Average of Zillow ZHVI (Sep 2026); Redfin median sale price (May 2026; 1Y only); FHFA HPI® (Q2 2026; 90D+ only). Latest available data at each source's release period; not real-time, an appraisal, or a forecast. Data provided by Zillow Group. Source: FHFA HPI®.
We report on home remodeling, residential construction, and neighborhood development across Illinois, and help homeowners navigate permit authorities, calculators, and safety guidance statewide.
Illinois RDN is an independent news and homeowner-information resource. We are not a state or local government agency and are not affiliated with, operated by, or endorsed by any government body.
Lake County authorized 32% fewer homes this year than last, while values rose 6%. The county with the highest property tax bill in Illinois is running short of supply, not demand.
Scores as of November 2026
Mixed Market
Zone labels describe the score's level — not a sentiment survey, advice, or forecast.
Remodel & Stay
Zone labels describe the score's level — not a sentiment survey, advice, or forecast.
Unfavorable Time to Sell
Zone labels describe the score's level — not a sentiment survey, advice, or forecast.
Scale: Extreme Fear (0–24) · Fear (25–39) · Stable (40–54) · Confident (55–69) · Strong (70–100)
Independent statewide editorial indicators built from public data — not financial advice, an appraisal, or a forecast.
Illinois RDN is an independent, editorially run resource — not a government agency. The permit jurisdiction records linked below are drawn from official government sources and are labeled as official contact information; everything else on this page is independent guidance and tools.
A $162 million redevelopment is converting the upper floors of Chicago’s 500 N. Michigan Avenue from offices to 320 apartments, including 64 affordable homes. Financing is closed, construction has begun and completion is targeted for spring 2028.
Julep West Loop has broken ground at 1000 W. Jackson Blvd., advancing a planned 25-story mixed-use tower with 380 apartments, 76 affordable units and an Aldi grocery store.
Three senior housing developments in Champaign, Fairview Heights and Hillside add 162 income-restricted apartments, with long-term affordability backed by IHDA financing and local partners.
A practical Chicagoland remodeling checklist covering permit research, written contracts, lead-safe rules, schedules and contingency planning.
Statewide housing totals are only a starting point. Local supply, property condition, building permits and price segments reveal a more useful picture.
Connected streets, useful sidewalks and stormwater systems influence how a neighborhood functions long after construction ends.
A better layout, targeted storage, layered lighting and efficient equipment can transform an Illinois kitchen within its existing footprint.
Older Illinois homes can offer character and established locations, but drainage, structure, wiring, radon, lead and efficiency deserve careful review.
Infill can add homes near existing services, but site design, infrastructure, stormwater and neighborhood context require project-specific review.
Each data page names the publisher, the reporting period and the calculation behind the figure — Census, Zillow, Redfin, FHFA, Freddie Mac and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a link to the original release.
Official contact records for every Illinois county and municipality, each carrying its source link and a last-verified date. Report an outdated one and we will check it.
Monthly reports keep the figures recorded on their release date. Finalized months are locked and never rewritten, so the history stays comparable; later revisions are described, not hidden.
When something changes after publication, the date and the reason go into a public log. Sponsorship is labeled and never influences news coverage.
Illinois RDN is an independent, editorially run news and information resource. We are not a state or local government agency, and we are not affiliated with, operated by, or endorsed by any government body.
Local reporting on Illinois remodeling and residential development is supported by our sponsor, Rohrer Construction — a general contractor serving homeowners across the Chicagoland area.
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