Week of April 21, 2026
Data sourced from Altos Research. Updated every Tuesday.
Be Wise About the Market
This week’s market is not just about whether inventory is up or down. It’s about where the leverage is quietly shifting.
Across these six North Shore/North Suburban communities, the spring market is still active — but it is no longer behaving the same way in every suburb. Some areas are still rewarding sellers with strong demand and quick decisions. Others are giving buyers a little more room than they’ve had in months.
The market is still seller-leaning overall, but it is becoming more segmented — and that creates opportunity for people who understand where they stand.
What Changed This Week
The clearest pattern in this week’s reports is that several markets are seeing more inventory at the same time demand remains intact. That matters because it changes how buyers behave and how sellers need to position their homes.
Highland Park’s inventory rose to 33 homes, while its market strength softened from the prior report and median list price moved down to $1.419M from $1.875M.
Deerfield stayed strong, but it also showed a more nuanced shift: inventory climbed from 15 to 18, while market strength eased slightly and median list price ticked up from about $899K to $998K.
Northbrook may be one of the more interesting changes this week. Inventory stayed high at 31 homes, but the market actually strengthened, while median list price moved up to roughly $1.35M from $1.30M.
Lake Forest also firmed up. Inventory held steady at 29 homes, while market strength increased and median list price jumped from $2.385M to $2.750M.
Glencoe stayed structurally tight but changed in an important way: inventory maintained at 14 again this week. No meaningful supply expansion there, but market strength improved and median list price moved higher to $3.175M from $2.800M.
In Glenview, inventory rose to 32, market strength improved, and median list price edged up to about $1.468M.
What It Means for Buyers
This is the kind of week where buyers can make a mistake in either direction. Some will assume the whole market is still impossible and stay on the sidelines. Others will assume more inventory means easy deals everywhere. Neither is really true.
In Deerfield
Buyers are still dealing with a competitive market. Even with inventory up a bit, Deerfield remains one of the strongest seller-leaning suburbs in this group. That means buyers still need to be ready to act, especially under the $1M mark.
In Highland Park
Buyers may have more opportunity than the headlines suggest. Inventory is up, pricing has softened from the prior report, and the market strength has eased. That does not make it a weak market — but it does mean not every listing deserves a bidding war.
In Northbrook
This is a market where buyers need to separate the good homes from the overpriced ones. The data suggests demand is still there, but with 31 homes on the market and a high relist percentage, buyers can be selective and strategic.
In Lake Forest and Glencoe
Time can still be leverage. These are higher-end markets where buyers have more room to negotiate, especially if a property has been sitting. But this week’s reports also show both markets firming, which means buyers should not mistake “luxury” for “soft.”
In Glenview
Buyers are facing a market that still leans toward sellers, but not one that feels frantic. With more inventory and rising prices, it is a good example of a suburb where preparation matters more than panic.
What It Means for Sellers
For sellers, this week’s data says something important: you still have leverage, but it is no longer automatic. The homes getting the best response are the ones that are priced correctly from day one and show real value relative to the competition.
Sellers in Deerfield
Still have one of the strongest setups in this group. Demand remains healthy and the market is still absorbing homes well. This is still a strong window, but overpricing can blunt that advantage.
Sellers in Highland Park
Need to pay closer attention to positioning. Higher inventory and softer recent readings mean buyers have more to compare. The opportunity is still there, but this is less of a “test the market high” environment than it was a few weeks ago.
Sellers in Northbrook
Have better news this week. The market improved from the prior report, and price trends are stabilizing. But the elevated relist rate is still a warning sign that buyers are rejecting homes that miss the mark.
Sellers in Lake Forest and Glencoe
Should be encouraged by the strengthening trend, but realistic about the buyer pool. Luxury buyers are active, not impulsive. Presentation, condition, and patience matter more here than hype.
Sellers in Glenview
Are in a market that still supports pricing power, but buyers are watching value carefully. Rising inventory means your home is not competing in a vacuum.
The Most Interesting Story This Week
The most interesting story is probably Northbrook. A week ago, Northbrook looked like one of the clearer examples of a market softening into balance. This week, it pushed back the other way. Inventory stayed elevated, but market strength improved and prices moved higher.
That tells us something bigger about the spring market: Buyers are still there. They are just not rewarding every listing. When the house, location, and pricing line up, they step in. When they do not, buyers hesitate. That is a very different market from a broad frenzy — and a much more strategic one.
Mortgage Update
Mortgage rates improved slightly week over week. Freddie Mac reported that the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.30% as of April 16, 2026, down from 6.37% the prior week, while the 15-year fixed averaged 5.65%, down from 5.74%.
For buyers, that modest drop helps monthly affordability at the margin, which matters in markets like Deerfield, Highland Park, and Glenview where buyers are still competing in meaningful numbers. For sellers, it is a reminder that rate pressure has not knocked buyers out of the market. Demand is still there — especially for homes that feel well-priced and move-in ready.
Bottom Line
This week’s market is still active, still seller-leaning, and still shaped by tight enough inventory to keep buyers engaged. But it is also more nuanced than it was earlier in the spring.
- Deerfield still looks competitive.
- Highland Park looks more negotiable than it did.
- Northbrook improved.
- Lake Forest and Glencoe are firming in luxury.
- Glenview remains steady but strategic.
Be Wise About the Market. This is the kind of market where broad assumptions do not work. The buyers and sellers who do best right now are the ones who understand their specific suburb, their price point, and the behavior behind the numbers.
