Sure, existing-home sales were up, but there was another side of NAR’s report that suggested even better things for housing. Last week, the National Association of Realtors announced that existing-home sales in October posted their first yearly increase in

Are the usual suspects at the top of the heap, or did October’s market offer some surprises? All hail the Near North Side! As was the case the previous month, Near North was the top-selling neighborhood in Chicago in

Google’s first foray into housing data has yielded some encouraging – albeit sobering – numbers for the housing recovery. Earlier this month, we reported that Google and Auction.com were diving head-first into the real estate data game with NowCast,

The manner in which prospective homebuyers search for residences suggests very interesting things about the housing market. About a month ago, we reported on what has been a radical upheaval to how real estate functions: 43 percent of homebuyers

What suburban markets in Chicagoland saw the most home-sale activity in the month of October? Earlier today, we reported that Chicagoland’s overall housing market continued to normalize in October, with sales falling, prices rising and greater balance coming to

Though the latest housing report on Chicagoland home sales would seem distressing, it’s all a matter of perspective. Home sales in the nine-county Chicagoland area slipped 3.3 percent year-over-year in October, falling to 9,146, according to the latest analysis

As has been the case for some time now, the residential construction market rose and fell on the strength of multifamily housing. Residential construction saw disappointing numbers in October, and as has been the case during the whole housing

The term “affordability” is thrown around quite a bit, but when it concerns the middle class, the scenario is all the more interesting. Chicagoland is the second-most affordable large metro area in the nation, with 67 percent of the

Looking for a good mortgage rate? All you need is good credit and a lot of money. #77931886 / gettyimages.com In recent years, expectant homebuyers vying for a good mortgage rate have faced dire odds as once loose lending

Though Americans feel better towards housing, wider economic concerns persist – which, in turn, affect the housing market. #470896401 / gettyimages.com It’s become quite clear, in 2014, that housing’s recovery will depend in large part on wider economic trends,

Seventy-seven percent of buyers say they’ll know immediately when they’ve found their ideal home, according to a survey of about 2,500 Americans by BMO Harris Bank. Unfortunately, the house hunting process takes time, and not all buyers exude confidence during

Our new construction market, according to new data, is among the nation’s best. #128108910 / gettyimages.com Through September of 2014, Chicago had the No. 6 new construction market in the country. According to fresh numbers from Dodge Data & Analytics, Chicago’s construction

New measures from regulators promise to help ease lending standards, but are they enough? #459151625 / gettyimages.com The recent announcement by federal regulators to enact an assortment of measures aimed at easing lending standards has thrown many in the

Cash investors continue to stay away from the real estate market, keeping cash sales relatively low. Cash sales remain steady in the month of August, according to a new report from CoreLogic. Though the market is continue to shed

The emotions that Illinois homebuyers most often experience may surprise you. Homebuyers experience many emotions when searching for a home, but what emotions do Illinois homebuyers experience the most often?  That was the question of a BMO Harris study

The share of households featuring roommates has been on a steady rise the last few years, and the cause could not be more straightforward. Housing affordability is a common topic of coverage here at Chicago Agent, and for good reason