Either-Or: Lake Champlain vs. Jamaica Pond

Two listings. The same price. What’s worth it?

Welcome to Either-Or, where we compare two listings with the same price—one in Boston and one outside. Build your own conclusions.


Photos courtesy of Photo courtesy of LandVest, Inc-Burlington and RE/MAX Destiny

To remind you that price tags in Boston are a special breed, we’ve been presenting two homes listed at the same price from time to time. This round, it’s a battle of two pondside houses, where the decision comes down to a preference in backyard hangouts.

The first is an upgraded bungalow on the banks of Lake Champlain. Its bones date back to 1935, but the place exudes modern luxury. The second is a sizable unit near Jamaica Pond, offering two levels of living space, a yard, and a garage. Both homes share a price tag of $895,000.

843 Kimball Dock Rd., Ferrisburgh, VT
Price: $895,000
Size: 1,622 square feet
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2

15 Pershing Rd., Jamaica Plain
Price: $895,000
Size: 2,056 square feet
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 3

 

 

While the Vermont residence itself is not enormous, it sits on more than three acres of land—and at the edge of a 435-square-mile lake, to boot. It’s a year-round vacation cottage decked out in high-end finishes and top-of-the-line fixtures. Outside, there are decks overlooking the lake, and below, a quaint dock house gives you the feeling of floating over the water.

In Jamaica Plain, the unit off of Centre Street is steps from a considerably smaller body of water: Jamaica Pond. The home, though, is almost double the size of the Vermont cottage. It has the same amount of bedrooms, plus a wood-burning fireplace, a sunroom, a family room, and an office. There’s a good amount of outdoor space for a city pad, plus garage parking.

The biggest difference between the two properties? The breathing room. In terms of pricing, the Vermont house asks $522 per square foot, whereas the Jamaica Plain abode asks $435. While a cheaper price per square foot gets you city convenience and a few extra square feet, investing in a home up north buys you a fresh air-filled pocket of tranquility.