Chicagoland Suburbs Moving at Different Speeds This Spring

Detached home sales were down 1.9% year over year, with 2,472 sold in April 2025 versus 2,424 sold in April 2026. Attached home sales declined 3.7%, from 1,248 sold in April 2025 to 1,202 in April 2026.

The median sale price for detached homes rose 7.3%, from $405,000 to $434,500 and attached home prices climbed 4.4%, from $270,000 to $281,750. 

Detached homes spent 45 days on the market, essentially flat with the 46 days last April. Attached homes took a bit longer to sell – 42 days compared to 36 a year ago –  reflecting the modest uptick in inventory that has given buyers in some communities slightly more breathing room. 

Looking to next month, signals are positive. Homes under contract were up 1.4% for detached and 4.3% for attached, pointing to continued demand heading into the summer.

But according to local REALTORS®, numbers for the entire region only tell part of the story and individual community statistics vary greatly, underscoring why working with a local real estate expert matters more than ever.

"Every community has its own story. Today's market is truly hyper local," said Kinga Korpacz, President, Mainstreet REALTORS®. "A buyer competing for a home in Buffalo Grove is in a completely different market than one looking to buy in South Holland. That's why having a REALTOR® who knows your specific community isn't just helpful, it's essential."

For example, in the northwest suburbs, detached homes are moving quickly. In Hoffman Estates, the average market time in April was just 14 days. Buffalo Grove was 18 days with sales more than doubling year over year. Arlington Heights saw 56 homes sold with a median price of $586,250 and in Naperville, 108 detached homes were sold at a median of $718,500. These are competitive, low-inventory conditions where buyers need to be prepared to move fast. 

South suburban communities tell a different story and for the right buyer, that difference represents real opportunity. In South Holland, 29 detached homes sold in April at a median price of $201,000. Lansing saw 25 sales at a median of $203,000. Park Forest, with 26 sales at a $142,500 median, offers a path to homeownership that remains accessible for first-time buyers who may be priced out of more competitive markets. 

Homes in these communities are spending more time on the market which means buyers have more room to be deliberate. But navigating those dynamics well, understanding what drives pricing, days on market and long-term value in any given community, is exactly where a knowledgeable local REALTOR® makes the difference.

"What the regional numbers can't capture is how differently that plays out from one community to the next. That's the conversation every buyer and seller should be having with their local REALTOR®," said John Gormley, CEO, Mainstreet REALTORS®.

If you're buying or selling this spring, April's data is a reminder of why local expertise matters. Whether your community moves in days or months, a REALTOR® can help you understand what the numbers mean where you actually want to live so you know when to act quickly, when you have room to negotiate and what drives long-term value in your neighborhood.