Maureen Moran, Realtor

08/04/2026

Please consider supporting this petition to cause the Alderman Brian Hopkins to get more information before deciding on the significant zoning change.

Require a Light & Shadow Study Before Any Vote on the W. Belden Rezoning

07/29/2026

Is the Chicago housing market frozen—or about to crash?

Neither headline tells the full story.

In Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Wicker Park, and Logan Square, well-prepared homes are still moving quickly. Recent sales data shows homes averaging roughly 11–15 days on the market and selling 3%–7% over asking.

The national market is divided. Some pandemic-boom markets are seeing prices soften, while many Chicago neighborhoods continue to show steady demand.

That is why a national headline cannot tell you what your home is worth—or whether now is the right time for you to sell.

The market speaks through local buyer behavior: showings, days on market, offer activity, and the list-to-sale price ratio.

Every month, I pull that data together for Chicago’s North Side neighborhoods. Send me a message if you would like a copy of the latest report.

Clarity comes from local data, not national noise.

07/29/2026

Chicago’s proposed Protecting Renters Ordinance has changed again—and an alternative proposal called FAIR is now part of the discussion.

The two proposals are very similar, but there are still meaningful differences.

A few important updates:

The previously discussed $40,000 relocation figure is no longer part of the PRO proposal.

The current language would require larger landlords to pay $5,000 or five months’ rent, whichever is greater. Smaller landlords would pay $3,000 or three months’ rent, whichever is greater.

The provision that would have allowed a tenant to refuse a rent increase they considered unreasonable has also been removed.

Most importantly, both proposals are still in committee. Nothing has been approved, and the details may continue to change.

I’ve put together a comparison of PRO and FAIR on my website so Chicago property owners, landlords, buyers, and sellers can understand what is currently being discussed.

This is moving quickly, and I’ll continue sharing updates as more information becomes available.

07/28/2026

Chicago's proposed Protecting Renters Ordinance could mean relocation costs of $40,000+ per unit in neighborhoods like Lincoln Park. Here's the quick version of what property owners and renters need to know — full breakdown linked in bio.

07/16/2026

The last two weeks of July in Lincoln Park, edited down to what's actually worth your Saturday.
On the short list: the 55th Sheffield Garden Walk this weekend (July 18–19), Taste of Lincoln Avenue July 24–26, and an outdoor movie night on the Chicago History Museum lawn on August 1.
Full dates and details are on the blog — link in bio.
Which one's yours?

07/15/2026

Late July is when Lincoln Park lingers. My short list — only the special stuff:

• World Chimpanzee Day at Lincoln Park Zoo (7/14, free — fun fact: our zoo co-founded the global day with the Jane Goodall Institute)
• The 55th Sheffield Garden Walk (7/18–19, 11–5, free)
• Taste of Lincoln Avenue (7/24–26, four decades strong)
• The Rebellious Life of Rosa Parks under the stars on the Chicago History Museum lawn (8/1, 8:45pm, free)

Which one's yours? I keep a neighborhood list, and it's built almost entirely from what neighbors tell me.

05/22/2026

There's been a lot of noise about Zillow and MRED lately. Here's my honest take — and what it actually means for you as a seller.

A few weeks ago, I joined a call with over 700 Christie's International Real Estate agents to talk through exactly this. And the more we unpacked it, the clearer it became: this isn't a crisis. It's actually an opportunity — if you understand what's really happening.

So let me break it down simply.

What's going on?
Zillow has been pushing back against MRED — our regional MLS — over data policies. Essentially, Zillow wants access to listing data on their terms. MRED said no. And Compass Holdings, which includes Christie's International Real Estate and Compass Real Estate, holds the largest market share in Chicago and is standing firmly behind MRED's position.

Our co-CEOs Thad, Mike, and Amy put it this way:
"We support MRED because consumers deserve choice, agents deserve flexibility, and real estate works best when competition, entrepreneurship, and local expertise remain at the center of the marketplace."

I couldn't agree more.

Here's what this means for YOU as a seller.

Zillow is a website. It's a tool — and a useful one at times. But it was never the whole picture. In fact, some of the strongest, cleanest, most competitive offers I've seen come together have come through private networks, not public portals.

Why? Because buyers who find your home through a trusted agent network are already educated, already working with representation, and already emotionally ready to commit. They're not scrolling Zillow at midnight wondering if they can afford it. They're serious.

As one of my colleagues said it so well on that call:
"A room full of the right people will always outperform a stadium full of the wrong ones."

That's not just a great line. That's strategy.

What about exposure? Won't sellers miss out?

This is the question I hear most. And my answer is always the same: it's not about how many people see your home. It's about WHO sees it, WHEN they see it, and HOW they experience it.

Through my Private to Prominent approach, I can bring your home to qualified buyers before it ever hits public sites — giving you time to refine pricing, gather real market feedback, and build genuine demand. When done well, that controlled momentum creates the kind of urgency that drives competitive offers and strong terms.

Sellers are more in the driver's seat right now than at almost any other time I've seen in 30 years of doing this. The last thing I want is for a portal's algorithm — or its "days on market" counter — to chip away at that advantage.

So what should you do right now?

If you're thinking about selling — whether it's this spring, this summer, or even next year — let's have a conversation now. Understanding your options before you list is one of the most valuable things you can do.

I'm here to help you navigate this with clarity, strategy, and no pressure.

Drop a comment below with your questions, or send me a message directly. I'd love to connect. ☎️ 312.953.7811

Maureen Moran | Christie's International Real Estate | Licensed in Illinois & Wisconsin