What 2024 holds for the Mass. housing market

Also: When oysters where the king of Christmas; Harvard's handling of plagiarism allegations [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  December 22, 2023 🧣Sunny, with a high near 34. Good Morning Boston, TGIF! We've made it to our final WBUR Today of 2023. Stay tuned next week for one more special-edition newsletter with things to do over the New Years Eve weekend. But before we say "[see you next year]( let's get to the news: - What to expect from the 2024 housing market: 2023 wasn't the best year for people on either side of the housing market in Massachusetts. [Record home prices]( and high interest rates made the state's already-short supply of homes unattainable for many prospective homebuyers. Meanwhile, though the high prices were good for some sellers, interest rates made it less attractive for owners to put their home up for sale and lock into a new mortgage. Home sales closed out the year on a notable low. But as WBUR's Zeninjor Enwemeka reports, there's some signs of change in 2024. - The latest: Home and condo sales in the Boston-area were down double digits last month, compared to November 2022, according to [a report released this week by the Greater Boston Association of Realtors](. It was the slowest November for home sales since 2010. At the same time, the median price of a single-family home fell again to $800,000, down from its record-high of $910,000 in July (though still over 5% higher than the median in November 2022.) - What's next: With inflation easing, some experts say the Federal Reserve [could start cutting interest rates in 2024](. David McCarthy, the outgoing head of the Massachusetts Realtors Association, told Zeninjor that some homeowners are waiting for those lower interest rates before they put their homes on the market. And with a lot of pent-up demand, some experts say the state's housing market is well-positioned for a rebound. “The number of millennials and Gen Xers in their prime home-buying years is substantial, as is the segment of baby-boomers looking to right-size," GBAR President Alison Socha said in a statement. - The big picture: Lower interest rates could get the market moving again, but prices are expected to stay high, due to the state's shortage of housing. While officials are working to encourage new housing production, McCarthy said there's no quick fix. "Because we've had such a drought of construction, this is the market we're going to have for the foreseeable future," he told Zeninjor. - Mask up: The Dana Farber Cancer Institute is once again requiring everyone to wear masks inside its facilities, due to an increase in respiratory illness in the region. The change in policy took effect this past Monday and will continue for "the foreseeable future." - The rise in illness includes an over 20% increase in COVID cases in Massachusetts in the past week, according to [state health data](. - Gov. Maura Healey's administration is opening an overnight shelter today in an [old Cambridge courthouse]( for families on [the waitlist for the state's emergency shelter program](. Officials say the site can accommodate up to 70 families with cots and limited amenities. - The move is part of the Healey administration's effort to use [$50 million]( from the [recent supplemental budget]( allocated to open overflow shelter sites. It has until the end of the year to do so. A rending to the renovated White Stadium in Franklin Park (BPDA) - Getting the ball rolling: While we wait on [the fate of the Revs' stadium in Everett]( another local pro soccer stadium is taking shape. This week, the group [bringing professional women's soccer back to Boston]( filed plans to renovate the team's future home: Franklin Park's White Stadium. Boston Unity Soccer Partners' [plans]( include adding roofing over the stadium's seats, increasing its capacity to 11,000 fans and replacing the current bleachers with bucket seats. It would add restrooms, new concession stations and a [leaf-inspired design](. - Teamwork makes the dream work: Boston Unity is responsible for half of the stadium renovation (the West Grandstand), while the city of Boston is renovating the east side. The city hasn't unveiled its plans yet, but the two sides are coordinating on the design. - The timeline: Construction is slated to start this upcoming spring and wrap up in early 2026 — just in time for [the inaugural season](. P.S.— 2023 has been a busy year: the MBTA continues to be in the headlines (and not usually for good reasons), there was a new monument unveiled on Boston Common, and a new industry got started in the state. Test your knowledge of what was in the news this year with a special edition of the [Boston News Quiz]( Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Harvard president to amend dissertation following new allegations of ‘inadequate citations’]( The latest examples have put past academic writings of Claudine Gay under further scrutiny during an already tumultuous tenure. But Harvard said an independent review found these new instances “did not constitute research misconduct.” [Read more.]( [Harvard president to amend dissertation following new allegations of ‘inadequate citations’]( The latest examples have put past academic writings of Claudine Gay under further scrutiny during an already tumultuous tenure. But Harvard said an independent review found these new instances “did not constitute research misconduct.” [Read more.]( [MBTA chief Eng tells Radio Boston the transit system's culture is improving]( It's been a little over a month since MBTA General Manager and CEO Phil Eng launched an elaborate repair blitz for Boston's crumbling subway system. Eng joins Radio Boston for a progress report. [Read more.]( [MBTA chief Eng tells Radio Boston the transit system's culture is improving]( It's been a little over a month since MBTA General Manager and CEO Phil Eng launched an elaborate repair blitz for Boston's crumbling subway system. Eng joins Radio Boston for a progress report. [Read more.]( [Gaza health officials say Israel's offensive has now killed more than 20,000 people]( Just more than 10 weeks into the conflict, the number of people killed in Gaza is nearing 1% of the territory's pre-war population. The rising death toll has fueled calls for Israel to shift strategy. [Read more.]( [Gaza health officials say Israel's offensive has now killed more than 20,000 people]( Just more than 10 weeks into the conflict, the number of people killed in Gaza is nearing 1% of the territory's pre-war population. The rising death toll has fueled calls for Israel to shift strategy. [Read more.]( [A New Hampshire man pleads guilty to threats and vandalism targeting NHPR journalists]( Prosecutors say a New Hampshire man pleaded guilty in a Boston federal court to threatening New Hampshire Public Radio journalists and vandalizing their homes. [Read more.]( [A New Hampshire man pleads guilty to threats and vandalism targeting NHPR journalists]( Prosecutors say a New Hampshire man pleaded guilty in a Boston federal court to threatening New Hampshire Public Radio journalists and vandalizing their homes. [Read more.]( [More patients are losing their doctors – and their trust in the primary care system]( In Rhode Island, safety-net clinics are under new pressures as clinicians retire or burn out. Patients report that it's harder to find care, and they're losing connections to familiar doctors. [Read more.]( [More patients are losing their doctors – and their trust in the primary care system]( In Rhode Island, safety-net clinics are under new pressures as clinicians retire or burn out. Patients report that it's harder to find care, and they're losing connections to familiar doctors. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - There was a time when oysters reigned supreme on Christmas menus in New England. [Read this history lesson from WBUR's Andrea Shea]( how they got so popular, why their holiday stardom faded and the many, let's say, interesting recipes, including an "Oyster Loaf Bake." - Ok, so [pastries]( and [cannoli]( don't do it for you? How about cookies? Radio Boston hosted two local chefs to share two of their favorite holiday treats. Dig into [both of the recipes on our website](. - Vermont native and Watertown resident Noah Kahan was the big winner at this week's Boston Music Awards. But with Kahan not in attendance, other local independent artist soaked up most of the spotlight. WBUR's Amelia Mason has [a recap of the night here.]( - Check out the top 10 most-read WBUR opinion pieces of 2023 — plus a few other editors' picks — in [this year-in-review Cognoscenti post](.  What We're Reading 📚 - A Boston building, scattered souls, and rent control revisited ([The Boston Globe]( - Cover the Republican Primary! ([Semafor]( - Just how rich were the McCallisters in ‘Home Alone’? ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [Springfield students mark college application season with annual march]( About 150 students from the Springfield Renaissance School recently took a brief morning walk through the city to a post office, participating in an annual national event known as the “college march.” [Read more.]( [Springfield students mark college application season with annual march]( About 150 students from the Springfield Renaissance School recently took a brief morning walk through the city to a post office, participating in an annual national event known as the “college march.” [Read more.]( Listen: The Common shares [some Noche Buena traditions]( from East Boston. Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: [Quincy Center appreciation post?]( 😎 Forward to a friend. 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