Free Seminars on Buying, Selling a Home

Jennifer Ames, a top-producing agent at Coldwell Banker, is conducting two free seminars next week, one on Tuesday night, Nov. 17, for buyers, one on Thursday night, Nov. 19, for sellers. Both will run from 6 to 8 p.m., at Ann Sather's Restaurant, 909 W. Belmont. For details, and to sign up, click here.

YTD Sales Improve 6th Consecutive Month

According to figures generated for ChicagoCondosOnline.com by MRED, the regional MLS, year-to-date sales of Chicago condos for the first ten months of 2009 are:
* Down 40% in total dollar volume, to $2.5 billion
* Down 28% in units closed, to 8,133
* Down 13% in median sales price, to $275,000
* Up 14% in average market time, to 149 days.

This shows an improving year-to-date market, in both dollars and units, for six consecutive months:

End of April: Dollars down 59%, units down 51%
End of May: Dollars down 57%, units down 48%
End of June: Dollars down 53%, units down 44%
End of July: Dollars down 49%, units down 39%
End of August: Dollars down 47%, units down 36%
End of September: Dollars down 44%, units down 33%
End of October: Dollars down 40%, units down 28%.

Comparing October sales to September:
* Units closed were up 7%, from 973 to 1,037 closings
* Dollar volume was up 8%, from $285 million to $306 million
* Median sales price was down 4%, from $266,500 to $255,000
* Average market time was down 12%, from 148 days to 130 days.

For details on month-over-month and year-over-year, click here. For previous market reports, click here.