Chicago Southland Homes at Keller Williams Preferred Realty

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Chicago Southland Homes at Keller Williams Preferred Realty

Skilled & trustworthy real estate brokerage and investment solutions in Chicago's Southland area

06/08/2026

Market Monday: Chicago Southland check-in 📊

Here’s a look at the past 14 days across our MLS area:

• 538 new listings hit the market
• 404 homes went under contract
• 305 homes closed
• Average sale price: $362,500

That is a strong stretch of activity, with a healthy amount of new inventory coming online and a large number of buyers still moving properties from listing to contract and on to closing. As always, the exact picture can vary by suburb, neighborhood, and price point, but this gives a solid snapshot of how the broader Chicago Southland market is behaving right now.

If you’d like a quick, no-pressure breakdown tailored to your area, price range, or home value, comment MARKET or send me a message and I’ll put one together for you.🏠

06/04/2026

Home is where everyone belongs. 🏠🌈 This Pride Month, we celebrate the communities, neighbors, and agents that open their doors to all.

06/02/2026

Zillow just updated its 12-month home price forecast, and the national outlook is basically flat. Their latest projection calls for U.S. home prices to shift by about -0.1% between April 2026 and April 2027, which is a slight downgrade from their prior forecasts of +0.1% in April and +0.5% in March.

The bigger takeaway is how local this market has become. Zillow’s strongest projected gains are showing up in places like Syracuse, Rockford, and Rochester, while some of the biggest expected declines are in parts of Louisiana, Texas, California, and Florida. In other words, broad national headlines matter less when local markets are moving in very different directions.

For buyers, sellers, and investors, this is another reminder that strategy should be built around your specific market, not just the national average. Comment “ARTICLE” if you want me to send you the full breakdown.🏠

05/05/2026

A recent ResiClub piece looked at where mortgage distress is rising, and the big takeaway is this: stress is up from the ultra-low levels of the pandemic housing boom, but it is still nowhere near 2008-type territory. ResiClub’s broader distress measure, which includes delinquent loans, foreclosures, and forbearance, sits around 2.9% today versus 1.4% at the pandemic-era low and far below the 6.3% level seen in late 2007.

The article also points out that the biggest concentrations of distress right now are showing up in Louisiana and Mississippi, tied in part to insurance shocks and consumer credit stress, not necessarily in the biggest pandemic boomtowns. It also notes that government-backed loans like FHA, USDA, and VA are showing more pressure than the broader mortgage market.

Big picture: this does not look like a systemic housing crash setup, but it is a reminder that housing conditions are becoming more uneven and more local. Comment “ARTICLE” if you want me to send you the full piece.🏠

05/04/2026

Market Monday: Chicago Southland check-in 📊

Here’s a look at the past 14 days across our MLS area:
• 527 new listings hit the market
• 434 homes went under contract
• 298 homes closed
• Average sale price: $683,457
That is a very active two-week stretch, with a strong amount of new inventory coming online while buyers are still moving quickly enough to keep a large number of homes going under contract and through to closing. The exact story can still vary a lot by suburb, neighborhood, and price point, but this gives a solid snapshot of how the broader Chicago Southland market is behaving right now.
If you’d like a quick, no-pressure breakdown tailored to your area, price range, or home value, comment MARKET or send me a message and I’ll put one together for you.🏠

05/01/2026

Inventory is still up in most housing markets, but the pace of growth is slowing. A recent ResiClub update says national active listings were up 4.6% year over year as of April 30, 2026, which is a much slower increase than the 30.6% year-over-year growth they were tracking 12 months earlier. In other words, the market is still softer than it was during the peak frenzy, but that softening is no longer accelerating the way it was before.

The article also points out that inventory remains highly local. Many Midwest and Northeast markets are still relatively tight, while more Sun Belt markets have moved closer to or above pre-pandemic inventory levels. Nationally, active listings are still 11.8% below April 2019 levels, which helps explain why some areas still feel competitive even as others have cooled.

Big takeaway: broad headlines only tell part of the story. Inventory may be rising nationally, but leverage still depends heavily on your local market, price point, and property type. Comment “ARTICLE” if you want me to send you the full piece.🏠

04/29/2026

Smart Buyer Wednesday 💡

A lot of buyers focus on the mortgage payment, but monthly utility costs can make a bigger difference than people expect.

Can utilities vary a lot from home to home?
Yes. Two homes with similar prices can have very different monthly costs depending on size, age, insulation, windows, HVAC efficiency, and even how the home is laid out. An older home with poor insulation or aging mechanicals may cost noticeably more to heat and cool than a newer or better-updated property.

What should I ask before I buy?
If possible, ask about average gas, electric, and water costs, along with the age of the furnace, AC, windows, and water heater. It also helps to pay attention to things like drafty rooms, older doors and windows, and whether the home seems energy efficient overall. These details may not show up clearly in the listing, but they can definitely show up in your monthly budget.

How do utilities affect my real budget?
From a practical standpoint, your true housing cost is not just principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. Utilities are part of the real monthly carrying cost too. When you are comparing homes, it is smart to think beyond the list price and ask yourself which option will feel sustainable month to month.

A home that looks cheaper on paper is not always cheaper to live in.

If you are thinking about buying in the Chicago Southland and want help looking at the bigger monthly cost picture before making an offer, send me a message and I’d be happy to help.🏠

04/27/2026

Another big industry headline: The Real Brokerage announced plans to acquire RE/MAX Holdings in an $880 million deal. If approved, the combined company would bring together more than 180,000 agents across about 120 countries, while keeping both brands in place rather than folding RE/MAX into Real.

The article frames this as another sign of real estate industry consolidation, with the pitch being broader reach, shared technology, and potential cost savings. The combined company would also give agents a choice between Real’s commission-based model and RE/MAX’s franchise model, with possible access to in-house mortgage and title services.

Big picture, this is less about one brand “winning” and more about how quickly the industry is changing behind the scenes. Comment “ARTICLE” if you want me to send you the full piece.🏠

04/22/2026

Smart Buyer Wednesday 💡

Home warranties come up pretty often in real estate, but a lot of buyers are not totally sure what they are or whether they matter.

What does a home warranty usually cover?
A home warranty is a service contract that may help cover certain repairs or replacements for major systems and appliances, depending on the plan. This can include things like the furnace, air conditioner, water heater, electrical, plumbing, or kitchen appliances. Coverage varies, so the details matter.

Is it the same as homeowners insurance?
No. Homeowners insurance is designed to cover major damage or loss from things like fire, storms, or certain other covered events. A home warranty is more about wear-and-tear breakdowns of covered items inside the home. They serve different purposes, so one does not replace the other.

Is it actually worth asking for?
Sometimes, yes. If a home has older mechanicals or appliances, asking for a home warranty can be a smart way to add a little protection during your first year of ownership. It is not a cure-all, and it will not cover everything, but it can offer some peace of mind, especially for first-time buyers who want to limit surprise repair costs early on.

Like most things in real estate, it comes down to the specific property, the age of the systems, and your comfort level with risk.

If you are thinking about buying in the Chicago Southland and want help figuring out whether asking for a home warranty makes sense on a specific property, send me a message and I’d be happy to talk it through.🏠

04/21/2026

Housing markets are not moving in one direction right now. According to a recent ResiClub analysis, the share of major U.S. markets seeing year-over-year home price declines has risen to 14.9% as of April 2026, up from 10.8% in March. At the same time, 85.1% of major markets are still showing annual price growth, so this is less about a nationwide drop and more about a market that is becoming increasingly local.

The biggest price gains are still showing up in parts of the Northeast and Midwest, while several markets in Texas and Florida are among those seeing the sharpest year-over-year declines. That is a good reminder that “the housing market” is really a collection of regional and local markets, each reacting differently to supply, affordability, and migration patterns.

For buyers, sellers, and investors, the takeaway is simple: local data matters more than broad headlines. Comment “ARTICLE” if you want me to send you the full breakdown.🏠

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16101 108th Avenue, 2nd Floor
Orland Park, IL
60467

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http://chicagosouthlandhomes.com/

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