By Meg Herbert, Boston.com Staff | October 21, 2005
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White walls and the smell of construction permeated the cavernous building, as the sun beat down through the beamed glass ceilings and lit up the unfinished walkways that trace the interior. This was the beginning of what came to be known as Parris Landing - a condominium conversion development with 360-units in Charlestown.
Megan Williams, a 25-year-old sales associate at PR Newswire, bought a 674 square-foot condo that includes parking in the building. She closed on her sale last week. A first-time homebuyer, Williams says that the experience was a learning process.
"I feel as though I just went to school all over again and took the first course of how to speak a new language," she said about her experience. "Buying a property for the first time is confusing, daunting, exciting, and I hope, in the end a rewarding experience."
Since Parris Landing is being remodeled, Williams was able to pick and choose her own fixtures and flooring. New construction or conversion projects are attractive for a lot of home buyers because the prices are usually very good and there is the option to upgrade on everything from kitchen sinks to bathroom tiles.
"I love the options that I chose. I would have spent the same amount if I was doing it myself," she said about the remodel.
Construction at Parris Landing is still underway on some of the units and in some common areas, but everything is scheduled to be completed by November or December. Patrick Cutter, a sales consultant for the development, says there are 65 units left ranging from the $300's to $600-plus.
"Buying a new construction property has given me the option to make my home what I want it. I like having options of upgrading or downgrading based on what I am looking for. I like that I know everything will be new and that if something does break, it is under warranty," she said.
While choosing to upgrade fixtures adds to the cost, it offers the flexibility that some buyers are looking for. "I pretty much chose the standard fixtures. My choices were definitely affected by price although the standard finishes are really nice so I didn't feel as though I needed to upgrade," Williams added.
While Williams looked at other properties, she says that Parris Landing offered the best price and the most amenities. Her hunt started in April and she looked at 10 to 12 different places, but after seeing her condo in June, she immediately put a hold on it.
While there are a lot of programs in place to help first-time home buyers with their financing that do not require any down payment, most buyers pay 10-20 percent of the total cost. Williams saved money for her downpayment by moving home for a while.
"The only part I disliked is the process of getting everyone to agree on a closing date. It was really hard to get a definite answer." And after they did agree on a date, it kept getting pushed back since construction was not yet complete.
"Thankfully I have a strong head on my shoulders," and says she felt jerked around a bit. She said there were people there to help her through the process. From her realtor, to her lawyer, to the people at Parris Landing, she says that toward the end, she was talking to them almost every day.
In this particular situation, she wasn't sure if she was being too tough when it came to the closing, but also says that she didn't expect the process to be seamless. "Questionable things happen…they're getting a lot done in a short amount of time," she said and compared the process to looking for a place to rent.
The building is unique because almost every unit has a different floor plan. The units include garage parking with free valet and harbor and skyline views. Located in a quiet corner of the Charlestown Navy Yard, Parris Landing is being re-imagined by world-renowned designer Phillippe Starck. The future holds, among other things, a state-of-the-art health club and a business center.
Williams has no real plans to sell the property. "I plan to live in the condo for as long as I am here in Boston and hopefully be able to rent it out when I am not living in it years down the road." She plans to paint the space in warm tones to match the exposed brick and wants to install either recessed or track lighting. On her Christmas list for this year, she says that everything she wants (except for a jacket) will be for her new home.