Inflation may have cooled since the 2022 spike, but that does not mean prices went back to normal. From 2018 through 2025, a $100 basket of everyday goods rose to roughly $128 — a real-world example of how inflation stacks year after year and quietly damages household purchasing power.
Published on 05/14/2026
Mortgage rates have improved from the 2023 peak, but affordability has not meaningfully recovered. Higher home prices, rising property taxes, and surging homeowners insurance costs have absorbed much of the benefit from lower rates — leaving many buyers with nearly the same monthly payment as before.
Published on 05/13/2026
Since June 2022 — when many predicted the housing market was about to crash — national home values have not collapsed. In fact, the overall market is up modestly, while some metros have continued climbing and others have clearly pulled back. This report breaks down what actually happened after the FOMO era: where home prices held strong, where they weakened, and what buyers and homeowners should watch next.
Published on 05/06/2026
Foreclosure headlines sound scary, but context matters. Filings are rising from the artificially low COVID-forbearance era, not from normal market levels. Current foreclosure activity is still far below the 2008–2010 housing crisis peak, and the risk appears more concentrated in certain states and borrower groups — not a nationwide foreclosure wave.
Published on 05/06/2026
Gerrymandering has been around for more than 200 years, but it is back in the spotlight as courts, lawmakers, and voters debate how political maps should be drawn. In this blog, we break down what gerrymandering is, why Illinois is one of the clearest modern examples, and how redistricting can shape elections long before voters ever cast a ballot.
Published on 05/01/2026
Thinking about buying in St. Charles, Illinois? Before you make that move, it helps to understand what the local housing market is really saying — from rising home values and property taxes to schools, downtown lifestyle, and long-term demand. In this St. Charles market snapshot, we break down why people want to live here, what buyers should watch out for, and whether the cost of living in one of the Fox Valley’s most desirable communities still makes sense.
Published on 04/30/2026
did you know your qualification does not depend on one score anymore?
Published on 04/29/2026
