Real Estate Showdown: A Waterfront City Condo vs. a North Shore Abode by the Bay

LISTING AGENTS: ILIYAN PADINKOV, COLDWELL BANKER REALTY (BOSTON); SONIA JOHNSON, EXP REALTY (IPSWICH)

PHOTOS BY LUXE LIFE PRODUCTIONS (BOSTON); Robert Moreno (Ipswich, interior), CORINNA COLE (IPSWICH, EXTERIOR)

Whether it’s coming off the ripples of Boston Harbor or rolling in off the tides of Ipswich Bay, a cool ocean breeze on a hot summer day feels like bliss. The new owners of this city penthouse—who scored the home for $100,000 under asking—are undoubtedly now enjoying such an experience from their private deck overlooking the waterfront. Inside, floor-to-ceiling windows line the open-concept living room/kitchen, so the unfettered views can be savored even in the dead of winter.

For the same price, the suburbanites who bought this bayfront Ipswich abode got a home with similarly jaw-dropping water panoramas but twice the amount of square footage (which includes a primary bedroom suite with its own office). It did come at a cost: more than $100,000 above asking. And while their new neighborhood doesn’t have the same walkability as the city, the option to stroll the property’s private beach is priceless.

First published in the print edition of the July 2023 issue with the headline “A Waterfront City Condo vs. A North Shore Abode by the Bay.” 

Previously:

• A Classic South End Brownstone vs. a New Build in Needham
• An Oceanfront Cape Property vs. a Modern Abode in Cambridge
• A Two-Story Roxbury Condo vs. A Charming Cape in Norwell
• A Dorchester Victorian vs. a Ranch-Style Home in Natick
• An Antique Harvard Home vs. a New Build in Arlington