Photo: Two-families are just as quintessential Belmont as the Colonial.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 28-30 Gilbert Rd., Multi-family (1923). Sold: $825,000. Listed at $899,900. Living area: 2,050 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 79 days.

I keep calling the Colonial-style residential structure the “quintessential house in the Town of Homes.” But really, shouldn’t it be the humble two-family? It makes up nearly 40 percent of all housing in Belmont, are located in most neighborhoods and provide some of the limited numbers of affordable and rental housing in town. 

Gilbert Road, which is chock full of “twos,” is where the first house sale in 2018 took place. From the outside, there’s not much to 28-30 Gilbert with its boring white vinyl siding and inconspicuous front entry. But inside are a pair of “starter” homes, especially for Belmont – about 1,000 square feet, five rooms, two beds and a bath. The interior has retained much of the original molding, hardwood floors and period features such as built-in cabinet/hutch. There are no photos of the bedrooms so you can suspect they’re a bit tight space-wise but all in all, a good investment if they are turned into condos. 

Photo: The multi-family at 7 Pine St. in the arbor-named neighborhood at the corner of Belmont and Trapelo.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 7 Pine St., Multi-family (1913). Sold: $1,199,000. Listed at $1,299,000. Living area: 2,754 sq.-ft. 11 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 114 days. Last sold: Dec. 2004, $650,000.

• 32 Chester Rd., Multi-family (1918). Sold: $1,135,000. Listed at $1,199,000. Living area: 2,772 sq.-ft. 12 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 56 days. Last sold: Nov. 1987, $322,500.

• 50 Bartlett Ave., Condominium/converted multi-family (1927). Sold: $536,000. Listed at $489,000. Living area: 1,140 sq.-ft. 5 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 50 days. Last sold: Oct. 2015, $448,000.

• 158 Watson Rd., Colonial (1935). Sold: $1,040,000. Listed at $925,000. Living area: 1,962 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 42 days. Last sold: Oct. 1992, $295,000.

• 16-18 Watson Rd., Multi-family (1939). Sold: $912,500. Listed at $825,000. Living area: 2,273 sq.-ft. 11 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths. On the market: 44 days. Last sold: Nov. 1987, $322,500.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise multi-family homes – which makes up a significant proportion of residential structures in Belmont – would follow the lead of the traditional single-detached dwellings in the ever-increasing escalation in value and sales price in Belmont’s housing market. Take a look at 7 Pine, which oversees the busy intersection of Belmont and Trapleo in the neighborhood of arbor named streets. This section of town, developed a decade or two after the turn of the last century, has seen the myriad of two-families that distinguish the area really pop in popularity due, in part, to the unique post Victorian, pre-Colonial styles – affectionately dubbed “Old Style” by the Belmont Assessors in the town’s property database – and the affordability of renting or owning a condo conversion.

Returning to 7 Pine, the assessed value was remarkably stable for a decade from 2004 to 2014 in the upper $600,000. But in the past three years, the property has increased in value by a third (in one year alone, 2015 to 2016, the assessed value jumped $170,000) to $953,000 in ’18. The property did undergo $30,000 in permitted renovations (replacing the windows a few years back), but other than that, it’s just the bubble-like skyrocketing of the price-tag on anything “Belmont” that can explain the rise in value. It has two nice, smallish units – with an eye-popping color selected for the walls – with original woodwork/moulding, updated kitchen/baths and nice porches. The best feature, for anyone who walks by the place, will know, is the sort-of English-style garden and landscaping. 

Photo: A beautiful Old-Style single family near Town Field sold below list but still near seven figures.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 53-55 Alma Ave., Two-family (1916). Sold: $855,000. Listed at $879,000. Living area: 2,300 sq.-ft. 15 rooms, 5 bedrooms,2 baths. On the market: 65 days. Last sold: March 1968, $0. 

• 470 Pleasant St., Brick Tudor/Old Style (1929). Sold: $1,400,000. Listed at $1,295,000. Living area: 3,841 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths. On the market: 139 days. Last sold: Sept. 2003, $624,900.

• 39 Gilmore Rd., Pre-war Cape (1941). Sold: $765,000. Listed at $799,000. Living area: 1,587 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 30 days. Last sold: Oct. 2006, $672,500. 

Photo: A beautiful Old-Style single family near Town Field sold below list but still near seven figures.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 39 Davis Rd., Two-family (1925). Sold: $810,000. Listed at $819,000. Living area: 2,098 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 64 days. Last sold: Dec. 2006, $534,000

• 14 Gale Rd., Hip-roof Colonial (1935). Sold: $980,000. Listed at $925,000. Living area: 1,860 sq.-ft. 8 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 50 days. Last sold: a long time ago (no on-line record with Assessors Dept.)

• 22 Troy Rd., Garrison Colonial (1935). Sold: $869,000. Listed at $930,000. Living area: 1,574 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 97 days. Last sold: Aug. 2002, $545,000.

• 76 Claflin St., Sort of Dutch Colonial-ish that was expanded (1929). Sold: $1,525,000. Listed at $1,550,000. Living area: 3,217 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 full, 2 half baths. On the market: 24 days. Last sold: April. 2012, $1,005,000.

• 72 Upland Rd., Old-Style (1911). Sold: $915,000. Listed at $925,000. Living area: 1,856 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 85 days. Last sold: Oct. 1993, $263,000.