Author: Jeff Baird
Distressed sales drag city metrics down
The number of homes sold in Chicago increased slightly in the second quarter of 2011, but the pernicious influence of distressed sales has been draggi [...]
Illinois GDP growth an ill-omen for housing recovery
As we wait (and wait) for the Chicago housing sector to experience a rebound, it's worthwhile to look at the larger Illinois economy for some clue [...]
New homes bigger in 2010 than in 2009, defying ‘trend’
Last week Joe Zekas pointed out that homebuilders are marketing lower ceilings as a trend in new homes. He cautioned that today's metaphorical lem [...]
An unusual plunge for Albany Park’s condo market
The Albany Park condominium market has heretofore been fairly stable compared to its peers, but suffered a steep drop in sales velocity and median [...]
Edgewater, Rogers Park see condo prices fall in 4th quarter
2010 was not kind to condominiums on Chicago's Far North Side: Our two northernmost neighborhoods, Rogers Park and Edgewater, both saw condo price [...]
House prices begin recovery in Logan Square
House prices in Logan Square took a serious dive from 2007 to 2009, but have increased the last three quarters, even as sales volume has approache [...]
Third steep quarterly decline for Humboldt Park condos
Late last year, I wrote that Humboldt Park house prices took a steep dive during the recession, and that median selling prices in the neighborhood [...]
Data show bleak picture at end of 2010
The first look at market conditions from the end of 2010 is a bleak one, as sales of condos and single family homes fell 29% and 20% respectively [...]
Homeowners still confident in owning vs. renting, says Fannie Mae
Amid a torrent of negative stories on housing, it is worth pointing out that housing has a function other than as an investment: namely, as a cont [...]
Cook housing inventory grew as population declined
Even as the population of Cook County fell by 141,000 from 2000 to 2007, the number of housing units rose by 75,000. The simple law of supply and [...]
One-fifth of Chicago mortgages underwater
Here's some local color on today's Core Logic report on negative equity: Chicago's share of mortgages with negative equity actually rose (contrary to [...]
Baird: Chicago’s lowest tier takes a dive in latest Case-Shiller report
The lowest-priced tier of homes in the Chicago region have fallen in value by more than 42 percent from their peak in 2007, this week's Case-Shill [...]
Condo prices fell in 59 neighborhoods, including all of the 10 most popular
In the first half of 2009, the median sale price of a condo fell in 59 out of 77 Chicago neighborhoods, including almost all the neighborhoods with we [...]
Fewer sales in all categories in '09
My last post showed that the median price of a home sold in Chicago fell for the first time since this cycle began. The number of homes sold has been [...]
Sellers settle for less in first half of '09
Up until this year, the real estate recession could be seen in Chicago mostly in the declining number of home sales -- and time on the market -- but n [...]
All signs point down in first half of '09
June home sales data are out and a few news organizations are clinging on an increase in sales between May and June, pointing to signs of optimism. Th [...]
Networking in the city: denser neighborhoods are more valuable
Life in a city is very expensive: Not only do you pay more for your home, you also pay more for the things you enjoy about living here. Our museums, s [...]
'Month on month' sales trends can be misleading
It’s a common refrain that the real estate markets pick up in the spring and summer, as the weather gets better and families prepare to move during su [...]
Near South Side leads weak field in new detached home sales
Sales of new construction detached homes fell 58 percent between 2007 and 2008, according to an analysis of all home sales in Chicago by Lakeshore Ana [...]
Sacred cow no more? Budget proposal curtails mortgage interest deduction
Just days after winning a major legislative victory in the stimulus package, the housing industry lobby machine is cranking up again — this time to op [...]