The median listing price for new builds in Massachusetts topped $1 million last year.

Why it matters: New construction can help chip away at the state's shortage of housing stock, but it's not coming cheap to prospective homeowners.

The big picture: "As with everything in real estate, location is key," Realtor.com's Joel Berner tells Axios.

• New builds are cheaper than existing homes in Austin, Texas, where builders have cranked out more (relatively) affordable inventory.
• But the bulk of new construction in the Northeast is high-end, and there's less of it, Berner says.

The latest: The median listing price for a newly built home in January was $950,000, while the median listing price for existing homes dipped just below $700,000.

Zoom in: Median listing prices peaked for both types of homes last year — new builds in September with more than $1 million and existing builds in May at nearly $800,000.

• Fewer homes sold in 2024 compared to previous years, per data from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board.
• Multifamily homes are taking longer to sell, particularly with those with four-family units or more, per GBREB data.

Between the lines: Massachusetts officials unveiled a new plan last week to add 222,000 new housing units to address the state's housing crisis.

• Some of the state's recommendations are already in place, from the MBTA Communities Law making certain towns zone for multifamily housing near public transit stations to the new law permitting accessory dwelling units by right statewide.

Yes, but: The average Boston-area resident can't afford what's on the market in the meantime.

An analysis from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies suggests that the median home price in 2023 was 6.3 times the median income in Boston.

Tell a prospective homebuyer

At least 40 immigrant detainees at Plymouth County Correctional facility were transferred to New Mexico in early February. (GBH News)

Massachusetts is failing to protect students with disabilities as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, per a new federal report. (Globe)

🍗 Chick-fil-A is considering opening new locations in Dot and Mattapan. (Reporter)

• Chick-fil-A executives spent years trying to open in downtown Boston with resistance from the late Mayor Tom Menino over donations to anti-LGBTQ+ groups before opening a store near downtown in 2022.

💰 Epicore Biosystems, a Cambridge-based startup that makes wearable sweat-assessing sensors, raised $26 million in its latest funding round. (Axios)

The TSA says you have to get your Real ID by May 7.

Why it matters: After that date, Real IDs or valid passports will be required for domestic travel and entry into certain government facilities.

The Real ID is 20 years in the making after Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005.

• The law stems from a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission that the federal government have one standard source of identification because each state has its own requirements for residents to obtain driver's licenses.

Friction point: Some reasons for the decades of delays include states not wanting federal oversight of their ID systems, low compliance with actually getting the Real ID and pandemic-related administrative hurdles.

You need a Real ID if:

• You travel on a plane in the U.S. (and don't have a valid passport)
• Visit a military base
• Visit a secure federal building like a courthouse

You DON'T need a Real ID, only a driver's license to:

• Drive
• Vote
• Open a bank account
• Apply for or receive Veterans' or Social Security benefits
• Enter a post office
• Visit a hospital

How it works: You have to go to a Registry of Motor Vehicles facility to get your Real ID — you can't do this online.

• You need proof of ID (like a U.S. passport or birth certificate), proof of your Social Security Number (through your SSN card or a pay stub), two forms proving residence and proof of your signature.

Zoom out: Here's the full checklist.

We've got a long weekend ahead that's packed with local events.

• Check here for Black History Month events.

Thursday, 2/13

🎶 Pianist Jesse Taitt performs at GBH Jazz Nights at Boston Public Library, 5:30-6:30pm.

• Tickets are free, but registration is required.

Friday, 2/14

🎤 Tom Segura brings his "Come Together" tour to TD Garden, 8pm.

🛼 Join BCYF's Black History annual skate night at Chez Vous Skating Rink, 5-8pm.

Saturday, 2/15

🍜 Soup Fest returns to Bow Market with contenders ranging from sancocho to cream of mushroom, 12-4pm.

• Price: $38.

Sunday, 2/16

🐍 Join the Lunar New Year Festival at North Quincy High School, 11am-3pm.

Monday, 2/17

🐠 The aquarium will be extend its hours from 9am-6pm Monday through Friday for school vacation week.

• Catch the new film, "The Call of the Dolphins" in the Simons Theatre.
• Price: $44 for adults, $35 for children 3-11 (children 2 and under free).

Tell a friend who needs to leave the house

We're down to two finalists for Boston's most romantic spot: the scenic Public Garden bridge and the sprawling Arnold Arboretum.

Our thought bubble: We were expecting the Boston Common or Public Garden to win out one way or another, so we won't be surprised if the Arboretum gets knocked out.

Which is Boston's most romantic spot? Vote here and let us know.