LOCAL REALTOR
Frank Carroll
Vice President, Compass
BU-area real estate guidance
BOSTON UNIVERSITY BOSTON, MA
Buying a Home Near Boston University
for Your Student
The ultimate Boston University off-campus housing guide. Compare BU neighborhoods, condo inventory, DSCR financing, and local realtor expertise for student families and investors.
$20,740BU room + dining2026–27 academic-year baseline
$4,596/moBU-area 2BR rentSep 2026 whole-home benchmark
$110,3044-year student rent share50% of 2BR × 48 months*
$770,000Median asking priceCurrent displayed sale inventory
Source-checked Sep 2026 · *Illustrative rent-share baseline assumes two equal-paying occupants, 48 months, and the Sep 2026 2BR benchmark held flat; excludes utilities, fees, meals, and rent changes.Run the BU Rent vs. Buy Scenario →
The 4-Year BU Ownership Scenario
Instead of spending an estimated $110,304 on a 4-year student rent share, parents buying near BU can capture equity. For example, purchasing a $579,000 condo in Fenway (0.4 miles from BU) with a 20% down payment and a 6.5% interest rate yields a principal-and-interest payment of $2,928/month. Over 48 months, this scenario results in $22,884 in principal paydown. Total ownership costs will vary based on exact property taxes (Boston's rate is $12.40 per $1,000) and condo association fees.
ILLUSTRATIVE CALCULATOR EXAMPLE
Compare three four-year housing scenarios
Use this example to plan housing near Boston University. These are the existing calculator’s hypothetical inputs, not local market medians, current loan quotes or a forecast. The same purchase is compared with no roommate and with an assumed $1,000 monthly contribution.
Compare the full cost over the same 48 months. A roommate contribution reduces the modeled cash cost; it does not change the mortgage or guarantee rental income. The sale proceeds include returned invested equity, so they are not profit.
| Cost or outcome | A: Rent | B: Buy, no roommate | C: Buy, one hypothetical roommate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial monthly housing cost | $3,500 | $6,117 | $5,117 |
| Cash at purchase: down payment + buying costs | Not applicable | $175,950 | $175,950 |
| Four-year rent payments | $173,108 | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Annual roommate contribution | $0 | $0 | $12,000 |
| Four-year roommate contribution | $0 | $0 | $48,000 |
| Mortgage principal repaid in four years | Not applicable | $28,943 | $28,943 |
| Sale proceeds after selling costs and remaining mortgage | Not applicable | $195,320 | $195,320 |
| Modeled four-year net housing cost after resale | $173,108 | $274,240 | $226,240 |
See every modeled assumption
- Purchase price
- $765,000
- Down payment
- 20%
- Fixed interest rate
- 6.75%
- Loan amortization
- 30 years
- Comparison period
- 4 years / 48 months
- Initial rent
- $3,500/month
- Annual rent increase
- 2%
- HOA
- $670/month
- Property tax
- $10,192/year
- Insurance
- $1,800/year
- Maintenance reserve
- 0.75% of purchase price/year
- Annual price change
- 2%
- Buying costs
- 3% of purchase price
- Selling costs
- 6% of modeled sale price
- Hypothetical roommate contribution
- $1,000/month for all 48 months
Net ownership cost = cash at purchase + 48 months of carrying costs − sale proceeds after selling costs and mortgage repayment. Principal repayment is already included; it is not subtracted again. Taxes, insurance, HOA, maintenance and the roommate contribution are held constant. Rent increases once per year.
The rent example is off-campus housing only; it is not a dorm or meal-plan comparison. Utilities, rental deposits and move-in fees, mortgage insurance, tax effects, investment returns on cash, vacancy, unpaid rent and unexpected assessments are excluded. Roommate permission and financing eligibility require separate review. Change the assumptions in the interactive calculator before relying on a result.
Method references: CFPB mortgage amortization · closing costs and cash to close · renting, equity and selling costs. These explain the method, not the hypothetical amounts.
REAL HOMES. REAL NUMBERS. BRIGHTER FUTURES.
Homes near Boston University
Compare campus proximity, ownership costs and the four-year numbers — not just listing prices.
Available homes · Sorted by distance
1 / 4
$569,000
Fenway · 0.4 miles to BU · 8 min walk
▱ 1 bedroom ♙ 1 bathroom ▦ 850 sq ft ⌂ Co-op
Why this home surfacedclose to campus, lower purchase price within these results — then compare the full ownership cost and post-graduation plan.
Current published selection. Confirm prices and availability. Distances are straight-line to campus.
Work with local experts
Get guidance from professionals who know BU and the surrounding neighborhoods.
Frank CarrollBU RealtorLocal advice. Local insight. Better outcomes.
Matt DeanLoan Officer, NEXACreative financing for college home buyers.
◷ Dated listing snapshots · confirm availability⌖ No addresses shown△ Work with a local expert for availability↕ Estimated costs. Your results may vary.We use AI to route intent, not replace professionals.
CHOOSE YOUR BU PLAN
Start with the decision you’re actually making.
Use the same BU market evidence, then follow the path that matches your goal.
⌂
Buying for your student?
Turn a housing decision into a four-year plan you can actually compare.
- Compare rent vs. buy with the same housing assumptions
- Model roommate contributions without depending on them
- Review parent financing questions and cash needed
- Plan the exit after graduation
▥
Investing near BU?
Compare a property’s rent evidence, operating costs, financing and exit plan.
- Review current listing and rent evidence
- Compare expenses, vacancy and management assumptions
- Confirm occupancy, building and rental rules
- Use DSCR and financing review where eligible
BU MARKET AT A GLANCE
Current BU-area pricing, at a glance.
Use the published range to set expectations, then open a home to compare the property-specific numbers.
CURRENT INVENTORY$397,457 – $1,545,000Homes for saleCurrent asking-price range
CURRENT INVENTORY$2,195 – $5,500/moRental listingsCurrent monthly asking-rent range
Homes for salePublished BU-area inventory
Rental listingsPublished BU-area inventory
How to use this
These ranges are a starting point—not a valuation. Compare the exact taxes, HOA, insurance, financing and campus route for the home you choose.
CAMPUS + NEIGHBORHOODS
Explore BU neighborhoods on a real map
Use actual Boston street geography to see how BU, Allston, Brookline, Fenway–Kenmore, Back Bay, the South End and Brighton relate before comparing the exact property route.
Pins use the center of current published listing coordinates for each page area. Allston uses the combined Allston–Brighton source label when that is how the listing is published; Brighton uses only exact Brighton records. Pins orient the shortlist and are not legal neighborhood boundaries or travel-time estimates.
COMPARE BU NEIGHBORHOODS
Compare BU neighborhoods by route and property type.
Start with where your student needs to be each day, then compare the housing stock and lifestyle tradeoffs around that route.
Allston
West of the Charles River Campus
Apartments and multifamily homesStudent + roommate planningExplore Allston →Brookline
Residential streets south of BU
Condos and multifamily propertiesQuieter residential optionExplore Brookline →
Fenway–Kenmore
East of the Charles River Campus
Condos, co-ops and transit accessClose to eastern CRCExplore Fenway–Kenmore →Back Bay
Historic Boston housing
Brownstones and city condominiumsCity-oriented ownershipExplore Back Bay →
South End
Different fit for BU Medical Campus
Brownstones, condos and rentalsMedical Campus comparisonExplore South End →
Brighton
West of Allston
Condos, apartments and multifamilyMore residential tradeoffsExplore Brighton →LOCAL GUIDANCE
Take the property and the numbers to the people who can help you act.
Keep the home, neighborhood context and financing assumptions together so you do not have to restart the decision.
LOCAL REAL ESTATE
Work with Frank
BU-area property context, neighborhood tradeoffs, current listings and the plan after graduation.
- Property and neighborhood review
- Current listing context
- Guidance for parents and investors
FINANCING PLANNING
Get financing guidance with Matt
NEXA Lending · NMLS #227603. Start with a state-aware review of the property, occupancy and financing scenario.
- Parent-buyer financing questions
- DSCR and investor scenarios where eligible
- Applicable licensing confirmed before application
Local expertiseOne trusted market team
Smarter decisionsData, not guesswork
Real opportunitiesCurrent property inventory
Long-term valueFor families and investors