The Home Front

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (above) By Don DeBat Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed “Protecting Renters Ordinance” (PRO) actually will push apartment rents higher, critics say. An estimated 54% of Chicago’s residents—some 600,000 families-are apartment renters, according to the City of Chicago. So, critics say Mayor Johnson, who is up for reelection next spring against at least a dozen opponents, is pushing his “PRO” Ordinance because he needs votes. Chicago currently has tw

By Don DeBat Chicago’s North Side home buyers will continue to pay more, and should “act quickly” this summer to grab their share of the American Dream. That’s the advice of 26-year veteran Baird & Warner real estate broker May Jo Nathan, author of the “Chicago North Side Market Report.” The exclusive survey analyzed 2nd quarter April through June of 2026 single-family home and attached townhome and condominium sales in nine neighborhoods—Edgewater, Lake View, Lincoln Park, L

By Don DeBat For thousands of Illinoisans, an HOA turns the American dream into ‘condo jail.’ To combat board abuse and financial mismanagement, state lawmakers are weighing new bills to protect frustrated owners in ‘Condoland.’ Buying a condominium or homeowners association (HOA) property in Illinois can sometimes feel like entering “condo jail.” Board abuse, breach of fiduciary duty, and a lack of transparency are widespread complaints. Because there is currently very littl

FreddieMac interest rates as of 3/12/26 By Don DeBat With spring’s cloudy skies overhead and rain or snow in the forecast, Chicago’s North Side home-resale market remains in a quagmire in early 2026. One veteran Near North Side/Gold Coast broker simply described the current home-resale activity as “a see-saw market.” The March 2026 Baird & Warner Market Analysis, covering the key North Side neighborhoods of Near North/Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview and North Center, close