What Boston neighborhood are you considering buying into? The choice is certainly wide. But before you think about whether you'd prefer the Victorian Mattapan over the diverse National Trust neighborhood of Roslindale, you have a few other things to take into account.

Financing almost always comes first in any real estate transaction. If you're a first-time home buyer you have a real advantage in choosing your Boston neighborhood and getting financing. Otherwise--and even if you are new to real estate, for that matter--you must qualify. You need to have an adequate down payment or your mortgage payments can be prohibitive, assuming a lender is willing to make a loan on a down payment of less than five or 10 percent.

One factor that figures into most real estate transactions we often take very much for granted (but shouldn't) is "The Move." Both the expense and the headache of "The Move" can be considerable. Whether you hire a professional or rent a truck, the more research and preparation you undertake, the smoother moving day to your new Boston neighborhood will be. The best place to start might be your local Better Business Bureau, which you can find online, so there's no inconvenience.

Boston Neighborhood Overview

The city of Boston is small geographically, occupying only 48.4 square miles. It has more than 20 distinct and highly individual neighborhoods--with different histories, different names and different styles. Boston, this is to say, is not simply Beacon Hill and Back Bay or even Mission Hill. It is far more than that. No Boston neighborhood can be too easily mistaken for another, and together they define the city. You can learn more about them by exploring their streets or the City of Boston website.