September median sale prices rise but volume drops

Across the state median sale prices increased in September, compared to a year ago, just as they did in seven of the city neighborhoods covered by Boston Homes. And compared to August, eight of the Boston neighborhoods saw a median price increase.

Condo sales were higher in September than in September 2010, but they declined to 280 from the August total of 397.

Boston Homes covers 11 neighborhoods – Back Bay/Midtown; Beacon Hill/West End; Charlestown/Navy Yard; Dorchester; Downtown/Leather District/Fort Point/Seaport; East Boston; Fenway; Jamaica Plain; South Boston; South End/Bay Village, and Waterfront/North End/Financial District.

Six neighborhoods – Back Bay/Midtown, Downtown/Seaport, East Boston, Jamaica Plain, South Boston and the South End – saw increased median selling prices from a year ago and from a month earlier.

The highest median selling price was in the Back Bay/Midtown area. A one-bedroom, 803-square-foot condo at the south tower of the Ritz sold for $735,000. A year earlier the median selling price was $605,000, which purchased a one-bedroom, 960-square-foot penthouse at 250 Commonwealth Ave. In August, the median selling price was $640,000 for a one-bedroom, 1,069-square-foot condo at 45 Province.

A Downtown/Seaport condo at the Court Square Press Building, 9 West Broadway, with one-plus bedrooms and 1,308 square feet of space was the next highest median sale at $617,500. In September 2010, the median selling price was $505,000. That sum purchased a one-plus bedroom with 1,114 square feet of space at the Allele, 140 Dorchester Ave. In August the median selling price in Downtown was $595,000 for a two-bedroom, 1,370-square-foot condo at 36 A St.

The South End’s median selling price in September was $555,555, which acquired a two-bedroom, 826-square-foot penthouse at 81 Waltham St. A year earlier, a two-bedroom, 914-square-foot condo at 266 Shawmut Ave., was the median sale at $500,000. August’s median selling price was $528,000, which purchased a two-bedroom, 1,050-square-foot unit at 10 Dwight St.

The Waterfront/North End neighborhood saw the next highest median selling price at $525,000. That sum was for a two-bedroom, 850-square-foot condo at 560 Commercial St. It was a two-plus-bedroom, 1,218-square-foot condo that was the median sale a year earlier at $580,000. In August, $485,000 was the median selling price, which acquired a two-bedroom, 1014-square-foot condo at 99 Fulton St.

A two-bedroom, 990-square-foot condo at 24 Lexington St. that sold for $395,000 was the median sale in Charlestown in September. That compares to $370,000 for a two-bedroom, 872-square-foot condo at 6-8 Bartlett St. a year earlier and $415,000 for a two-bedroom, 946-square-foot condo at Parris Landing in August.

September’s median selling price in the Beacon Hill/West End neighborhood was $386,600, which purchased a one-bedroom, 826-square-foot condo at 2 Hawthorne Place. A year ago, the median selling price was $525,000, which bought a two-bedroom, 1,317-square-foot unit at 9 Hawthorne Place. August’s median sale was on the hill at 37 Revere St., where a one-plus-bedroom, 650-square-foot condo sold for $435,000.

South Boston saw the median selling price increase from a year ago and from a month earlier. The September median selling price was $385,500 for a two-bedroom top-floor unit at 29 Vinton St., compared to $364,000 for a two-plus-bedroom, 1,000-square-foot unit at 9 Mercer St. a year earlier. August’s median selling price was $355,000 for a two-bedroom, 969-square-foot condo at 2-4 Monks St.

A two-bedroom, 1,050-square-foot condo at 56 Green St., Jamaica Plain, that sold for $309,000 was the median sale in September. A year earlier, a three-bedroom, 1,150-square-foot residence at 42 Boylston St. was the median sale at $340,000. In August, the median selling price was $314,000 for a 1,128-square-foot loft at 65 Brookside Ave.

East Boston had the next highest median selling price at $315,000. That amount purchased a three-bedroom, 1,254-square-foot condo at 103 Boardman St. In September 2010, the median selling price was $245,000 for a two-bedroom, 870-square-foot condo at 3-5 Seaver St. In August, the median selling price was $225,000 for a two-bedroom, 895-square-foot condo at 176 Princeton St.

Fenway’s median selling price was $309,000 in September. That sum purchased a one-bedroom, 538-square-foot condo at 86 Jersey St. A year earlier, it was a one-bedroom, 715-square-foot condo at 15 Park Dr. that was the median sale. Its price was $342,500. The sum of $285,000 was the median selling price in August for a one-bedroom, 580-square-foot condo at 90 Gainsborough St.

Dorchester’s median selling price was $155,000 for a 955-square-foot, three-bedroom condo at 141 Pleasant St. The property had been foreclosed upon three months earlier. A year earlier, the median selling price was $135,600 for a two-bedroom, 750-square-foot condo at 103 Welles Ave. In August, it was a three-bedroom unit at 51 Florida St. with 1,132 square feet of living space that was the median sale. Its price was $230,000.

September sales data were incorporated into the third quarter sales report produced by the Listing Information Network, which splits four of the Boston Homes neighborhoods.

Midtown had the highest median selling price at $805,000, compared to $700,000 in the Back Bay. Beacon Hill’s median selling price for the third quarter was $450,000, and the West End was $366,250.

The median selling price was $617,500 in the Seaport District, while the median sale price in the Leather District was $547,500.

Lastly, the median selling price was $553,000 in the Waterfront neighborhood and $380,000 in the North End.

Separately, the median selling prices in the other neighborhoods were $540,000 in the South End, $395,000 in Charlestown, $360,250 in South Boston and $285,000 in the Fenway. East Boston and Dorchester were not included in the report.