2021 was a fascinating year for the real estate market — particularly in Chicagoland. Check out the hometown stories which most interested our Chicago readers.

2021 was a wild year for real estate and Chicago Agent covered it all, from COVID-era protections and court rulings to charting changes within large national firms. Take a look at which stories from the year generated the most interest with our readers.

The median sales price of new homes hit a new high of $416,900.

Throughout the year, our monthly cover stories reflected the changing tides of the real estate market. Check out the top 10 issues which most interested our readers during this remarkable year.

The seasonal housing cooldown may end early this year according to Zillow’s latest market report.

The median sales price of detached single-family homes rose 8.5%, compared to November 2020, while the price of attached homes rose 10.3%.

The median existing-home sales price for all housing types rose again on an annual basis, marking 117 consecutive months of gains.

You’ve heard of Gothic architecture … but what about goth architecture? A certain listing in Lincoln, Ill. is trending for its shocking black exterior.

Eviction filings are rising as millions of Americans are being forced from their homes months after lawmakers allowed the federally imposed eviction moratorium to expire. 

“The market is roaring along, with only half the seasonal slowdown we typically see from October to November.” — RE/MAX LLC President Nick Bailey

GreenState Credit Union, one of the largest credit unions in the Midwest, has purchased Midwest Community Bank and its subsidiary Blueleaf Lending.

The partnership will help potential homeowners find down-payment assistance programs to make homeownership more attainable, especially for first-time buyers.

The pandemic and work-from-home orders have changed where, when and why people buy homes. As a result, housing prices hit the highest median of all time in 2021, as the number of homes for sale fell to an all-time low and the demand for second homes surged, according to a new Redfin report. 

The National Association of REALTORS®  applauded President Joe Biden’s nomination of acting Federal Housing Finance Agency director Sandra Thompson to serve in a permanent capacity.. “Her talents and experience will benefit the enterprises, homeowners and home buyers and the mortgage-financing ecosystem,” NAR President Leslie Rouda Smith said in a press release.

LoanSnap said it used  its innovative AI technology, affectionately called Nell, to close the loan in the record-breaking amount of time.

In a recent study, StorageCafé identified the suburbs with the biggest city vibes — and Chicagoland suburbs ranked high on the list.