Buying a Single Family in Porter Square

One of the neat things about Porter Square is it’s right on the Cambridge and Somerville lines, so if you are thinking of buying a single family and it’s close by to Porter Square the purchase price is going to vary a lot depending on which side you are on. Pretty much across the board expect to pay substantially more for the Cambridge side.

The plus side about single families in Porter Square is there are actually a lot of options so if you are deadset in owning a single family in Cambridge this is a good place to target. The rough part is expect to pay for it - for many homes that means paying $3M+.

If you want to purchase a single family in Porter Square, here’s how I think about pricing:

First you have the mini homes that are typically 1,200 sq ft are smaller. These are usually 2 or 3 bed small houses and they tend to be $750k to $1M. Often times they aren’t in great shape and need some love.

Next up, you occasionally can find fixer upper single families. These tend to go very quickly and only one or two tend to come up each year. These could be 3 or 4 bed fixer upper homes in either Cambridge or Somerville walking distance to Porter Square. These often go for around $1.2M to $1.5M (at least as of this writing 12/11/2025). 

Then you have your nice, updated homes - some of these are on the Somerville side, but many are in Cambridge in the Avon Hill neighborhood. These are often 2,200 to 3,000 square feet of living space in very good shape. Most are victorians and they typically have 4 or 5 bedrooms. Expect to pay mid $2Ms up to around $3M. 

Finally you have what I call your “stunner” Avon hill victorians. These are usually 3,000 to 5,000 square foot large victorian homes on large lots with insane curb appeal and beautiful finishes inside and out - stained glass, beautiful gardens with mature trees, gazebos, massive porches, and on and on…all typically pristine. These homes are truly gems and typically start at $4M and go up from there…one sold for $18M in 2025 to give you a feel for how high these properties can go. Some of the most special homes in all of Cambridge for sure!

If you are considering a purchase in Porter Square, whether Cambridge or Somerville, give me a ring and we can go over what is realistic and how to make it happen! Call me at 617-833-7457!