There’s a blurry forecast for the Illinois housing market. Home sales have increased this first quarter, but so did home foreclosures. There was a 32 percent increase in March 2010 with 9,487 homes sold compared to the same period in 2009 with 7,142 sold, according to the Illinois Association of Realtors. It was the seventh consecutive month of increases for Illinois home sales. However, the Chicago area also had 9,302 homes foreclosed, the largest number of completed auctions recorded in a quarter since 2006, according to the Woodstock Institute. more ›

After a dismal past six months for the housing market, real estate agents say they are finally starting to see marked increased activity. more ›