The Home Front

By Don DeBat Forget 'negotiating' a lower rent. In high-demand North Side neighborhoods like Old Town and Lincoln Park, the 2026 market has shifted to full-blown bidding wars, with some renters paying thousands over asking to secure a lease. A bidding war is underway this spring for rental apartments in sought-after lakefront neighborhoods, Realtors report. “If you are looking for an upscale rental apartment in Old Town, Lincoln Park, or Lakeview this season, you are not just

(Above) Looking south down south branch of Chicago River in 2018. Wolf Point West at right. Photo by Sean Pavone. Rent prices in Chicago...