Looking across all five metrics for July 2025 vs July 2026, a clear and consistent story emerges: after over three decades of selling real estate, I can say this is a market that has tightened significantly and moved firmly in sellers' favor.
Inventory is shrinking everywhere. All nine areas saw double digit declines in homes for sale (19% to 37%), with Lincoln Park (37.0%) and Gold Coast (34.5%) contracting the most.
Homes are selling much faster. Average market time fell 19% to 52% across the board. Roscoe Village stands out here; homes are now sitting for just 16 days on average, down from 33 (a 51.5% drop), the sharpest speed up of any area.
Supply is critically tight. Months of supply, the clearest signal of market balance, is now under 1.1 months in nearly every neighborhood (a balanced market is typically 4 to 6 months). Lincoln Park (0.8), Roscoe Village (0.6), and Bucktown/West Town (around 0.9 to 1.0) are especially undersupplied. Gold Coast is the outlier at 2.2 months, still tightening, but noticeably looser than the rest, consistent with its smaller price gain.
Prices are rising everywhere, without exception. Median price per square foot is up 2.8% to 11.4% across all nine areas. Lincoln Park (+11.4%), North Center (+9.9%), and Bucktown (+10.5%) are leading; Wicker Park (+2.8%) and Gold Coast (+4.2%) are the most moderate.
Closed sales are more mixed but generally not fighting the trend. Wicker Park (+20.6%) and Lakeview (+2.9%) grew despite shrinking inventory (a sign of real velocity), while Lincoln Park (14.7% decline) and Roscoe Village (13.8% decline) fell, likely reflecting that there's simply less to buy rather than falling demand.
Bottom line: falling inventory, faster sales, sub 1 month supply, and rising price per square foot together are the textbook signature of a seller's market that's getting tighter. Lincoln Park and Roscoe Village show the most acute supply and demand imbalance; Gold Coast, while still tightening, has more breathing room and softer price growth, likely reflecting its higher price point and smaller buyer pool.
Inventory fell across all nine areas, down 19–37% year over year, with Lincoln Park and Gold Coast contracting the most.
Homes are selling 19–52% faster than last July — Roscoe Village leads the pace, now averaging just 16 days on market.
Supply sits below 1.1 months in nearly every area, well under the 4–6 months of a balanced market, signaling a tight seller's market.
Prices rose in all nine areas, up 2.8–11.4% year over year, led by Lincoln Park (+11.4%) and North Center (+9.9%).
Closed sales were mixed — up in Wicker Park and Lakeview despite tighter inventory, down in Lincoln Park and Roscoe Village where supply is most constrained.
Curious what these numbers mean for your specific property or neighborhood? Contact us for a personalized market analysis.
