Market Update | April 2026

Current Market Conditions

When I was younger, I always wanted to be popular.

The social side of things was a big draw. It’s funny, because as a kid I was actually pretty shy. But as I got older, I wanted to run with the “cool kids.”

I think we all want to feel accepted, to fit in.

I was always good at reading people. I could tell how someone acted, what they liked, and I’d adjust to match it. It made it easier to be accepted.

In middle school, the popular group would make fun of other kids. Nothing physical, but a lot of name-calling and petty stuff. I went along with it. We listened to metal, and I convinced myself I liked it… but deep down I knew it wasn’t really me.

High school wasn’t much different, just more groups. Athletes, partiers, the gossip crowd. Each one had its own rules. I could keep up with any of them, so I did. Everyone was chasing the same thing, getting invited, being seen, trying to outdo each other.

College was more of the same. Where you went, who you were with, what parties you got into. A lot of fake friendships just to feel like you belonged somewhere you didn’t even really want to be.

I used to live for it.

Then in my mid-twenties, something shifted.

My mom had passed a few years earlier, and I was heading out one night with my wife to meet some friends. But I wasn’t putting in the same effort anymore, calling, checking in, trying to stay in the mix. Honestly, it was exhausting trying to keep up.

So we were heading out, and I was texting a few of my friends trying to figure out where everyone was going. I couldn’t really get a clear answer. You could feel a little distance there.

My wife and I ended up at a bar, and by coincidence, those same friends were there. They hadn’t told us they were going, it just kind of happened that way.

When I walked over, I could feel it immediately. I’ve always been able to read people, and the energy was just… off.

We sat down, had a couple awkward drinks, and left.

And in that moment, I realized something.

That chapter was over.

And more importantly, I didn’t need to be someone I wasn’t just to be accepted by people I didn’t even really like.

Since then, I’ve never felt the need to go to a dinner I don’t want to go to…
or a wedding I don’t want to be at…
or do anything just to keep up appearances.

Being accepted by myself has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

And honestly, that’s a lot like what we’re seeing in the market right now.

There’s a lot more activity starting to show up. More people at showings, more traffic through homes.

But a lot of that activity isn’t turning into real offers.

Some of it is renters.
Some of it is buyers “thinking about it.”
Some of it is people just trying to feel like they’re part of the market.

And that’s normal, this tends to happen when more inventory starts to hit.

But the serious buyers? The ones who are actually ready?

They’re not trying to keep up. They’re not waiting to see what everyone else does.

They’re prepared, they know what they want, and they move when the right opportunity shows up.

Same goes for sellers.

More people through the door doesn’t always mean stronger demand. What matters is positioning, pricing, and understanding who’s actually real and who’s just there to “be part of it.”

The next few weeks should bring a good amount of new inventory.

There’s a big difference between being in it… and just being around it.

Demand was up this week. This is typical coming out of a major holiday.

Listings were way up this week. We typically see a big push of inventory right after Easter, and this week didn’t disappoint.

Rates were about on par with last week

Contract were way up this week

Multiple offer got more intense this week. Buyers who had been waiting for new inventory went pretty aggressive on some of the better listings.

The downtown high rise market saw a bit of a push in demand this week, but still lags behind the rest of the city.

Renters posing as buyers. Not all buyers are real right now. A lot of renters are out looking, trying to feel like they’re in the market. They’re not making real offers, but they create noise. This will be a trend through mid-May.

Buyers dropping out soon. A lot of buyers have leases coming due and are running out of time. If they don’t find something soon, they’re renting—simple as that. This is why we see a shift every June. Less buyers, less chaos. It happens every year.

The Iran conflict. This has quietly spooked some buyers. There’s no clear end in sight, and uncertainty tends to keep rates higher. Higher rates = fewer buyers. Not immediate, but something that can creep into the market.

New inventory. We’re going to see a lot more listings hit. Every seller thinks this is the window. At the same time, buyers are getting fatigued and some are dropping out. More supply with slightly less demand usually means the market settles a bit. Not a crash—just less crazy.

Single Family Homes 
Single-family homes saw a big uptick in activity this week. We expected a wave of new listings, and that’s exactly what happened. A lot of buyers have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for inventory, so we’re starting to see offers get aggressive again.Really, all aspects of that market are moving quickly right now. The only homes struggling are the ones that missed on price or feel dated. These next 60 days are peak single-family season, and overall it’s a very strong sellers’ market.

Lincoln Park, Lakeview, North Center, Roscoe Village
Here we go! These next 60 days are really the last hurrah of insanity for homes under $1M in this area, and we’re already seeing it play out. A wave of new listings hit the market, and it honestly felt like buyers were jumping on them the second they came out. Offers are getting even more aggressive than before. The upside is there are finally more options coming online, we even saw a solid number of duplexes and townhomes hit this week. This will be peak listing season over the next few months, and overall, it’s still a very strong sellers’ market.

West Town, Wicker Park, Bucktown, Logan Square, Avondale
Same as above.

West Loop
West Loop saw an uptick in both new listings and demand this week, it’s nice to see the area starting to re-emerge a bit. There’s a real appetite right now for high-end, move-in ready or new construction properties. The ones getting hit the hardest are the middle-tier price points that feel dated. Overall, I’d call this a pretty balanced market at the moment.

Old Town
Old Town is still hot, hot. We saw a good amount of new inventory hit this week, especially a lot of 3-bedrooms, but demand surged right alongside it. We’re seeing offers get pretty aggressive here again. This continues to be one of the most sought-after areas in the city. Overall, it’s a very strong sellers’ market.

South Loop
South Loop is starting to improve a bit. We did see a bump in demand this week, and the new listings that came on were met with solid activity. The properties getting hit the hardest right now are dated luxury units and middle-tier places that feel outdated. Pricing is critical here, if you miss, the property tends to sit. Overall, I’d call this a balanced market.

New East Side & The Loop
The New East Side and Loop have been tricky since 2020, but we are starting to see some new life here. A lot of the demand is being driven by empty nesters and out-of-state buyers, and they’re all looking for the same thing, value and move-in ready. If a property feels dated or is priced aggressively, it tends to sit. We did see an uptick in new inventory this week, but demand is starting to keep pace. Overall, I’d call this a balanced market.

River North, Streeterville, Gold Coast
This area saw a good amount of new inventory hit the market, and at the same time, demand picked up as well. A lot of that demand is coming from buyers who were initially looking further out, but are now shifting here because of the relative value. That said, buyers in this area are extremely price conscious, if something feels dated or overpriced, they’ll pass quickly. The properties that are move-in ready and priced well are moving fast. The luxury segment is still a bit soft, but it is starting to improve. Overall, I’d call this a balanced market.

The Big Picture:

• Outskirts: It remains a seller’s market across all categories, 

• Downtown Core:  Is feeling more like a balanced market.