Check Out the Most Expensive Single-Family Home Ever Sold in Arlington

The Edward T. Hornblower House is a stick style Victorian which was built in the 1800s and still boasts period details.

By Erin Kayata· 11/29/2022, 5:04 p.m.

Photos by Remark Visions

30 Academy St., Arlington
Price: $3,250,000
Size: 5,679 square feet
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 3 full, 2 partial

A historical Victorian-style home in Arlington broke records when it sold for $3.25 million recently, making it the most expensive single-family-home sale ever in Arlington, according to Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty.

The so-called Edward T. Hornblower House was once a place where locals could come to catch glimpses of the Boston skyline, according to the home’s listing agent, Max Dublin of Gibson Sotheby’s. Then Hornblower bought the house and the property next door and crafted a sprawling stick-style Victorian with decorative wood trim on the outside. The home itself spreads over 5,700 square feet and still offers some glimpses of the skyline.

Dublin says the home actually sold below asking price but generated a lot of interest because of its high price point. What’s more, the Academy Street property offers a ton of space (the lot is .75 acres) as well as proximity to Arlington center and Harvard Square, which is a mere five miles away. Not to mention, the previous owners did a gut renovation of the place, so it still maintains its period features (like a grand central staircase, oversize windows, and ornate ceiling medallions) while also being updated for modern living. “You had best of both worlds,” he says. “It was modernized but retained its original character and detail. It had so many elements you couldn’t find anywhere else.”

The new owners will be able to access the property through a winding cobblestone driveway that weaves through the home’s expansive landscaped grounds, where gardens and a bronze fountain dot the land. Inside, they’ll be treated to a light-filled living room overlooking the greenery, a gourmet kitchen and breakfast room, and a two-car garage with a bonus room above it. The property also has six bedrooms, including the primary suite with walk-in closets, and three full bathrooms.