Published October 18, 2026 in Market Update

Townhomes Stayed Tight Even With More New Listings

By Maureen Moran

Real estate, Townhomes

Let me take a moment to share what I am seeing in the townhome market as of October 18, 2026. I am Maureen, and I work block by block across Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Gold Coast, Old Town, and Wicker Park. The numbers for the three months ending August 31, 2026 tell a clear story: more homes came to market, and buyers absorbed them anyway.

The One Number That Changes Everything

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,463 new townhome listings across these ZIP codes, up 2.4% from a year before. That sounds like relief for buyers. But the same data shows only 806 homes for sale, down 11.5% from a year ago. More came in. Less stayed on the shelf. Buyers are still working with limited choice.

Rates Above 7% Did Not Slow Demand

Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates topped 7% for the first time since January 2025. That is a real cost for buyers. Even so, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 1,419 pending sales across these ZIP codes, up 3.8% from the same period last year. Buyers kept moving. The rate headwind did not stop them.

What Each Neighborhood Showed

The Real Estate Data Aggregator breaks this down ZIP by ZIP. Lincoln Park (60614) had a median sale price of $850,000, up 18.3%. Homes there sold in a median of 37 days, and 57.1% sold above list. Lakeview (60657) came in at $705,000, up 16.7%, with 65% of homes going under contract within two weeks. Bucktown (60647) held at $690,000, up 1.5%, with 65.1% selling above list. Old Town and the stretch covering 60622 hit $733,000, up 11.2%, with inventory down 21.3%. The North Center and Irving Park corridor (60618) landed at $700,000, up 12%, with 66.2% selling above list, the highest share of any ZIP here.

Price Cuts Nationally, But Not Here

Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings nationally took a price cut in September 2026. That is worth knowing. In these five ZIP codes, sale-to-list ratios ran from 103.5% to 104.5%, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Sellers here were not cutting. They were collecting above ask.

Speed Tells the Same Story

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows that across four of the five ZIP codes, the median home sold in 37 days. In 60657, it was 38 days. Only 60622 ran a little slower at 42 days, unchanged from a year before. In 60614, the median was 5 days shorter than last year. In 60618, it was 7 days shorter. Well-priced homes are not sitting.

What This Means for Sellers

New listings rose 2.4% across these ZIP codes, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is a little more competition. But inventory still fell 11.5%. The new supply did not loosen the market. Sellers who price well are still seeing strong results, with most ZIP codes showing more than 60% of homes selling above list.

What This Means for Buyers

Choice improved a little. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows 1,463 new listings came to market. That is more than a year ago. But with only 806 homes available at any point, and months of supply ranging from 1.4 to 1.8 across ZIP codes, this is still a tight market. Realtor.com put rates above 7%. That adds cost. I would encourage anyone in this position to understand exactly which blocks and price points give them the most room.

One more thing worth saying plainly: the numbers above cover whole ZIP codes. A single block in Lincoln Park can behave very differently from the one behind it. School boundaries, L-line proximity, parking, and property type all shift the picture. The ZIP code tells you the direction. I can tell you what is happening on your specific block.