10-Jun-18 – Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, but not all residential enclaves are created equally.

According to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, Avondale’s average single-family home price rose 11.7 percent in 2017. In contrast, the average price of a single-family home in Englewood on the South Side in 2017 was $20,550, a decline of six percent from $22,000 in 2016.

“Three-flat and four-flat apartment values also are on the rise in the hot North Side neighborhoods of Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, Logan Square, and Avondale,” noted Realtor Sara Benson (left), president of Benson Stanley Realty, based in Chicago.

“Well-located three-unit and four-unit income properties are highly attractive to small investors. It’s about scarcity and demand. At any point in time, there typically are less than 3,000 small income properties listed for sale in Northern Illinois. At the same time, there usually are about 40,000 single-family home listings and 15,000 condos for sale,” she said.

X Plus Real Estate, specialists in marketing two-to-12-unit properties, compiled the following analysis of 2017 three-unit and four-unit building sales by zip codes on Chicago’s North Side...

60614 – In this zip code, encompassing Lincoln Park and Old Town, 21 three-unit properties were sold in 2017 for an average price of $1,014,952. Average market time was 118 days. 14 four-flats in the 60614 zip code sold for an average price of $1,269,628 in 2017, with an average market time of 86 days.

60657 – In Lake View, 20 three-unit properties were sold in 2017 for an average price of $968,646. Average market time was 73 days. 15 four-flats in the 60657 zip code sold for an average price of $1,267,308 in 2017, with an average market time of only 56 days.

60622 – This zip code includes Bucktown, Ukrainian Village, and Wicker Park. 34 three-unit properties were sold in 2017 for an average price of $750,956. Average market time was 74 days. 18 four-flats in the 60622 zip code sold for an average price of $978,993 in 2017, with an average market time of 64 days.

60647 – In Logan Square, 46 three-unit properties were sold in 2017 for an average price of $582,050. Average market time was 83 days. 26 four-flats in the 60647 zip code sold for an average price of $774,230 in 2017, with an average market time of only 50 days. 60618 – This zip code includes Albany Park, Avondale, and West Roscoe Village. 68 three-unit properties were sold in 2017 for an average price of $557,491. Average market time was 64 days. 23 four-flats in the 60618 zip code sold for an average price of $693,768 in 2017, with an average market time of only 33 days.

Small increases in Chicago home values

Despite reports of strong investment-property sales in key North Side neighborhoods, all is not rosy in the Chicago-area market. S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices indicate that Chicago ranks 20th among the nation’s biggest metropolitan areas with only a 2.6 percent rise in home values last year.

Chicago-area home appreciation is low because of lackluster job growth, soaring real estate taxes, and an exodus of residents to other states, experts say.

Nationwide in 2017, home values rose 6.3 percent. The Seattle market led the nation with a 12.7 percent price increase, followed by Las Vegas with an 11.1 percent gain in home values.

The Chicago area also leads the nation with 253,725 underwater homes – those on which the owner owes more on the mortgage than the property is worth – according to Zillow’s 2017 Q4 Negative Equity report. That total is more than all the underwater homes in both New York and Los Angeles combined.