The long-anticipated vision of the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac provides the public with the first concrete roadmap for returning the two firms to full private ownership.

Over three-fourths of survey respondents reported that being a homeowner has “made them a better person,” with about the same proportion saying that they’ve taken up new hobbies since closing on a home, like gardening, grilling and interior design.

New national data on apartment construction shows activity slowing down in a lot of markets, including Chicago. But there are several bright spots that are showing exceptional building activity.

Agents specializing in Chicago may be attracted to some parts of the suburbs as they become more desirable and livable for the newest generation of homebuyers — and vice versa. But it can be difficult to make the leap.

Lifelike images of fiery dragons adorn murals, beams, bannisters and tiles in this listing in Fort Lauderdale Beach, Florida.

Talk about low-impact living; this 4-bed, 4-bath midcentury home was specifically designed around its rocky lot in Mountain Center, California.

In her first State of the City address, Mayor Lightfoot says she’s willing to sacrifice her political career to solve Chicago’s budget crisis.

After two straight months of nationwide increases, the number of listings under contract by the end of July fell on a monthly basis.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index shows that home prices scored their 15th consecutive month of slowing year-over-year home-price growth. But there’s more to the story.

It’s no secret that monthly mortgage costs tend to be less than rent on average. But the differential is also having a dramatic effect on the other side of the spectrum: housing affordability.

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index for August showed Americans shared broadly strong views of the overall economy and their own financial health near the end of the summer.

Economists were expecting new-home sales to finish stronger in July, aided by low mortgage rates that act as an incentive for buyers.

The homebuilder community has regularly offered a succinct answer to the reason for its industry’s sluggishness, generally calling out labor, lumber, laws and land as pain points. But some researchers are poking holes in their assertions of late. 

Which areas of Chicagoland are seeing the highest increases and decreases in median sale prices?

Home sales activity is picking up this summer, thanks in part to historically low mortgage interest rates, and despite some worrisome signals on the broader economy as of late.

Statewide home sales were up 0.3 percent from last year and sales in Chicagoland were up 0.2 percent from July 2018. But looking solely at the city of Chicago, Illinois Realtors recorded a 5.3 percent year-over-year decrease in existing-home sales.