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On a Salary Basis, Owning in Chicago is Downright Affordable

We often hear about how affordable a given housing market is, but looking at the actual salary needed to buy is quite eye opening. #160427001 / gettyimages.com To comfortably own a home in the Chicagoland region, a prospective homebuyer

The Winter May Have Been Horrible, But Are People Really Leaving Chicago?

Population dynamics are changing all over the nation and you might be surprised to see which major metropolitan areas are on the rise and which are struggling. #176247121 / gettyimages.com Quite frankly, the rapidity with which many major American

The Latest New Home Sales Report, in 5 Easy Steps

The government came out with its latest report on new home sales late last week, but what do all those numbers actually mean? #480983989 / gettyimages.com We’ll get the obvious information out the way first: according to the latest numbers

Chicagoland Home Prices Post Best Increase in 25 Years in Case-Shiller

In general, home prices have been slowing down a bit in 2014; was that the case in our market, according to the latest Case-Shiller? #140196782 / gettyimages.com Home prices in the Chicagoland area rose by both monthly and yearly

The 10 Top-Selling Suburbs in Chicagoland

What suburbs in the wide world of Chicagoland saw the most single-family home sales in April? #176591515 / gettyimages.com Last week, we reported that home sales stumbled a bit in Chicagoland, falling nearly 10 percent in April from the

NAR Report: Why April is the Month for Existing-Home Sales

After falling the first three months of the year, existing-home sales reversed course in April, according to NAR. #176580616 / gettyimages.com Early Thursday morning, the National Association of Realtors released a report showing that in April, and for the first

Chicagoland Home Sales Stumble Again in April

April was another lackluster month for home sales in the Chicagoland area, according to new IAR numbers. #157181762 / gettyimages.com Home sales in the nine-county Chicagoland area fell 9.9 percent year-over-year in April to 8,391 homes sold, according to

Appraisal Complaints Way Down in 2014, but Structural Flaws Persist

Bad appraisals were one of the more implicit side effects of the housing downturn, but is the worst behind us? #83590748 / gettyimages.com Forty percent of any demographic is an awfully large chunk of people, and in 2010, at

Negative Equity Persists in Chicagoland in a Mega Way

Though home prices have risen, negative equity continues to affect many homeowners – though not equally. #459305223 / gettyimages.com Home prices have risen in dramatic ways the last couple of years, but quite a few properties remain in negative

The 7 Key Things to Know About the New Construction Market

As usual, many media outlets have been focusing on the screaming headlines on construction, but more important trends simmer below the surface. #466064835 / gettyimages.com By now, you’ve surely seen the screaming headlines – in April, housing starts skyrocketed

11% of Real Estate Agents Cannot Write

We’ve all seen listings with lackluster writing and grammar, but how common are those listings across the industry? #461174833 / gettyimages.com Bad grammar. Misspellings. ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Oh yes, we’re talking bad writing in real estate listings, something we

Great News: Delinquency Rate Falls to Lowest Level Since 2007

The U.S. mortgage markets have been improving gradually the last couple years, but the latest MBA data marks a significant accomplishment. #486080083 / gettyimages.com Yesterday, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) graced us with a wonderful piece of housing news

Builder Confidence Continues to Slip in May

May was another lackluster month for confidence in the homebuilding sector, according to the NAHB, as homebuilding ran into some economic barriers. #479533631 / gettyimages.com Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes in May fell one

The 5 Simple Reasons that Millennials are Not Buying Homes

Why on earth are Millennials not buying homes? It turns out there are pretty straightforward reasons behind their absence. #171287367 / gettyimages.com The housing market has, thus far in 2014, been putting up some pretty lukewarm numbers, and the relative

Chicagoland a Perfectly Accessible Market for Middle Class Buyers

We always hear about how homeownership is central to the middle class dream, and new data suggests that it’s quite feasible in our housing market. #485210071 / gettyimages.com Homeownership and the middle class go together like peanut butter and jelly

3 Things to Know About the Most Powerful Man in Housing

Mel Watt, the recently installed head of the FHFA, delivered his first major address on housing this week; here were the main takeaways. #171644428 / gettyimages.com Mel Watt, who is the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA),

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