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What Boston Home Can You Buy for $800,000?

The average home sales price in Boston is just over $800,000, but what that buys you ranges radically from neighborhood to neighborhood. In tony Back Bay, you can expect to trade square footage for a desirable address. In ever-expanding South Boston, there’s a crop of new buildings where you can get a two-bedroom condo for less than $800,000. If you head to Dorchester, your money buys a lot more space, including single-family homes with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms.

Condos in Exclusive Back Bay or South End

Homes in two of Boston’s most desirable neighborhoods, the Back Bay and the South End, almost always come with hefty price tags. If your budget tops out at $800,000, you’ll be looking at condos. In the Back Bay, giant Victorian and Edwardian houses have been converted into condos, many of which are located on tree-lined Commonwealth Avenue Mall. The South End, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the largest urban Victorian neighborhood in the country, has also seen many of those mansions turned into condos.

[Read: A First-Time Homebuyer’s Guide to Boston.]

Amy Carlisle, an agent with Bushari Group Real Estate, says simply that the Back Bay is “really expensive.” She notes, “For $800,000, you can get an 810-square-foot, one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo in a high-rise, with one garage space and concierge service.” And keep in mind that condo fees will run more than $700 a month, she says.

Jennifer Gelfand, residential specialist with Keller Williams Realty, Boston — Metro, says that the South End is “all about location.” Properties near the shopping and restaurants of Copley Place or the Prudential Center, and close to the Back Bay MBTA station, are particularly sought after, she says. Gelfand recently saw an 824-square-foot, one-bedroom condo for $835,000. It had an updated kitchen and bathroom, central air and two decks — but no parking.

New Construction in the Trendy South Boston Area

Carlisle says, “South Boston has been up-and-coming for the last few years. Nothing was over $500,000 five years ago. Now, places can be in the millions.”

[Read: 4 Tips for Buying an Affordable Boston Home.]

South Boston used to be a gritty working-class-only neighborhood, but in the last few years, it has transformed into what Frank Celeste, Realtor with Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, calls “an urban oasis.”

Forget what you’ve seen on the silver screen about times gone by — today, South Boston has an abundance of excellent restaurants, breweries, the booming Fort Point Channel arts district, and gorgeous green spaces and beaches.

Celeste says homes in the neighborhood range from historic houses converted into condos, to two- and three-family houses, to brand-new luxury condominiums and town houses. New construction, especially near the waterfront, is booming.

Large Single-Family Homes in Dorchester

Dorchester is Boston’s largest neighborhood and might be one of the best places in the city to get the most space for your money these days. While part of Boston proper, Dorchester is so large that it has its own “neighborhoods,” so to speak, like the increasingly popular Savin Hill, as well as Fields Corner and Ashmont Hill.

[Read: 3 Boston Neighborhoods to Buy a Home if You Love the Outdoors.]

Carlisle calls Dorchester the “next big neighborhood.” She says, “It’s a bit further out, but for young couples who can’t afford to live in the city [downtown], it can be ideal.”

She recently saw a listing for a 2,500-square-foot single-family home, with three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and two parking spaces, for $749,000. It’s easy enough to get downtown from Dorchester, which has several subway stops throughout the neighborhood. Dorchester also contains 527-acre Franklin Park, one of the jewels of the city’s Emerald Necklace and home to the city zoo, a golf course, a stadium and plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

More from U.S. News

The Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2017

3 Things Boston Homebuyers Should Do Before Attending an Open House

What’s it like to live in Boston, MA?

What Boston Home Can You Buy for $800,000? originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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