Condemned Boston Home That Was Ravaged by Fire Sells for Full Ask of $776K—Just 3 Days After It Was Listed

A sizable Boston property that sustained significant damage in a November 2024 fire has sold for its full asking price of $776,000—within days of the listing going live.

Located in the bustling neighborhood of Dorchester, the eight-bedroom dwelling had previously been used as a two-family rental until disaster struck 18 months ago, when a fire that was sparked at the front of the property spread up its façade to the roof, leaving the home uninhabitable.

According to reports at the time, the three-alarm blaze caused an estimated $1.5 million in damage. The property was condemned by the city and remained boarded up for months while the owners worked out their insurance claims.

Eventually, however, they decided to walk away from their investment, with listing agent Anthony Bruno of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty explaining that they felt the project would be better left in the hands of those who had more experience in such a significant renovation and restoration.

“When all was said and done, they decided that, for them, it just made more sense to move on and let somebody who does this type of thing on a regular basis come in and handle it,” he says.

Despite the significant damage caused to the home, when it was listed for sale earlier this month, Bruno says it was flooded with interest from developers, investors, and renovators alike—all of whom had to sign an “Assumption of the Risk/Hold Harmless Agreement prior to scheduling a showing,” according to the listing, because of the dangers involved in going near the home.

Yet, within just two days, the property was under contract—and Bruno tells Realtor.com that he believes the buyer will work to restore the dwelling.

“The majority of people that came through the property, their plans were to use the existing structure and refurbish,” he says. “The fire was mostly in the front of the property. My understanding is that [the fire] started on the front porch and went up on the front, and then to the roof, which likely has to be replaced in its entirety.

“But most people that came through, from the discussions they were having on site, their plans were to use the existing structure and refurbish, rebuild, renovate, rather than tearing it down and starting fresh.”

Bruno further notes that, while much of the exterior of the property sustained damage, particularly the front, which was seen completed boarded up in listing photos, the interior retains many original design details from when the home was built in 1910. Among these are the fireplaces and the hardwood floors.

Offering nearly 4,000 square feet of living space across 15 rooms, the property holds plenty of potential for buyers—whether as a multifamily rental or a stunning single-family dwelling.

However, Bruno believes that the buyers will likely stick with the rental model, noting that they own other investment properties and have experience in this kind of renovation.

“It’s a unique [experience], knowing this wasn’t going to be a first-time home or something along those lines. We knew [the buyer] was going to be an investor, a developer, a contractor, someone who was in that world,” he explains.

“I don’t know exactly what the buyers are going to be doing with the property, but I do know that the buyer does own a number of other properties in Dorchester.”

Either way, Bruno believes that the quick sale of the dilapidated dwelling—and at its full asking price—sends a very clear message about the strength of Boston’s housing market, where the median listing price sits at $899,000, just over $100,000 above the price paid for the damaged Dorchester home.

This “obviously speaks of the market overall, whether it’s the rental market or the condo market,” he explains. “There’s a lot of interest and activity, which, again, I just think speaks to the strength of the market overall.

The property’s allure was further boosted by its optimal location, Bruno notes. The home is located in a charming neighborhood with close proximity to major transport options.

“Ideally located just two blocks from the Ashmont T station entrance on Radford Lane, less than 7 miles to downtown Boston and less than 9 miles to Logan Airport,” the listing noted.

According to NBC Boston, six people were living in the property when the fire broke out—one of whom had to climb out of a window in order to escape. All of them were displayed by the fire.

The property had been in the hands of the same owners for more than 20 years at that point, having previously changed hands for $405,000 in 2001.