Lyn Wise Group · North Shore Market Intelligence Data: Altos Research · Single Family Homes · lynwisegroup.com · (312) 860-7294
WHAT IS THE MARKET ACTION INDEX?
MAI tells us if the market is getting more or less competitive, and who it favors, buyers or sellers. Above 30, sellers have the advantage. Below 30, buyers have the advantage. As always, when we call something an improvement, we'll say for whom.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK
Northbrook just hit ten straight weeks of MAI decline, from 71 down to 45, a genuinely historic run for this market. Highland Park's relist rate hit a new low for the fourth consecutive week, now at 23%, continuing a trend that keeps getting more durable the longer it goes.
The hidden gem this week is actually a repeat performance. Lake Forest's entry level tier, this week centered around $1,087,000, absorbed six homes against just one new listing, the same extraordinary pattern we saw there several weeks ago before it cooled off. That tier has now shown this exact signal more than once this season, which tells us something more interesting than a single hot week, entry level demand in Lake Forest keeps resurging even when the broader market cools. Deerfield's median days on market hit a new high of 98, and Glencoe's did too, at 91, both markets continuing to slow at a similar pace.
NORTHBROOK · IL 60062 MAI 45 · Strong Seller's Market · Inventory: 46 · Median DOM: 56 days
Ten weeks running now, 71 to 68 to 65 to 63 to 60 to 55 to 50 to 49 to 46 and now 45. Price decreased percentage actually eased this week, from 29% down to 17%, an interesting wrinkle worth watching, since it suggests sellers may finally be adjusting their initial asking prices downward rather than needing a cut after the fact.
For sellers, ten weeks of softening means the pricing conversation has fundamentally changed since summer. For buyers, this remains the most open market on the North Shore by a wide margin.
HIGHLAND PARK · IL 60035 MAI 46 · Strong Seller's Market · Inventory: 39 · Median DOM: 49 days
Fourth straight week of a new low relist rate, now 23%, down from 38% a month ago. The entry tier is the standout, absorbing two homes against four new listings in just 14 days on market, the fastest pace anywhere in this week's report.
For sellers, this is now a well-established trend, not a lucky stretch. For buyers, the entry tier is moving fast enough that hesitation has a real cost right now.
DEERFIELD · IL 60015 MAI 40 · Slight Seller's Advantage · Inventory: 35 · Median DOM: 98 days
Median days on market hit a new high this week, 98 days, and the relist rate climbed back up to 46% after easing the past couple of weeks. Two steps forward, one step back for this market right now.
For sellers, patience and realistic pricing both matter more than they did a month ago. For buyers, this remains a market with real room to negotiate, especially above $1M where nothing sold this week.
GLENCOE · IL 60022 MAI 35 · Slight Seller's Advantage · Inventory: 20 · Median DOM: 91 days
Median days on market also hit a new high here, 91 days, right in line with Deerfield's slowdown. Every single tier had zero new listings this week, though the top and mid tiers did each absorb a home.
For sellers, this remains a market asking for real patience, especially with essentially no new competition to worry about either. For buyers, that quiet is your opening.
LAKE FOREST · IL 60045 MAI 37 · Slight Seller's Advantage · Inventory: 41 · Median DOM: 70 days
The entry tier absorbed six homes against just one new listing, the same extraordinary demand pattern we flagged here a few weeks ago before it cooled. Seeing it resurface is the more interesting story than any single week alone would be.
For sellers in that range, this tier keeps proving there's real, recurring demand when priced right. For buyers, expect real competition there, even if the broader Lake Forest market stays comparatively calm.
MORTGAGE UPDATE
Rates climbed further this week. Freddie Mac's weekly survey put the 30-year fixed at 6.95%, up from 6.76% the week before, while daily trackers show readings anywhere from 7.0% up past 7.2%, the highest levels in years. The Fed delivered its first-rate hike since 2023 this week, and Treasury yields surged to levels not seen since 2007, both pushing mortgage rates higher. For buyers, this adds real, ongoing pressure on top of already tight affordability. For sellers, rising rates are very likely part of what's driving the sustained cooling we're seeing in Northbrook, Deerfield, and Glencoe alike.
FINAL THOUGHTS
For sellers, Highland Park proved a correction can compound over a full month, and Lake Forest's entry tier proved strong demand can resurface even after cooling. Deerfield and Glencoe are both asking for real patience right now, and climbing rates are adding to that pressure.
For buyers, Northbrook's ten-week decline remains the biggest opportunity on the North Shore, though climbing rates mean the cost of waiting keeps growing too.
Getting Wise About the Market. 🏡 The Lyn Wise Group is here. Reach out directly.
Lyn Wise Group | www.lynwisegroup.com | (312) 860-7294 Data sourced from Altos Research. Updated every Tuesday because things change weekly.
