Here’s a before and after look at some homes that have been razed and have risen in the past couple of years. Generally speaking, homes in town that are priced under $500,000 — and there are precious few of them — are likely to be torn down and replaced with new homes that offer all the modern conveniences. As you can see, even if a home falls in the million plus range, there is no guarantee that it will remain standing. A phrase heard frequently around town: “My house is such a teardown.” Expressed when one is speculating about one’s own home’s chances for survival when it one day goes on the market.
100 Dearborn St., before, sold in 2013 for $475,000:
100 Dearborn St., after, currently on the market for $1,799,999:
8 Mansfield Rd., before, sold in 2014 for $512,500:
8 Mansfield Rd., after, currently on the market for $1,549,000:
7 Pinevale Ave, before, sold in 2014 for $670,000:
7 Pinevale Ave., after, currently on the market for $1,595,000:
1 Hickory Rd., before, sold in 2014 for $675,000:
1 Hickory Rd., after, currently on the market for $1,774,900:
31 Priscilla Circle, before, sold in 2014 for $915,000:
31 Priscilla Circle, after, currently on the market for $2,289,000:
61 Lincoln Rd., before, sold in 2013 for $1,363,000:
61 Lincoln Rd., after, currently on the market for $4,450,000:
I applaud The Swellesley Report’s continuing coverage of this trend. These new homes are being built to maximum set backs and height, dwarfing adjacent homes which lose sun, privacy and property value. Architectural plans are “off the shelf,” if there are any at all. The town is losing charming areas of tree lined streets, diversity of housing stock, and affordability for first time buyers. The only winner is the builder.
Nearby towns such as Newton and Brookline are fighting back by pursuing moratoriums on tear downs, setting new zoning guidelines and creating historic areas and conservation districts which promote smart growth.
Ticky tacky homes put up by spec builders are a scourge on Wellesley. Are we doing enough to protect our neighborhoods and our town?
It appears from your pic of 31 Priscilla that the devlopers have not only torn down the old, but actually were able to shift the new home *into cyberspace!* I had no idea the Wellesley housing scene was that advanced…
I don’t have a problem with teardowns per se – some houses have been neglected beyond repair or just aren’t special enough to save – but I do have a problem with the types of houses being built in their places. They are not true custom homes thoughtfully designed to fit their plots of land or blend in with their neighborhoods. They have no originality. They are cheap subdivision homes, erected not by or for homeowners themselves but by builders without interest in maintaining or furthering Wellesley’s beauty and charm. The architecture is generic and the materials are builder grade. And when the tasteless buyers move out in a year or two (as they all do), the rest of us are stuck looking at their immature landscapes.
My grandparents built 71 Hundreds Road – in the 1920’s – Royal Barry Wills was the architect. After my grandfather died, the house was sold…in the ’60’s. In mid ’90’s, the people who had bought it from us – sold it for…dunno…around a million – AS A TEAR DOWN!!! Now two McMansions occupy the site.
Came to Wellesley in 1946. into a house that had been rented to my Grandfather for $25 a month when he arrived in 1914. I left Wellesley in 1993 or so and that house I lived in was on the market for a Million. What these real estate prices should tell you is simple…. the bubble cycle has not been eliminated. Wellesley is not and hasn’t been a stable town for 90 years. It is a transient town where people come, inflate prices, enjoy and then move on – either UP to higher paying locales or down if their industry implodes. That Million Dollar house I was brought to from the hospital as a baby has gone up and down in price many times – not by a few thousand but by Hundreds of Thousands. When a bubble bursts there are always people who get destroyed by it. And there will be people who can take advantage of it… it is amazing to look way back to the 1800s and realize Wellesley was a vacation destination for Bostonians and like other exclusive places it relies on that and has no way to change that… no more cottages, no more guest houses. Just giant mega mansions which exclude the vast majority of people. Still it is an amazing town – probably because of the 18-20% of people who stay for most of their lives as my family did. But it can’t sustain that if the bottom completely drops out because it isn’t fancy enough for the 0.01% – they like private islands and Monaco.
Not sure what the big deal is. We aren’t a static species. The one thing constant in life is change. These new homes are bringing lots of good people to Wellesley, and the higher property taxes are helping to pay for great schools and top-notch services that benefit all.
People who can afford 1.5 million plus homes are not necessarily “good” people. What makes them “good”? Their money? So many thousands of us grew up in those “tear downs” and it is heartbreaking to see them all gone and replaced by disgusting, overly-opulent mansions and ostentatious displays of wealth. Wellesley used to be old money, relaxed and comfortable. Now it’s disgusting.
Enough of the passing judgement. I guess because I lived in a 30k home growing up and now through hard work and good choices in my life – along with solid parents – am fortunate to live in this great town.
It’s the market. Period. Good or bad doesn’t really matter.
Grew up in Wellesley— “What makes them “good”? Their money?”
What makes them NOT good? Their money?
I know many of those people you seem to think aren’t so good. They start charities to collect fresh food for food banks, work with Metco kids, house underprivileged kids so they can go to school in Wellesley, raise funds for Charter schools, homeless shelters… They weren’t all born rich. I think that’s better than “old” money— they EARNED it and they are raising polite, responsible, helpful kids.
Makes me wanna puke!!
makes me wanna puke too Gaye Reichart…it’s sickening….Big Ugly Plastic boxes…that’s all they are….no charm…no personality……no character….Ugly!