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Massachusetts housing trends: Homes, condos taken off market at faster rate than in 2024

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Massachusetts housing trends: Homes, condos taken off market at faster rate than in 2024


Though the median single-family home price continues to jump in Massachusetts, housing units are being taken off the market at a faster rate than a year ago.

The Bay State saw 2,136 single-family home sales in February, a rate that is 4.2% higher than the 2,050 transactions in February 2024, despite median prices rising 4.9% from the year before to $575,000, according to the Warren Group.

“In a continuation of trends set at the end of 2024, the number of single-family home sales and the median sale price are both up slightly from a year before,” said Cassidy Norton, Associate Publisher and Media Relations Director of the Warren Group.

Last year, the Massachusetts housing market recorded an all-time high for the median single-family home price as it reached $615,000, a 7.9% rise on a year-over-year basis.

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If the first two months of this year are any indicator, prices could reach yet another all-time high as the median sing-family home sales spiked 5.5% to $580,000 in January and February, according to data the Warren Group published on Tuesday.

More than 4,765 single-family homes have been taken off the market so far this year, a 7% increase in the amount through the first two months of 2024.

Norton also noted that condominium sales followed broadly the same patterns as single-family homes, with 2,266 condos sold in the first two months of 2025, a 10.5% increase from 2024.

“The 10% year-to-date increase in sales may reflect an increase in inventory,” Norton said in a statement, “potentially illustrating a loosening in the market.”

In a report last week, the Massachusetts Association of Realtors highlighted how the median sales price for single-family homes decreased in February from January – the fourth consecutive month that costs have lowered from the month before.

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Prices for single-family homes dropped by 1.6% to $600,000 and condominiums lowered by 4.5% to $534,950 from January, the MAR report indicates.

“Following a strong surge of new listings in January, February brought snowstorms and freezing temperatures, which delayed activity, with sellers remaining hesitant to put their homes on the market and buyers deterred from searching,” the report states.

“With the weather improving and median sales price decreasing,” the report adds, “it offers sellers the opportunity to put their properties back on the market and for buyers to enter a more active market.”

Massachusetts’ ongoing housing crisis remains at the top of mind for state policymakers.

Gov. Maura Healey released a “comprehensive housing plan” last month, outlining strategies to lower costs and build 220,000 new units over the next decade to mitigate the state’s ongoing housing crisis.

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Strategies that could lead to a 7% increase in housing units statewide by 2035 include protecting, preserving and restoring affordable homes; providing direct subsidies and increasing access to homeownership for first-time homebuyers; preventing evictions and foreclosures; and working with employers on workforce housing needs.

“At the root of our challenge with the costs is a shortage of homes,” Healey said last month. “And it’s a shortage, as I say, that has built up over many years, as our state was not building the housing that we needed to keep pace with our economic growth.”



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Massachusetts

French-Mediterranean Eatery Charts Opening In Boston

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French-Mediterranean Eatery Charts Opening In Boston


BOSTON, MA — An international restaurant group with locations across the globe is preparing to open its first Massachusetts restaurant this year.

LPM Restaurant & Bar, a French Riviera-inspired restaurant founded in London, is set to open on the second floor of the Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street in Back Bay, according to Four Seasons. The hotel lists the restaurant as “Opening Summer 2026,” while the Boston Business Journal reported the restaurant plans to open in September.

The Boston restaurant will mark LPM’s debut in the Northeast and its third U.S. outpost, following locations in Miami and Las Vegas, according to a Four Seasons announcement.

LPM, also known as La Petite Maison, was founded in London in 2007 and is known for French-Mediterranean food, Mediterranean ingredients and dining rooms influenced by Belle Époque design.

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The business operates locations in London, Dubai, Miami, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Riyadh, Limassol, Doha, Mykonos, Kuwait, Boston, Maldives and Bangkok.

Four Seasons said LPM will take over the space that formerly housed One Dalton’s breakfast concept, One + One. The restaurant will join other dining options at the hotel, including Zuma and Trifecta.

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Massachusetts high school under investigation after teachers diagnosed with breast cancer

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Massachusetts high school under investigation after teachers diagnosed with breast cancer


A Massachusetts high school is under investigation after “several” teachers have been diagnosed with breast cancer or precancerous conditions.

The state Department of Public Health is set to visit Uxbridge High School on Thursday to “conduct a series of air quality tests,” to determine whether the multiple cases are potentially connected.

Superintendent David Ljungberg and Principal Michael Rubin alerted families and district staff on Monday of the “sombering news,” after Uxbridge High School’s graduation over the weekend.

“We are writing to inform you about a concern we are investigating at Uxbridge High School,” Ljungberg and Rubin stated in the letter. “Several female teachers have been diagnosed with breast cancer or precancerous conditions over the past few years.”

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“It is, of course, possible that these multiple cases are not connected to one another,” the leaders added, “but out of abundance of caution, we are looking into any environmental factors at the school that may be a factor in their diagnoses.”

The 123,000-square-foot school, with an enrollment of roughly 600, was constructed in 2012 at a cost of $45 million, including a $22-million state reimbursement.

Uxbridge school leaders say they notified the state Department of Health and local health board as soon as they became aware of the cases, seeking “counsel about how best to proceed.”

“Massachusetts DPH officials have indicated that there is no evidence of immediate danger in the building and no reason to limit access to or use of the facility at this time,” they wrote in their letter. “In fact, the public health officials have commended our decision to approach them with these concerns, our readiness to partner with them in support of the evaluation process.”

Health officials are assessing the school’s interior and exterior to “ensure there are no issues with the infrastructure that would present risks (including electrical, plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, and other systems)” and the indoor and outdoor air quality on campus.

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The superintendent and principal said that state officials have ruled out water supply as a “risk factor” after “thorough testing.”

“The team has reached out to the women who have been diagnosed, requesting data to evaluate whether there may be a connection among their cases,” Ljungberg and Rubin wrote. “We are grateful for their cooperation.”

They added that the state has said discovering an environmental “smoking gun” is “rare” in workplace investigations.

“However, even if a direct causal link is not established,” the leaders wrote, “the administration is utilizing this process to rigorously test the building and guarantee that it meets all safety standards moving forward.”

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Gov. Healey backs bill to keep Mass. bars open until 3 a.m. this summer

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Gov. Healey backs bill to keep Mass. bars open until 3 a.m. this summer


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The legislation would allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol one hour later than their normal closing time, up to 3 a.m., between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2026.

The proposal has received support from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and most recently Gov. Maura Healey, who submitted written testimony Monday to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies urging lawmakers to advance the measure. (Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff)

Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a measure that would allow cities and towns to temporarily extend bar and restaurant hours during the summer, as the state prepares to host FIFA World Cup matches and celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The legislation (H.5465) filed by state Rep. Carole Fiola, would allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol one hour later than their normal closing time, up to 3 a.m., between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2026. The bill would also allow communities to establish designated public consumption districts where alcohol could be consumed in approved public spaces.

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In a press release announcing the bill, Fiola said the summer’s threefold events lineup — the World Cup, Tall Ships, and July 4th — is an economically significant moment that the state should take advantage of.

“We should capitalize on these events that will generate economic benefits for small businesses and the state as a whole. It’s a local opt-in idea worth exploring that’s being done in other states,” Fiola said.

The proposal has received support from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and most recently Gov. Maura Healey, who submitted written testimony Monday to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies urging lawmakers to advance the measure.

“Massachusetts is planning for a once-in-a-generation summer,” Healey wrote, according to the Boston Globe. “In 2026, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, welcome tall ships from around the world to Boston Harbor for Sail Boston, and host seven FIFA World Cup matches in Foxborough, along with watch parties across the Commonwealth.”

The governor argued that the added flexibility could help local economies benefit from an influx of visitors.

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“That flexibility can help communities capture more visitor spending, support jobs, keep downtowns active, and strengthen Massachusetts’ image as a dynamic destination ready to host the world and a place our residents, including our young professionals, are proud to call home,” Healey wrote.

She also urged lawmakers to move the legislation forward, saying it will “help Massachusetts meet the full economic and cultural opportunities for the summer ahead.”


  • Rhode Island bill proposes 24-hour bar hours during World Cup

In Rhode Island, a similar bill to allow bars and restaurants to remain open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup was signed into law on Friday.

Fiola’s bill remains before the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. Any final version would require approval from both the House and Senate before reaching Healey’s desk.

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Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.

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