Market Intelligence
Chicago Market Trends
Data-driven insights on Chicago's real estate market — prices, inventory, neighborhood movements, and what it all means for buyers and sellers.
Live Market Data
Interactive market analytics powered by MRED — updated daily with the latest sales data, price trends, and inventory levels.
Chicago Market Watch: The July Numbers Just Landed — and the Headline Is Louder Than the Truth
Illinois REALTORS® just published July, and the number everyone will quote is a 13.3% jump in the median sale price. That's real — but a single month runs hot, and the steadier read is the year-to-date figure up 6.8%. Either way the story is the same one Chicago keeps telling: inventory down 26%, homes selling in 21 days, and a mortgage rate that eased for a second straight week to 6.65% without changing any of it. Here's what actually moves your decision this week, whether you're buying or selling.
August 21, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: Rates Dipped and Applications Ticked Up — Don't Mistake a Stir for a Different Market
The 30-year fixed eased to 6.67% this week, and Freddie Mac noted buyers are already responding — purchase and refinance applications are rising on even modest rate moves. But a two-basis-point dip doesn't change a Chicago market where inventory is down nearly 29% and the median just set a record. Here's where the real leverage lives right now, and why the block matters more than the basis points, whether you're buying or selling this August.
August 14, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: The Rate Just Crossed Above Last Year's — and the Market Didn't Flinch
The 30-year fixed edged up to 6.69% this week, which quietly nudges today's rate just above where it sat a year ago — the first time in a while that comparison has run the wrong way. Yet a Chicago market with record prices and inventory down nearly 29% hasn't blinked. Here's why scarcity, not the rate, is still setting the terms — and what that means whether you're buying or selling this August.
August 7, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: Rates Hit a Summer High as the Calendar Turns to Fall
The 30-year fixed jumped to 6.66% this week — its highest of the summer and the sharpest step up in weeks. But as July ends and the fall market comes into view, the rate isn't the story that matters most. Here's what the seasonal turn means for your leverage, whether you're buying or selling into August.
July 31, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: The Luxury Tier Runs on Its Own Clock
Rates ticked up to 6.58% this week and the citywide median hit a fresh high of $427,500. But the $1M-and-up market — the tier we live in — plays a different game: more room to breathe than the broader market, and yet sellers holding their prices even firmer. Here's how the high end really moves, and what it means if you're buying or selling above a million this summer.
July 24, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: The National Housing Story Isn't Chicago's Story
Rates ticked up to 6.55% this week, and Freddie Mac says national inventory is rising while buyer demand softens. Chicago is doing the opposite — inventory down 30%, homes gone in 24 days. Here's why the headlines you're reading may not describe your block, and what that means if you're buying or selling this summer.
July 17, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: We're the Fastest-Appreciating Big City in America
New national data puts Chicago at the top of all 20 major metros for home-price growth — a 6.5% annual gain that outpaces New York and Cleveland. Rates nudged back up to 6.49% this week, but that's the small story. Here's what leading the country actually means for buyers and sellers block by block.
July 10, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: Your Widest Selection of the Year Is on the Shelf Right Now
Mid-July is quietly the deepest inventory window of the year — more homes to choose from than any month since winter — even as the market stays firmly seller-friendly. Rates held at 6.49% this week. Here's why the buyer who shops in the next few weeks has more leverage than the calendar suggests.
July 10, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: Rates Hit a Seven-Week Low as the Second Half Begins
Mortgage rates just eased to 6.43% — the lowest in seven weeks — right as 2026 hits its midpoint. My halftime read on the Chicago market: condos quietly leading the price gains, a busy pending pipeline in the luxury tier, and what both halves of the year mean for your next move.
July 3, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: The City's Median Just Hit $420K — and Homes Are Selling Faster
The fresh May numbers are in: Chicago's citywide median sale price climbed to $420,000 and homes sold in a median of 24 days — the quickest pace of the year — even with rates ticking up to 6.49%. Here's my read on a market that's competing on speed, not discounts.
June 26, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: Fresh Listings Are Landing — Here's Where Buyers Finally Have Room
More than 1,200 new listings hit our coverage area in the last month — the fastest pace of the year — yet supply still tightened. Here's my read on the summer inventory wave, the neighborhoods where sellers are cutting, and where they're holding firm.
June 19, 2026
Chicago Market Watch: Rates Tick Up, and Buyers Keep Coming Anyway
The 30-year fixed edged up to 6.52% this week, but Chicago buyers aren't blinking — citywide homes are selling in about 26 days and inventory is down 28% from a year ago. Here's my mid-June read on rates, prices, and where the leverage actually sits.
June 12, 2026
Chicago's HomeGrown Grant: Up to $70,000 for Buyers in 2026
Chicago's new HomeGrown program gives eligible buyers up to $70,000 toward a down payment and closing costs. Here's exactly how it works and who qualifies.
June 2, 2026
Chicago Condo Market: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know
Condo-specific market analysis for Chicago — prices, assessments, HOA considerations, best neighborhoods, and new construction vs resale in 2026.
April 3, 2026
First-Time Buyer's Guide to Chicago in 2026
Everything first-time buyers need to know about purchasing a home in Chicago — programs, neighborhoods, tips, and what to expect in today's market.
April 3, 2026
Investment Property Outlook: Best Chicago Neighborhoods for Rental Income
Where to invest in Chicago rental properties in 2026 — rental yields, emerging neighborhoods, landlord considerations, and 1031 exchange strategies.
April 3, 2026
What Today's Mortgage Rates Mean for Chicago Buyers
Current mortgage rates explained — what 6.5% means for your buying power, how it compares historically, and strategies for buyers in this rate environment.
April 3, 2026
Chicago Neighborhood Price Trends: Where Values Are Moving
Which Chicago neighborhoods are appreciating fastest, which are cooling, and where the best value opportunities are in 2026.
April 3, 2026
Q1 2026 Chicago Real Estate Market Report
A data-driven look at Chicago's Q1 2026 housing market — median prices, inventory, days on market, and what the numbers mean for buyers and sellers.
April 3, 2026