Massachusetts has awarded $161 million in grants for local economic development projects in 171 communities aimed at creating thousands of additional housing units statewide.

Juliana de Freitas Silva of Milford has joined ERA Key Realty Services Whitinsville office as a Realtor. 

The median price of a new home sold during the month was also up, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

Meanwhile, an increase in inventory brought some softening to median selling prices last month.

Sales slid 1% compared to August, the National Association of REALTORS® said. 

For the third year in a row, Massachusetts has been named one of the 10 safest states in the U.S., according to WalletHub’s 2024 Safest States in America list.

Five Massachusetts communities are once again some of America’s most expensive ZIP codes, according to a new PropertyShark report.

New listings for single-family homes and condominiums increased for the first time in three months in September.

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate climbed to 6.44%. 

Azora Exan purchased 149 Newbury St., one of the newest properties in the city, from L3 Capital.

The 62-unit apartment building is located behind the museum’s new wing on two properties at 14 Palace Road and 11 Tetlow St. 

Multifamily starts, meanwhile, declined, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said.    

Work is set to begin on the first of five phases to redevelop the Boston Housing Authority’s Faneuil Gardens public housing development in Brighton.

October’s increase comes as inflation slows and mortgage rates decline. 

Meanwhile, single-family home and condo sales were down from last year. 

At the same time, the median-sales price declined from August, according to the RE/MAX National Housing Report.