Pet of the Week

Gentle 'Lap-Cat' Seeks Home

Meet Blue! Blue is a very gentle five-year-old neutered male cat. He is a sweet as can be, and if his “lap-cat” qualities don’t win you over, his striking blue eye will. Unfortunately, Blue was brought to the Animal Rescue League of Boston because his owner passed away. Blue can be very shy at first, but absolutely blossomed in his foster home, so now he is back and looking for his forever home. In his foster home he became a total love-bug, soliciting belly rubs! Blue would do best in a quiet home, and would even enjoy a home with another cat. For more information on Blue or any of the other animals currently residing at theAnimal Rescue League of Boston, please contact us at 617-226-5602. The Animal Rescue League of Boston is open …

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Mom Talk

Moms and Kids Find Sanctuary in the Pru

New children's stores in the mall draw parents with kids to the Shops at Prudential Center, a place that relieves the dearth of community spaces in the Back Bay.

Stay in your lane, pass on the left, and neither exceed nor fall under the speed limit: These are the unspoken traffic rules at Boston’s Prudential Center mall. Crowded with office workers, tourists, and locals, the busy hall off Boylston Street reminds you that you are still in the city. But pass the north-side main drag, and the aisles widen while the lovely skylight ceilings persist. Ahhh, space. It’s here that young families are making the mall their own. A landscaped garden, places indoors to linger, and now a family-oriented trio of businesses are all holding down the age of the average Pru visitor. With most residents in our urban neighborhoods tucked into condos without yards, we covet any living space beyond our own homes. The …

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Pet of the Week

Tom Hanks, Smart Pit Bull Mix

Not the actor, but just as handsome!

MEET TOM HANKS! Nope, he's not the actor - he's a 7-month-old neutered male pit bull dog mix that is sweet and handsome as can be! Mr. Hanks was brought to the Animal Rescue League of Boston due to a living situation that prevented having pets in the home. He is still a puppy with boundless energy, so he needs lots of exercise and obedience training. Because of his rambunctious behavior he would do best in a home experienced with dogs, especially in puppy raising. Tom is very handsome and has the brains to go a long with it. He’s eager to please and will do anything for a treat.   

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Open Houses in the South End this Weekend

A sampling of open houses in the South End on Sunday.

Edward Sullivan, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage—Newbury Street "House Hunt" is a weekly column featuring real estate open houses in the South End. Photos and information compiled using MLS data, courtesy of Century 21 North Shore, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and Jay McHugh REMAX Unlimited. About this column: Information about Open Houses and Real Estate transactions in the South End.

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Brookings Institution: Not as Expensive to Live in Boston as Reputation Suggests

Housing and transportation costs should be less than 45 percent of your income. Are you under that goal?

Housing is generally the largest expense anyone has to deal with, but it's not the only factor you should consider when buying a home. Sure, you may find a cheper home the further you move from Boston, but the transportation costs of getting to and from work everyday offset some of those gains, according to an index compiled by the Center for Neighborhood Technology. The group, funded by the Brookings Institution, developed the Housing and Transportation Affordability Index to examine how transportation costs, when added to housing costs, affects the overall affordability of a community (you can read about the methodology used here). The rule of thumb adopted by the study states that housing is affordable if it's 30 percent or less of your…

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The 5 Least Expensive Homes in the South End

Check out some of the neighborhood's bargain bin real estate.

Bargain hunters beware: These frugal finds still carry a hefty enough price tag to make your inner skinflint cringe at the thought. However, according to New England Moves, these are the five cheapest homes currently on the market in the South End. 3 Haven St., 2 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms. Price: $849,000. New England Moves: Rarely found. Location, renovation and value. Sunny South End 2+ BR single family - all at a condo price! Perfect move-in townhouse on charming hidden side street adjacent to flower-filled community gardens. Wide open living/dining/kitchen w/fireplace is entertainer's dream. Granite, maple kitchen w/gas ckg, Subzero and Bosch appliances. 2nd floor master w/home office/nursery. Lg 2nd BR, gas ht, landscaped patio. Easy …

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The 5 Most Expensive Homes For Sale in the South End

Check out some of the neighborhood's most lucrative real estate!

The South End is certainly no place to go bargain hunting for homes. Even amongst the neighborhood’s rarefied real estate, there are some homes that stand out above the rest. Here are the five priciest homes currently on the market in the South End, according to New England Moves. 46 Appleton St., 6 bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms. Price: $4,460,000. New England Moves: This “new construction” row house is on one of the most desirable streets in Boston’s South End. This estate boasts five bedrooms, three and a half baths, eight fireplaces, two that are decorative, a patio off the kitchen, private roof deck with stunning views of the Boston skyline. Masterful two-year construction retained attractive period architectural details, graceful stairs and…

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