Listed for $1,295,000

There is a certain kind of home where you can feel the hand of its maker.

At 118 Pearl Street, that presence is unmistakable—guided by both an artist’s eye and a builder’s understanding, shaping a space that feels both thoughtful and unexpected.

When the current owner purchased the property in 1997, it required far more than cosmetic change. Starting at the core, she rewired and replumbed the entire home, then turned her attention to the structure itself—most notably the central staircase, rebuilt from the ground up, its original spindles carefully replicated and the whole anchored with intention to the neighboring brick wall. It is both a functional spine and a quiet expression of craft, connecting each level with continuity and care.

From there, the transformation became more nuanced. Every surface was considered, not just for how it looks, but for how it lives. Color, texture, and form are used with confidence—heated floors underfoot, high ceilings above, and a series of thoughtfully placed built-ins and architectural moments that gently shape the space. Rather than closing rooms off, these elements create subtle divisions, framing sightlines and carving out places to gather, work, and pause, while preserving a sense of openness and flow. There is a rhythm to it, almost garden-like in its design—layered, intuitive, and quietly surprising.

A private entrance leads into a welcoming foyer with generous coat storage, before the home opens upward to the main living level. Here, living, dining, and kitchen spaces unfold with ease, accompanied by a full bath and a study that offers flexibility for work, guests, or simply a place apart.

The kitchen, completed in 2024, reflects the same balance of beauty and utility. Thoughtfully designed for someone who truly cooks, it features a Ruvati workstation sink with double Kohler faucets, Bosch appliances, and expansive counters that invite use. Glass-front cabinetry frames its contents against a backdrop of exposed brick, and a remarkable pantry—more akin to a small room than a closet—adds a rare and practical luxury.

Upstairs, beneath the lines of the mansard roof, two bedrooms are tucked into the architecture, offering a sense of calm and separation from the living spaces below. The primary bath feels like a retreat, with three skylights bringing in soft natural light, heated floors, a soaking tub, and a separate shower with stone detailing. A laundry room on this level adds an everyday ease that is both simple and essential.

A secondary staircase leads to a full, unfinished basement with high ceilings—an expansive and highly usable space for storage, projects, or future possibilities, the kind of workspace rarely found in a home of this scale.

Set on the corner of Pearl and Lopez Streets, the home is filled with natural light throughout the day and enjoys a sense of openness and elevation. Mornings are often accompanied by birdsong, a small but meaningful reminder of the balance between city life and something quieter.

Outside, a modest garden wraps the home—just enough to tend and enjoy without demanding constant attention. The surrounding neighborhood offers a rich and connected way of living, with easy access to public transportation, nearby markets including Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, and the many shops, cafés, and restaurants of both Central and Harvard Squares, as well as the Charles River nearby. Parks, including Dana Park and a neighborhood playground, add another layer of ease to daily life.

Part of a two-unit association within a classic attached mansard building, 118 Pearl Street offers the rare combination of thoughtful design, practical livability, and a location that supports a truly connected Cambridge lifestyle.

Property Details

Interior

Size: 1,688 square feet
Rooms: 6
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 2 full
Storage: The majority of the unfinished basement is dedicated to Unit 2

Exterior

Material: Clapboard
Roof: Asphalt/fiberglass (2023) and rubber
Outdoors: Private garden beds in the back close to the driveway and the garden beds around the perimeter of the house
Parking: On-street with permit

Systems

Heat: 2 zones of Forced hot water baseboards on top floor, radiant heat under the bamboo floors on main floor. 2 zones of Forced Hot air heat if desired; Primary bathroom has its own zone of electric radiant heat
Cooling: Heat pump, 2 zones (2024)
Electrical: Circuit breakers, 200 amps
Hot Water: Tankless by gas (2019)
Laundry: Laundry room on the second level of the unit
Windows: Single paned with storms
Insulation: Open cell insulation under the roof in the attic 2015. Exterior has cellulose insulation. Rockwool between the floors for sound deadening

Other

Year Built: 1874
Converted: 1999
Taxes: $7,684.12 without residential exemption ($4,179.94 with residential exemption)
Monthly Fee: $461/mo.
Fee Includes: Master insurance, water, sewer, common electricity, some snow removal, reserves
Occupancy: 2 of 2 units are owner occupied
Rental Policy: 12 month minimum
Pet Policy: Pets permitted
Reserves: $20,790.12

Disclosures

The owners of 118 Pearl Street have been discussing with the owners of 120 Pearl Street the possibility of replacing clapboards on the front and rear façades prior to repainting the building. Funds for both the clapboard work and exterior painting have been set aside in the association reserves. Nothing has been formally decided at this time.