What that extra bathroom means to you, in Boston

A recent article in The Atlantic speaks to the bathroom-ification of America—our obsession with privacy at home such that in some parts of the country, a bathroom upgrade is worth more than a kitchen renovation.

Well, in pricey Boston, the need for an extra bathroom is often economical and truly motivating. For many of my clients, the readiness to move from a condo to a single-family home, or from renting to owning, is to have a home with even an extra half bath: toilet plus sink––to accommodate life with newly arrived children and often the in-laws who stay over to help care for them.

We find that for many homebuyers, a home can be compact yet still highly desirable, provided it has that extra half bath. And for a seller whose home offers that, the difference will be notable in their buyer demand and sale price.

Here are some examples of home buyers and sellers we’ve worked with to find or market their additional bathroom space:

A bold paint color accented this compact pantry-style half-bath tucked off the kitchen at 11 Ardale St, Roslindale.

The straightforward formula: at 7 Sherwood St., Roslindale, a perfectly sized half bath off the hall to the back door: for spiffing up on the way out and washing off on the way in.

Bathrooms need not be large, but they can be pretty. One of the bathrooms in this three-bedroom Dorchester condo at 12 Baker Court is laid out efficiently to include a shower.

These Roslindale clients had planned to raise their twins in a condo on Cummins Hwy but lacked options for adding a half bath. We found them a single family nearby where they converted part of a bedroom closet into that much-needed second bath.

Want to see more? Check out our listings.