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.

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.

The spring market is off to a competitive start across Chicagoland suburbs, according to Mainstreet REALTORS®’ March data report. 

Boomers made up 42% of all homebuyers during the period from July 2024 to June 2025, unchanged from the same time a year prior. Millennials lost market share, making up 26% of buyers, down 3% year over year.

The average monthly payment on an outstanding home loan reached $2,005 in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to Realtor.com’s latest data based on FHFA figures.

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

Nationally, home sales in the 51 metro areas surveyed by REMAX declined 3.2% year over year and rose 11.1% month over month. 

Though the most lucrative week to list varies by city and region, spring is undoubtedly the smartest season to list.

Regionally, pending sales rose in the Midwest, South and West, and declined in the Northeast on a month-over-month basis.

U.S. home sales declined 6% year over year and 32% month over month in January, according to the latest REMAX National Housing Report.  

With mortgage rates approaching 6%, 5.5 million additional buyers that could not qualify for a mortgage one year ago would qualify at today’s lower rates, the National Association of REALTORS® said. 

Zillow’s Home Value Index shows that in 13 of the past 20 years, home values in the metro area of the Super Bowl champion grew faster than the national average.

The broader Chicagoland area, meanwhile, saw a slight uptick in sales during the year. 

Several suburban communities experienced significant declines in prices during December, however.