The Home Front

Photo by Olga Yastremska (Adobe Stock) Chicago’s new Residential Lease gives renters the right to terminate leases early due to threats, offering crucial protections for victims of domestic violence but extra costs for landlords. By Don DeBat Domestic violence in Chicago and across Illinois regretfully is on the rise. In 2024, the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline received a record-breaking 18,940 requests for shelter in Chicago and across the state, a 112 percent increase f

(above) President Donald Trump By Don DeBat A Chicago home buyer or mortgage borrower seeking to refinance in 2026 likely is wondering why the hard-working head of the Federal Reserve Board is being kicked around like a political football. It might be President Donald Trump doesn’t like that Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and other knowledgeable board members are slow to react to his bullish demands for lower interest rates. In fairness, previous U.S. presidents have grumbled abo

(above) John Nocita, Chicago Sun-Times Writer By Don DeBat     Old newspaper writers, editors, artists and photographers never die. They just etch their work into history, then quietly fade away.  One unforgettable talent was John Nocita, 83, a gifted newspaper artist and graphics specialist, who met his last deadline on December 30, 2025, after a stalwart battle with Alzheimer’s.     “John Nocita’s successful 45-year newspaper career started as a copy boy at the Chicago

(above) Chicago Police Commissioner Larry Snelling By Don DeBat With the dawn of 2026, many Chicago apartment renters, home buyers and bungalow owners probably are wondering how they survived the crazy roller-coaster- ride of 2025. Read these 2025 stories recently reported by The Home Front column: • With property tax bills soaring by an average of 16.7%, there are threats of double-digit apartment rent increases on the horizon for spring of 2026. • Resale home prices in Linc

Photo obtained from Lincoln Park Builders of Chicago. Over 1,000 builders and real estate professionals gathered at the Lincoln Park Builders of Chicago’s Real Estate Forum to discuss civic priorities, market conditions, and future profits. By Don DeBat Looking to 2026 and beyond, Chicago builders likely will have to juggle civic priorities, analyze market conditions, and gaze into the crystal ball on the direction of mortgage interest rates in order to bank future profits. T

Victorian home in Old Town (above) By Don DeBat The 2025 holidays may be only weeks away, but dark clouds still hang over Chicago’s North Side resale-home market, leaving gold-seeking prospective buyers wondering if they will find a lump of coal in their Christmas stockings. Through the third quarter the North Side residential market continued to struggle with the same year-long hangover headaches—limited listing inventory and strong buyer demand, which keeps pushing home pri

1985 JETS- BOTTOM ROW: (kneeling L-R):  Dale Hopkins, Bradely Trychta, Bobby Glover, Clarence "Boots" Cass, Pat Carroll and Keith Dickens. TOP ROW: (standing L-R):  Ricky Lewis, Chris D'Agostino, Robert Placek, Kenny Dower, John Zullo, John Clausen, Joey Alvinito and Gene O'Keefe. By Don DeBat The Chicago 16-Inch Softball Hall of Fame will recognize the Class of 2025 Inductees and Honorees at its 29 th  annual dinner on October 25 th . The HOF includes more than 700 of the be

Chicago Joe's exterior (above) By Don DeBat Classic 16-inch Chicago-style softball teams are holding a memory-vigil and experiencing a mourning-moment this month for the future of a now-vacant site on the northeast corner of Oakley Ave. and Irving Park Rd. in the North Center neighborhood. A building permit has been issued by the City of Chicago allowing Landrosh Development to erect a 38-unit masonry apartment building at 4009 N. Oakley at a projected cost of $7.7 million. T

Mayor Johnson’s multi-million-dollar bike lane plan is creating a rift in Chicago, as motorists struggle with increased traffic and lost...

Economists predict that a recent quarter-point interest rate reduction by the Federal Reserve could lead to mortgage rates as low as 5.75...

By Don DeBat Chicagoans who believe they live in a “world class” city likely experienced great shock last week after President Donald...

Apartment hunters in downtown Chicago may encounter sharply higher rents next spring due to a significant drop in new rental unit...