2016 Housing Market Ends on a High Note 

The number of homes sold are up 20 percent and selling more quickly than the year before in the Chicagoland area, according to fourth quarter 2016 data from MRED MLS and Broker Metrics. Homes spent less time on the market in 2016 than the previous year, with an average of 94 days on the market in Q4 2016 to 2015’s 101 days. Median prices are also rising when comparing the same time periods, with an increase of 9 percent. 

Key Indicators to Watch for Market Direction 

The real estate year is off to a strong start, using the momentum of the fourth quarter of 2016. A recent Chicago Agent Magazine points to some key leading indicators for the market direction:  home values, city and suburban activity, geographic variety and inventory of homes for sale. Experts are calling for prices to rise modestly in the first quarter, though there will be considerable variance within communities and neighborhoods. 

KoenigRubloff Cares Foundation Newsletter – Winter 2017 

We invite you to read the most recent issue of the KoenigRubloff Cares Foundation Newsletter. This Winter 2017 issue features an announcement of grants totaling $75,000 that were awarded to Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity and The Sunshine Kids for the year of 2016. Also highlighted are our Night in Monte Carlo Fundraiser and Chicagoland Habitat Builds. To read the newsletter, please click here. 

Winter Pastels Arrive as New Trend 

Pastels have long thought to be the way to welcome spring and summer, but a new trend of winter pastels has recently popped up. HGTV.com explores this with 10 ways to bring pastels into your home for the colder months. Color blocking, bedding, and kitchen appliances all make the list! To read the other suggestions, please click here. 

Bring the Aroma of Springtime Indoors

You don’t have to wait until the weather gets warmer to smell springtime all around you! DIY network compiled a list of the 13 best fragrant indoor plants. Jasmine, spearmint, eucalyptus, and lily of the valley all give off the scent of nature in the comfort of your own home during the winter. To see the entire list, please click here.