Trends

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Existing-Home Sales Down in October for 2nd Straight Month

Inventory shortages continued to cramp existing-home sales’ style, according to the latest analysis by NAR. Existing-home sales were down for the second month in a row in October, falling 3.2 percent from September, according to the National Association of

The 5 Key Characteristics of Homes Purchased in 2013

What types of homes have proven most popular with homebuyers in 2013? We take a look at recent NAR data to find out. Consumer preferences are an ever shifting, evolving landscape, and few regions of the economy shift more

IAR: Chicagoland Home Sales Up 9.6% in October

Though the expected seasonal slowdowns are in force, Chicagoland nonetheless posted strong housing numbers in October. Homes sales in the nine-country Chicagoland area rose 9.6 percent year-over-year in October, with the area posting 9,303 sales for the month, according

NAHB: Builder Confidence Unchanged in November

Builder confidence held steady in November, with more builders seeing conditions as good than bad. Builder confidence for the newly built, single-family home marketplace was unchanged in November from a downwardly revised level of 54 in the latest National

Is Housing in Chicago Still Undervalued?

The housing market has seen strong price gains through much of 2013, but has it made up all that lost ground from the downturn? Let’s start with the good news: there’s no way that the national housing market is

Homebuyer and Seller Trends for 2013

According to the 2013 National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers survey, while housing has been recovering for the past two years, restrictive mortgage lending standards are preventing some financially qualified buyers from reaching their dreams,

How Pricey, Really, is Chicago’s Condo Market?

We often hear about how expensive condos are in our area, but how do they compare to other metro areas in the U.S.? Condo prices nationwide continued to increase in October, according to new analysis by the folks at

The 13 Ways That Home Size Impacts Room Size

There are many components to a house, but how does the house’s overall size impact the space of those components? The last couple of weeks, we’ve been looking at the typical sizes of newly built single-family homes, and how

3 Key Trends that Could Shape Housing

We keep wondering when/if the government will reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but key trends will determine how those reforms take place. It’s the question on many a real estate professional’s mind – when will the government get

NAR’s 2013 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers: Homebuyer Characteristics

Christmas comes early every year for the Chicago Agent staff with the release of the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers from NAR. Rejoice – ’tis the most wonderful time of the year! No, we’re not celebrating an early

The 4 Most Common Homebuilder Incentives – Then and Now

Homebuilder incentives were commonplace in the housing market in the months following the market crash, but how common are they now? In the months following the housing crash, homebuilders across the country were presented with a most unique of

How Many Sellers in Chicagoland Lower Their Asking Prices?

How common is it for home sellers in our area to lower their asking prices? And how do we compare with other major metro areas? Signs have been quite clear in recent months that the housing market has noticeably

Is Consumer Interest in Housing Starting to Wane?

The housing market experienced a great swing of activity in the summer months, but what’s happening now as the market starts to cool? Homebuyer interest may have surged to its highest level in years during the summer homebuying season,

MBA: Chicagoland’s Foreclosure Inventory Down 33%

The health of Chicagoland’s housing market continued to improve, according to the latest market research by the Mortgage Bankers Association. Foreclosure inventory in Chicagoland fell a hefty 33 percent year-over-year in the third quarter, according to the latest National

Trulia: Chicago Asking Prices Jump 16.4% in October

Asking prices seem to be slowing down nationwide, but is that the case here in Chicago? October was a very positive month for Chicagoland’s asking prices, with the metro area posting some of the best numbers in the nation

The 6 Reasons that Chicago Homeowners Invest in Improvement Projects

We’re often told how great home improvement projects are for home sellers, but what are the actual reasons that sellers pursue such projects? Home improvement projects are often pegged as one of the grandest reasons for owning a home

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