Published November 8, 2026 in Market Update

Competition Is Not Equal Across Chicago Entry-Level Neighborhoods

By Maureen Moran

Real estate, Entry level buyer

Let me take a moment to walk you through what entry level buyers are facing across Chicago right now, as of November 8, 2026.

My name is Mike Moran, and while I serve Kenosha and the towns around it, I track Chicago's entry level neighborhoods too, because so many buyers compare the two.

One Building, Many Markets

Urbanize Chicago Commercial reports a proposed project on N. Clark with 95 residential units planned.

That is new supply worth watching. But it tells you nothing about how competitive buying feels today, block by block.

Where Competition Runs Hot

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows 66.2% of homes sold above list in ZIP 60618, the three months ending August 31, 2026.

That is up 16.6 points from the same months of 2025. So if you are buying there, expect to compete.

ZIP 60647 saw 65.1% sell above list in that same period, also the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Days on market there sat at 37 days.

Where It Runs Cooler

In ZIP 60611, only 20.5% of homes sold above list, the Real Estate Data Aggregator reports, for the three months ending August 31, 2026.

Median days on market there ran 61 days, the longest of any ZIP in this group.

Months of supply in 60611 sat at 3.4 months, well above most of the others. So buyers there may have more room to negotiate.

Rates Shape the Picture Too

Freddie Mac put the 30 year fixed rate at 7.18% as of November 5, 2026, down from the prior week.

A year ago, that same rate averaged 6.22%, also Freddie Mac. So monthly payments carry more weight in a buyer's decision now than they did then.

One street can read differently from the whole ZIP code. These numbers describe the ZIP, not any single block or building.

I would encourage anyone weighing an entry level purchase to ask how their specific neighborhood compares, not just the headline number.