‘It’s just crickets’: An uptick of apartment vacancies in Boston suggests a decline in student enrollment

Amid the decline in international and graduate students, vacancy rates have ticked up near major universities Longtime Cambridge real estate agent Dino Confalone manages a rental property north of Kendall Square, where housing demand is typically sky-high. Near MIT and the Red Line, it’s furnished with a leather sectional, an extra-wide fridge, and a manicured backyard. And despite rent of $6,250 a month, it’s usually a breeze to lease to visiting scholars who are only here for shorter periods and do not want to live out of a hotel. “I’ve never, ever had an issue getting people in there,” said...