously sized bedrooms have the versatility to bed used as an in-home office, guest bedroom, or nursery.

Residency at 34 Plympton offers luxuries including: a security system, air conditioning, private designated storage, walking distance to the restaurants on Harrison Avenue and Washington Street, and easy access to 93 and the Mass Pike.

If you want to see any of the three condos in person, feel free to contact one of our expert agents by scheduling a showing here. Also be sure to go to 34PlymptonBoston.com for more images and information.

2014 is a new year of trends and styles. This year's trends will be focused on practicality, storage ideas, and clever home design tricks. If you're looking for new remodeling projects to do yourself or have a contractor build, here are some perfect design trends to tryout:

Capitalize on Unused Staircase Space: For those of you with staircases, there's endless design possibilities. Plan out how much usable space you have under your staircase and then decide what you'd want to do with that space. Ideas include:

Accordion Glass Windows and Doors: Accordion windows and doors are an excellent way to bring the outdoors in during warm weather. This design idea is perfect for anyone that likes to have cookouts or has the occasional outdoor meals. In addition, the glass windows and doors will allow for wide scenic views.

Expanding and/or Multi-use Tables: Make the most out of your tables with one of these ideas. An expanding table allows for your table to take up less space when it's not being used. It also gives you the ability to expand the table only when the extra table space is needed. A multi-use table allows for your kitchen table to have additional uses other than for dinning such as: billiards, ping pong, and poker.

For more information on 2014 home design trends, feel free to message our Rental Agents directly at our new rentals Facebook page, Newbury Rentals!

Sources:

Buzzfeed: '31 Insanely Clever Remodeling Ideas For Your New Home'

Dornob: 'High-Tech Dining Table Rotates, Expands & Doubles in Size'

Bored Panda: '33 Amazing Ideas That Will Make Your House Awesome'

Yesterday our Facebook page linked to a story about '16 Can't Miss Boston Events in 2014' which inspired this blog. No matter the year, there is always something to do in Boston. A city filled with museums, parks, and a rich history, Boston has endless fun activates. Boston has plenty to offer so why not experience it all. Our agents gathered a bucket list of things to do in Boston, see how many you've done and make it your goal to try each one. Here they are:

1. Attend a Red Sox vs. Yankees game at Fenway (with a Sox win).
2. Go where everyone knows your name at Cheers.
3. Get lost in the art of the Museum of Fine Arts.
4. Walk all 2.5 miles of the Freedom Trail.
5. Enjoy shopping and street performances at Faneuil Hall.
6. Hang out with Myrtle the Turtle and the rest of the aquatic creatures at the New England Aquarium.
7. Take in the beauty of the Public Gardens in the spring.
8. Experience the fun of learning at the Museum of Science.
9. Attend a Bruins, and Celtics game at TD Bank Garden
10. Rock out at a concert at the Hatch Memorial Shell.
11. Eat at The Top of the Hub.
12. Shop away on Newbury Street.
13. Spend some time with the animals at Franklin Park Zoo.
14. Attend a show at Wilbur Theatre.
15. Relish in the art at the Institute of Contemporary Art.
16. Announce that the British are coming at the Paul Revere House.
17. Become a kid again at the Boston Children's Museum.
18. Take a step on the world's oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat at the USS Constitution.
19. Be entertained by a show at the Paradise Rock Club.
20. Commemorate at the Bunker Hill Memorial.
21. Explore an expo at the Boston Convention and Exhibit Center.
22. Take a trip around the world at the Mapparium.

For more information on things to do in Boston, feel free to message our Rental Agents directly at our new rentals Facebook page, Newbury Rentals!

Can't get enough real estate? Enjoy looking at homes across the country? Channels such as, HGTV and the DIY Network have relevant real estate television shows. Our agents at The Charles Realty have some shows to check out, take a look at the list:

Rent or Buy (HGTV) - On Thursdays at 11pm, with multiple re-runs throughout the day. This show walks through the process of a client's decision to buy or rent a new home. Clients must decide if they want to make an investment to buy a home or make the shorter commitment of renting.

This Old House (PBS) - On Saturdays at 5pm, and various times throughout the week. The original, and most famous home renovation show has helped a lot of viewers in its 35 years. This show walks viewers step-by-step on home renovations for older, more historic homes. 'This Old House' also has its own magazine and spin-off shows.

DIY Dominator (DIY Network) - On early Thursday mornings at 7:30 and 8am. For anyone that loves 'do it yourself' projects this is the perfect show to check out. This show features a head-to-head competition of home improvement and construction of both the exterior and interior of a home.

House Hunters (HGTV) - Every weeknight at 10pm, re-runs are often on throughout the day. Viewers are taken behind the scenes as clients look for their ideal home, and must goes through the emotional roller-coaster while searching and buying a house.

In addition to their television air time, all of these shows can be watched anytime online on their network's website. Have any other real estate related shows not on this list that you like? Let us know on Facebook!

For more information on real estate shows to check out, feel free to message our Rental Agents directly at the rentals Facebook page, Newbury Rentals or check out our site!

Sources:

HGTV

This Old House

DIY Network