Marie Schutt is the managing editor of Chicago Agent

No one can predict exactly what will happen in the future, but that doesn’t stop us from rounding up a panel of local real estate leaders every year and asking them to try!

This year’s panel answered the usual questions about wage growth, demand and inventory. They told us what they think will happen with interest rates, how building regulations may evolve and how they feel Chicagoland’s job markets will fare. They also told us how the current student debt crisis could factor into the housing market next year, what role virtual reality will play in real estate moving forward, and how the growing issue of affordability could shape up in 2017.

There is no crystal ball that can show us what will happen, but this issue is the next best thing, so head to page 14 to see what our panelists say is on the horizon.