$329,000
Median Listing Price
August 2026
+2.8% YoY
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Illinois Real Estate Guide
Understand the Illinois Market
Illinois Real Estate Market
Illinois's statewide listing data is useful context, but it should not be treated as a valuation for any individual property.
In August 2026, Illinois recorded a median listing price of $329,000, 21,354 active listings, a median 38 days on market, 12,740 new listings. These are listing-market metrics rather than closed-sale prices, so they are best read alongside current local comparable sales.
Compared with the same month one year earlier, asking prices were 2.8% higher than a year earlier, and buyers had 0.5% fewer homes to choose from. Conditions still differ considerably by metro, city and property type.
21,354
Active Listings
August 2026
-0.5% YoY
38 days
Median Days on Market
August 2026
0% YoY
12,740
New Listings
August 2026
-0.8% YoY
Market data updated
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), Illinois housing inventory data, August 2026
Major Real Estate Markets in Illinois
Illinois offers very different housing environments depending on where you move. These comparisons are meant to help you identify practical differences, not to tell you where you should live.
Chicago
Chicago includes an exceptionally broad mix of condominiums, townhomes, single-family properties, multifamily buildings and high-rise residences. Buyers and sellers may need to account for condominium association documents, building rules, special assessments, local transfer taxes, parking and block-by-block comparable sales.
Chicago prices and inventory can move differently from the rest of Illinois, and conditions vary sharply by neighborhood and property type, so compare recent local sales.
Evanston
Evanston gives buyers access to a mix of condominiums, townhomes and single-family properties within Cook County and the North Shore market.
Property-specific taxes, association expenses when applicable, transportation needs, housing type and proximity to the buyer's own destinations should all be compared before making an offer.
Oak Park
Oak Park includes older single-family housing, condominiums and multifamily properties within Cook County.
Buyers considering older homes should pay particular attention to inspections, major systems, renovation history, property taxes and any municipal or historic-property requirements that apply to the individual property.
Champaign
The Champaign-Urbana area operates differently from the Chicago region, with housing demand influenced by its university-centered economy as well as permanent residents, employees, investors and students. Buyers should distinguish between owner-occupied housing goals and investment or rental considerations rather than treating all properties as interchangeable.
Champaign-Urbana illustrates that difference: inventory and prices there can move in different directions from the Chicago area.
Springfield
Springfield offers another distinct Central Illinois market. Housing costs, inventory, property taxes, commute patterns, home age and transaction conditions should be evaluated locally rather than inferred from Chicago-area statistics.
Springfield likewise can show different sales, price and inventory movement than elsewhere in the state.
Buying & Moving in Illinois
Buying a Home in Illinois
A successful Illinois home search begins before touring properties. Start by understanding a monthly payment you can comfortably carry, including principal and interest as well as property taxes, homeowners insurance, association dues where applicable, maintenance, and reserves for unexpected repairs.
Illinois property taxes deserve particular attention because they are imposed and administered locally rather than through one statewide property-tax system. Two similarly priced homes in different counties or taxing districts can therefore have meaningfully different tax bills.
Featured program
IHDA Access Mortgage Programs
The Illinois Housing Development Authority currently offers several statewide mortgage-assistance options for eligible borrowers. As checked in August 2026, IHDA lists Access Home, Access Forgivable, Access Deferred and Access Repayable.
IHDA currently states that its Access programs are available across Illinois counties, subject to the requirements of the individual program.
- Access Home
- 6% of purchase price, up to $15,000, interest-free deferred loan
- Access Forgivable
- 4% of purchase price, up to $6,000, forgiven monthly over 10 years
- Access Deferred
- 5% of purchase price, up to $7,500, deferred until sale, refinance or payoff
- Access Repayable
- 10% of purchase price, up to $10,000, repaid monthly over 10 years
What Your Buyer's Agent Should Help With
During your search, an experienced buyer's agent can help you compare recent comparable sales instead of relying only on asking prices or automated estimates, review current property-tax information and identify which local office maintains the records, identify condominium or homeowners-association fees and documents that should be reviewed, build appropriate inspection and due-diligence periods into an offer, evaluate price, financing, appraisal, inspection and closing-date terms together, and coordinate with your lender, inspector, attorney or title professionals as appropriate for the transaction.
Plan the Full Monthly Cost
Principal and interest are only part of the picture. Model property taxes, insurance, association dues, maintenance and a repair reserve before you decide what price range is comfortable.
IHDA program details, funding, income limits, purchase-price limits, interest rates and eligibility can change. These amounts were checked in August 2026 and should be re-verified with IHDA at least quarterly, or before any major page refresh, and always before relying on a program.
Illinois Seller Resources
Selling a Home in Illinois
Selling deserves the same level of state-specific guidance as buying. In August 2026, Illinois's statewide median listing price was $329,000, up 2.8% from August 2025, and active listings were down 0.5%. That can create opportunity for sellers, but it does not mean every property, price tier or Illinois community is experiencing the same conditions.
A strong Illinois listing strategy starts with the homes buyers will actually compare with yours. Your agent should review recent closed sales, current competition, pending activity when available, property condition, improvements, location and differences between your home and the most relevant comparable properties. Focus preparation first on work that improves presentation or addresses issues likely to interfere with the transaction, and evaluate major resale renovations carefully against likely return.
If your property belongs to a condominium or homeowners association, begin gathering documents early. Association budgets, fees, insurance information, rules, reserves, pending or approved special assessments and other requested documents can matter to buyers and their lenders.
When offers arrive, remember that the highest number is not automatically the strongest offer. Compare price with financing, appraisal exposure, inspection terms, requested credits, contingencies, earnest money, closing timing, possession and the likelihood that the transaction will actually reach closing. Illinois transfers can involve state, county and, depending on the municipality, additional local transfer taxes, so ask for an estimated seller net sheet before you list and again when comparing offers.
Ownership costs
Illinois Property Taxes, Transfer Taxes and Closing Due Diligence
The purchase price is only one part of an Illinois real-estate decision.
Property Taxes Are Local
The Illinois Department of Revenue states that property tax is imposed by local taxing districts and administered by local officials. Individual assessment and tax records are therefore maintained locally.
Buyers should review the actual property's tax history rather than applying a statewide percentage to the purchase price.
Transfer Taxes Can Have Several Layers
Illinois currently imposes a state real-estate transfer tax of $0.50 for each $500 of value or fraction thereof. Counties may impose an additional $0.25 per $500, and home-rule municipalities may impose additional real-estate transfer taxes.
That local variation is especially important when comparing properties in different Illinois municipalities. Do not assume the closing-cost structure for one city automatically applies to another, and confirm the exact charges and responsibility for them for the property's municipality and transaction.
Condominiums and Associations
For condominiums and HOA properties, dues are only the starting point.
Review available association financial information, insurance, reserves, current or planned special assessments, rules, litigation when disclosed or otherwise discoverable through the transaction process, and restrictions relevant to your plans for the property.
Verify the Professionals You Hire
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's Division of Real Estate regulates real-estate brokerage and provides a state license-lookup tool.
Consumers can use it to verify an Illinois real-estate professional's license status before entering an agency relationship.
Estimate Your Illinois Closing Costs
Get a clearer starting point for lender, title, prepaid and transaction expenses before making an offer.
Relocation guide
Moving to Illinois
If you are relocating from another state, or simply moving from one part of Illinois to another, build your search around measurable factors that matter to your household.
Compare housing type, total monthly ownership cost, property taxes, commuting requirements, transit access where relevant, insurance, association expenses, housing inventory, proximity to work or family, and the services you personally use.
Illinois markets can vary considerably. A Chicago condominium purchase may require very different due diligence from a single-family purchase in Springfield or a home in Champaign. Even neighboring municipalities can have different taxes, transfer charges, housing stock, permitting practices and association prevalence.
An affirming relocation agent should help you gather objective information and investigate the communities you are interested in, not tell you where people of a particular sexual orientation, gender identity, race, religion, family status or other protected characteristic should live.
- Housing type
- Total monthly cost
- Property taxes
- Commute and transit
- Insurance
- Association expenses
- Local inventory
- Proximity to work or family
Choosing the Right Real Estate Support
How to Choose an LGBTQ+ Affirming Realtor in Illinois
Affirming service should show up in the way an agent works, not just in a rainbow logo.
For buyers, strong representation may mean understanding property taxes, association costs, financing, inspections, local inventory and competing offers. For sellers, it may mean accurate pricing, preparation, marketing, offer analysis and a closing strategy built around your next move.
Ask Where They Actually Work
Local submarket experience matters more than statewide coverage. Ask which parts of the market they work in regularly.
Comparable Sales and Total Cost
Ask how they evaluate comparable sales, property taxes and total ownership costs rather than asking prices or automated estimates.
Privacy and Communication
Ask how they handle client privacy, partners or co-buyers, names and pronouns throughout the transaction.
Fair Housing Compliant Area Information
A professional should provide neighborhood information objectively and in compliance with Fair Housing requirements, without steering.
Verify Through IDFPR
Use the IDFPR license lookup to independently confirm an Illinois real-estate professional's license status.
When speaking with a prospective Illinois agent, ask what parts of the local market they regularly work in, how they will help you evaluate comparable sales, property taxes and total ownership costs, and, if you are selling, how they will determine pricing and marketing strategy.
Also ask how they handle client privacy, partners or co-buyers, names and pronouns, how they provide neighborhood information while complying with Fair Housing requirements, what to expect during inspections, appraisal, negotiations and closing, and who else will be involved in the transaction.
You can also independently verify Illinois real-estate licensure through IDFPR's state license lookup. Pride Real Estate Connections can simplify the first step by connecting you with an LGBTQ+-affirming professional based on your location, timeline, and whether you are buying, selling, or doing both.
Consumer resources
Fair Housing and LGBTQ+ Housing Resources in Illinois
Illinois provides explicit state-level housing protections relevant to LGBTQ+ buyers, sellers, renters and borrowers.
The Illinois Department of Human Rights states that Illinois law prohibits housing discrimination based on sexual orientation, including gender identity, along with other protected characteristics. The protections apply across activities such as advertising, showings, sales, applications, terms, mortgage lending, property insurance and other housing-related activity.
IDHR identifies landlords, property owners, property managers, real-estate agents and brokers, lenders, homeowners associations and others involved in housing as parties covered by Illinois fair-housing requirements.
If you believe you have experienced housing discrimination, IDHR provides a process for filing a charge. Its current guidance states that filing is free and that a lawyer is not required to start the agency process. HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity also accepts reports of possible housing discrimination under the federal laws it administers. Because civil-rights laws and agency enforcement policies can change, use current government guidance or qualified legal counsel for advice about a specific situation.
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Program details, eligibility, and funding can change. Pride REC does not provide lending, tax, insurance, or legal advice. Confirm current terms with qualified local professionals and the relevant program administrator.
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FAQs
Illinois LGBTQ+ Real Estate FAQs
Everything you need to know about finding your perfect LGBTQ+ real estate agent in Illinois.
Considering a State Near Illinois?
Many moves come down to comparing two or three states. Each guide below covers that state's market conditions, buyer programs, ownership costs, and housing resources.
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