Zillow

Illinois home prices jump as inventory plunges

By LyLena Estabine, Jon Josko
03/26/2026
The state’s housing inventory is at just 31% of pre-pandemic levels, driving up prices. Restrictive zoning and the nation’s highest property taxes must be addressed.

Every Illinois metro has fewer homes for sale than in 2018

By LyLena Estabine, Jon Josko
10/22/2025
Illinois home prices have jumped 48% since 2018 while available housing inventory has plummeted across all 26 tracked metro areas, creating a housing crisis driven largely by restrictive zoning laws and the nation’s highest property taxes.

Mandating unaffordability: How Chicago’s housing affordability requirements decrease supply and increase costs

By Josh Bandoch, LyLena Estabine
10/01/2025
As housing prices continue to soar out of reach for more Americans, an impulse from policy makers across the country has been to attempt to mandate “affordable” prices through legislation. One common idea is rent control, which limits how much landlords can increase rents on residents. A related one is inclusionary zoning, which forces developers...