Week of March 24, 2026
Data sourced from Altos Research. Updated every Tuesday.
Be Wise About the Market
The North Shore and North Suburbs housing market rarely moves in one direction. Instead, it shifts in layers. Some communities heat up almost overnight. Others quietly build momentum. And sometimes the real story isn’t prices — it’s inventory, timing, and how quickly buyers are stepping in when the right home appears.
This week’s data shows something interesting happening beneath the surface: Demand is strengthening again in several communities just as spring inventory begins to arrive. That combination is where markets start to move. Let’s look at what’s happening.
The Big Picture
Across the North Shore and North Suburbs, the market continues leaning toward sellers, but it’s not a runaway market. Instead, it’s strategically competitive. Buyers are active, but selective. Sellers still have leverage, but pricing discipline matters more than ever.
Inventory is rising slightly in some communities which is typical this time of year, but in many towns the number of available homes is still historically tight. That’s why homes that are well-priced and well-presented continue to move quickly and typically experience multiple offers over the asking price.
Tightest Markets Right Now
Buffalo Grove — MAI 76 | Median DOM: 7
Buffalo Grove is currently the most competitive market in the region. Homes are selling extremely quickly, often within days, as buyers compete for a very limited number of listings. Inventory remains just 13 homes, which keeps pressure firmly on the demand side. This is one of the clearest examples of how strong the spring market can become when inventory stays tight.
Wilmette — MAI 60 | Median DOM: 25
Wilmette continues to show strong buyer demand. The market action index jumped to 60, firmly in seller-market territory, as buyers continue stepping in quickly when homes hit the market. Inventory has increased slightly to 20 homes, but demand is absorbing new listings just as quickly. When Wilmette gets momentum like this heading into spring, it tends to stay very competitive.
Deerfield — MAI 60 | Median DOM: 35
Deerfield is showing one of the biggest momentum shifts this month. Demand has strengthened sharply while inventory dropped to 15 homes, pushing the market action index up to 60. That combination leads to pricing pressure later in the spring if supply doesn’t increase meaningfully.
Markets Building Momentum
Highland Park — MAI 54 | Median DOM: 28
Highland Park continues to strengthen as we move into the spring market. The market action index climbed to 54, signaling a solid seller’s market. Inventory has risen to 25 homes, but demand is still greatly outpacing supply. In markets like Highland Park, the story isn’t just competition — it’s which homes buyers choose to compete for.
Glenview — MAI 48 | Median DOM: 21
Glenview is quietly strengthening. The market action index increased to 48, just shy of the strong seller-market threshold. Homes are selling quickly when priced correctly, with a median market time of just 21 days. This is the type of market where the right listing strategy makes all the difference.
Balanced but Seller-Leaning Markets
Winnetka — MAI 44 | Median DOM: 56
Winnetka remains a seller-leaning market, though the pace is slightly calmer than some neighboring communities. Inventory has increased to 19 homes, and the market action index has softened slightly compared to last month. In the luxury segments, buyers are still active, but they are carefully evaluating value before moving forward.
Northbrook — MAI 43 | Median DOM: 49
Northbrook sits in a similar position. The market remains in seller territory, but activity has reached a temporary equilibrium between supply and demand. Inventory currently stands at 26 homes, with prices likely to climb again if buyer demand accelerates further.
Lake Forest — MAI 40 | Median DOM: 91
Lake Forest continues to show gradual strengthening. Sales activity has been outpacing supply for several weeks, pushing the market action index up to 40. Inventory has remained steady around 29 homes. This is a market where luxury inventory levels matter more than overall supply numbers.
Glencoe — MAI 45 | Median DOM: 81
Glencoe remains one of the tightest luxury markets on the North Shore. Inventory has fallen to just 8 homes, which keeps the market structurally competitive even when individual listings take longer to sell. Low supply in Glencoe tends to support long-term price strength.
What This Means
The spring market is now fully underway across the North Shore and North Suburbs. But the story isn’t simply that the market is “hot.” It’s segmented. Entry-level and mid-range homes are moving quickly. Well-priced homes are attracting immediate attention. Luxury buyers remain active but highly selective. In other words - the market is rewarding strategy.
The Key Signal This Week
The most important trend this week isn’t pricing. It’s momentum. Several communities, especially Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Wilmette and Highland Park are seeing rising demand just as inventory begins to appear. If that trend continues into April, the North Shore spring market could become significantly more competitive.
