The Ultimate Splurge, The Ultimate Steal

$16.5 MILLION
8 Mt. Vernon Place,
Beacon Hill
CONTACT Beth Dickerson,
Dickerson Real Estate, Boston,
617-266-5150,
dickersonrealestate.com

A three-year renovation transformed this onetime office building into an exquisite six-story corner town house that measures more than 9,500 square feet. Historic details such as a winding staircase, mahogany pocket doors, and marble fireplaces were retained during the restoration of the 1833 Greek Revival home, but modern touches like heated bathroom floors and a gym with a steam shower were added. The most inviting part of the six-bedroom house (with six full baths and one half bath) is the garden level, featuring a warm yellow kitchen with attached patio, huge dining space, and a media room. An elevator leads to a more formal parlor level painted with a mural of Philadelphia's Schuylkill River, then to the master suite and to a children's floor that features a round playroom with built-in aquariums. There's also a guest suite on the top level and a tight parking area behind the house.

$89,900
135 Townsend Street,
Unit A-6, Dorchester
CONTACT Julie Simmons,
Jack Conway & Co.,
Dorchester, 617-288-0100,
jackconway.com

Other than its asking price, this 428-square-foot, one-bathroom studio doesn't have a whole lot going for it. Light is sorely lacking because of its "garden level" location and one tiny window. Stains and patchwork on the ceiling suggest leaks have been a problem. The building's wide hallways provide an all too clear reminder of its former life as a nursing home. But with 20 percent down, the mortgage on this unit would be under $500, and the $214 monthly condo fee includes heat and hot water. There's plenty of on-site parking, and the bus line is just a short walk away. A fresh coat of paint, new appliances and kitchen cabinets, and updated electrical fixtures could breathe some life into this tiny unit.