Suburban Chicago home prices continued to climb in April as overall sales activity slowed from a year ago, according to Mainstreet REALTORS®. 

Home prices continued to rise across the country in March, but the rate of increase slowed yet again, according to the latest S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Index. 

Houzz compared first quarter user activity to year-ago levels to determine the emerging home trends for summer 2026. Here’s what they found.

The pace of closed sales is only expected to increase through the summer, Illinois REALTORS® said. 

Despite a monthly decline, the rate of new-home construction still came in above consensus estimates. 

Homes that sold quickly in Chicago were significantly more likely to go above asking price than those in the broader market in early 2026, according to a Zillow analysis. 

Among the top 50 metro areas, Boston and Miami led the pack. 

Home prices increased in 71% of U.S. metro areas in the first quarter of 2026, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. 

Americans are prioritizing sunlight in their home search, with 44% saying they would choose a smaller home with more sunlight over a larger home with less sunlight, according to a Redfin report. 

The median-existing sales price for all housing types rose 0.9% year over year to $417,700, its 34th consecutive increase. 

Luxury spaces that focus on well-being, comfort and personal meaning are shaping everything in the home, from material selection and layout to color, light and more.

Nationally, home sales in the 50 metro areas surveyed by REMAX posted their largest monthly gain in three years, increasing 31.6%. 

The 2026 spring housing market is neither surging nor stalled, but moving forward as both buyers and sellers adjust their expectations.

Short answer: Yes. But not quite in the way mom and dad did it, according to a survey of over 2,000 American renters and would-be homeowners.

S&P Dow Jones Indices noted that inflation outpaced national home-price appreciation for the ninth month in a row.

That timeline is typical for a family saving 15% of their income, assuming a 15% down payment.