Davis Square: a Perfect Place to Buy or Sell a Home
Davis Square is one of the most desirable areas in all of Somerville to live. Why? First, you have a red line T stop taking you directly to downtown Boston. Next, you have the bike path, which is great for not just biking, but walking or running year round. Next, in the heart of Davis Square you have multiple coffee shops, restaurants, an H-Mart and things to do. You're also very close to Porter Square, where you have a Star Market, 24-hour CVS and tons more restaurants/cafes along Mass Ave. Davis and Porter tend to be the more expensive areas within Somerville, so expect to pay a premium to get into this part of town!
What is your specific real estate need in Davis Square?
Scroll down or jump to your specific area of need by clicking one of the options below:
Selling a Single Family in Davis Square · Selling a Condo in Davis Square · Selling a Multi-Family in Davis Square · Selling a Development Opportunity in Davis Square
Buying a Single Family in Davis Square · Buying a Condo in Davis Square · Buying a Multi-Family in Davis Square · Buying a Development Opportunity in Davis Square
Selling a Single Family in Davis Square
If you are thinking of selling your single family home in Davis Square, understand two things. First, you are in a good place in the sense that Davis Square is arguably the highest demand area in all of Somerville and a top neighborhood in Cambridge after Harvard and Central Squares. So that’s the upside - no matter what you do, you are likely to sell quickly and for a good price.
But the second thing you must understand, is that how you position your property will have a massive impact on where it sells. Generally I find single families to land in one of three categories;
Category one is single family homes that are in total disrepair. A lot of seller agents make the mistake of just popping it up on MLS, crossing their fingers and hoping for the best. Don’t be that person! Oftentimes these homes need to be marketed to show their best position. Sometimes that is actually making some very light updates to position the property in a positive light. Other times that means showing what a completely updated single family could go through with recent past examples.
But marketing the potential to prospective buyers has an outsized impact on where your sales price will land, as well as how quickly you sell and with what terms. If you need guidance on selling your single family, give me a holler at 617-833-7457!
Selling a Condo in Davis Square
If you are thinking of selling your condo close to Davis Square, we’re going to have to look at a few things:
First, what is the health of your condo association? Special assessments, budget issues, legal issues, ongoing disputes with neighbors can all have an impact on the sale and getting this stuff squared away prior to listing is a must-do. I have seen firsthand how not defusing these bombs prior to listing can destroy a listing’s final sold price…don’t do it
Next is what is required to properly position your home? Who is the likely buyer to be? Many of the condos close to Davis Square in mid-sized buildings, for example Chester Street Manor located at 30 Chester St, are geared towards owner occupants on a tight budget - often a single person or young professional couple. Other, larger condos with 4-beds are more likely to be geared towards a young professional family with one or multiple kids and at least one parent working from home. How you prepare and market each of these scenarios is going to change in a big way, so knowing your audience here matters a lot.
Finally, how you time the sale matters big time. We live in a seasonal market where things tend to slow down in the winter. But listing in the spring or summer doesn’t always make sense. We have to ask ourselves a bunch of questions to determine the ideal time to list - for example how much prep to the unit is required, are you living there now or is it rented or vacant, have you already purchased your new property, are you on a 1031 exchange? Your answers will vary and when your sweet spot to list will vary as a result too!
Whatever your situation is, I can help guide you through the condo sales market in Davis Square! Just give me a ring at 617-833-7457!
Selling a Multi-Family in Davis Square
If you are thinking of selling your multi-family close to Davis Square, understand there are a number of factors that you are going to have to consider that will have a direct impact on how much you sell for, how quickly you sell and how strong your terms are (which tie into your ultimate sales price and how quickly you sell!). So let’s get into a few key considerations:
First, are your units tenanted or vacant or owner occupied? If the units are tenanted, do we sell the property vacant or do we sell the property with the tenants in place.
Next, if there is a lease or tenancy at will in place, are the rents below market, at market rate or above market?
Next, are the units in poor condition, OK condition or great condition? Depending on the condition of the unit we may want to consider work on the units to ensure we get the highest price possible.
What about the proceeds from the sale? Many times when I work with a seller they are thinking about a 1031 exchange to reduce their capital gains and depreciation recapture liabilities.
What about a condo conversion? Somerville has a somewhat complicated condo conversion rule and how we navigate this process matters, if the numbers work out where a condo conversion could make sense.
As you can see, there are a lot of variables and each one ties into the other. My goal is to take this mish mash of variables and help you determine what is going to give you the best blend of your highest price, best terms, quickest sale and smoothest sale? There is no one answer that fits all for this stuff, but through a conversation I consistently have helped clients get to a great outcome. If you are curious to take the plunge, give me a call at 617-833-7457 to discuss next steps!
Selling a Development Opportunity in Davis Square
There are two common scenarios I see around the Davis Square area, whether Somerville or Cambridge, for a development opportunity. The first is a large lot size - if you have a large lot, ideally 7,500 square feet plus - there is a decent chance that developers are going to want to look at property to see what is possible. That may mean simply building an addition on your property OR it may mean building a “cottage” as they call it in Somerville zoning lingo OR it may mean splitting your lot and building a 3-family on the other lot and expanding the footprint of your existing property.
But if you don’t know where to begin or who to hire or how to market what you learn to the right people, I guarantee you will be leaving some serious meat on the bone of any sale. So if you think you may have a development opportunity on your hand close to Davis Square but aren’t quite sure what the first step is, give me a ring at 617-833-7457!
Buying a Single Family in Davis Square
If you’re looking to buy a single family within walking distance to Davis Square the first you should know is that you’re likely going to pay between $1.8M - $2.4M (at least as of this writing on 12/12/2025).
Most of these single families in Davis have about 4 beds and depending on the range you are buying, expect between 2,000 square feet up to around 3,000 square feet on the high end. Of course there are exceptions, occasionally I see tiny houses with 2 beds and 1,200 square feet pop up or large victorians with 4,000 square feet for around $2M, but the bread and butter single family close to Davis Square tends to be in the range I mentioned above.
I should also mention once in a blue moon we’ll see a fixer upper walking distance to Davis Square and those usually land in the $1.2M to $1.5M range.
The reality is, only 6 single families sold in 2025 on-market walking distance to Davis Square so the big thing you need to know (besides budget) is not a lot comes on and it may take a while (as in 1 to 2 years) to find something that works for you. If you are thinking of buying a single family in Davis Square but need some guidance, give me a holler at 617-833-7457!
Buying a Condo in Davis Square
As of this writing (12/15/2025), there were only 26 condos that were very close to Davis Square center. All but five were on the Somerville line, but occasionally I do see units that pop up in Cambridge (but as you can tell from this data, it doesn’t happen too often).
Generally, you’ll find “investor grade” condos for under $750k and they usually come in either 1 bed or 2 bed flavors. Investor grade means to me they are typically not updated or have lower end updated kitchens and bathrooms. Around Davis Square, these lower price point condos tend to be a mix of mid-rise buildings with a few dozen units OR 2 to 3-families that were converted to condos.
The next range is typically the $750k to $1.1M range and this is where you typically find very nicely updated 2 beds and occasionally very nice 1-bed units (mostly the 1-beds at this price point and higher will be located at One Tannery Brook complex, full of stunning lofts along the bike path). Most of these are in converted two or three families that were converted to condos. At this price point you are more likely to get a parking spot, central A/C, and/or washer/dryer in-unit along with those nicer finishes.
From around $1.2M to $1.8M range, you are going to see your larger 3 or 4-bed units, often times with 1,800 or more square feet of living area and most of the amenities most buyers care about, but with more refined finishes, whether it’s a gut renovation or a Somerville home with “character” where those unique details are preserved and improved. At these higher price points you are more likely to get the best streets - meaning quiet, tree-line streets that are only a block or two to the heart of Davis Square too.
If you are thinking of buying a condo in Davis Square, give me a ring and we can figure out where to focus your energy! My cell is 617-833-7457.
Recent condos I’ve helped clients buy in Davis Square:
190 Morrison Ave, Unit 2: My client was looking for a condo blocks to Davis Square that they could owner occupy. The challenge was finding something with 4 true bedrooms, a renovated kitchen, a quiet street, and prime proximity to Davis. After a long search we landed on this condo, which ended up being an excellent value both to owner occupy and to eventually rent out in future years.
97 Elmwood St, Unit 309: My client was already living close to Harvard Square, but she was looking for more space for her and her partner and in a newer, elevator building with more amenities. After much searching we landed on this property - a large 3 bed, 2 bath new construction condo with garage parking, EV charging, and RIGHT on the bike path. A great outcome for my buyer client!
Buying a Multi-Family in Davis Square
Just as the condo market around Davis Square tends to be more balanced towards Somerville units as opposed to Cambridge (mostly due to the fact that geographically, a good chunk of the radius directly around Davis Square is Somerville and only a small chunk is Cambridge), of the 10 multi-families that sold around Davis Square in 2025, just two were on the Cambridge line.
Most 2-families close to Davis Square will land in the $1.4M to $1.8M range. On the low end range expect units that have funky layouts but are decently updated (for investor grade) OR units with great layouts that need $100k to $200k worth of work. At the high end of this range, you’ll have relatively turnkey units that may require more light cosmetic work like paint, light fixtures, etc.
Most 3-families close to Davis Square land in the $1.5M to $2M range. On the low end of the range, expect a smaller 3-family (usually around 2,500 square feet). Often this means one of two things: either all the units have small bedroom counts, as in they are all one or two bed units (which is a good thing oftentimes since those are easiest to rent and renters tend to stay longer) OR they have many bedrooms per a unit but all the bedrooms are really more like offices…these tend to be a nightmare to rent so be careful here.
On the high end of the range you will see three families with units that are most typically 3,000+ square feet and this means larger units. It also means more units with better layouts across all 3 units which translates into higher rents and higher quality renters. You will also see some nice victorian homes on the upper end of this range that could be an opportunity to condoize or owner occupy one unit and rent out the other two.
If you are looking to buy a multi-family close to Davis Square, give me a ring at 617-833-7457 and we can get you in a good spot!
Recent multi-family I helped a client buy in Davis Square:
132 Willow Ave: My clients were first time multi-family buyers and I guided them to this property. The seller needed to sell because they needed the funds for a 40B project they were working on elsewhere. As a result, the property was priced aggressively and we quickly got it under agreement. Since then, the owner has brought in strong rents and excellent renters consistently and is considering a second purchase soon!
Buying a Development Opportunity in Davis Square
Development opportunities are definitely doable in Davis Square. I find one of the better plays for this part of town is purchasing single families that are in disrepair OR 2-families that could be converted into two really nice condos. The single family play in particular has a lot of potential and I have seen multiple poorly cared for single families close to Davis Square center totally transformed while preserving a lot of unique character and selling for well north of $2M. The trick is finding options with enough meat on the bone given the high interest rate and high construction cost environment as of this writing.
If you are thinking of buying a development opportunity but need some help with where to target and how to run numbers, give me a call at 617-833-7457!
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Above are samples of properties I’ve helped clients sell or buy. Read more about my past work here.
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