Property sales — 2024 Q1 update

Property sales — 2024 Q1 update Chicago Cityscape has updated Property Sales Browser to include the 24,451 property sales in Cook County in 2024 Q1. This is a reduction compared to 2023 Q4 and compared to the same quarter last year. Left: chart showing the number of property sales in Cook County...

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Update to ADU service providers in Chicago (April 2024)

I wanted to update you on some things. 

What’s in the ordinance?

The big idea is eliminating the five pilot areas and allowing ADUs citywide. Additional provisions would remove the cap on coach house floor area, allow removing existing parking in order to have a grade-level coach house, allowing a coach house and an interior ADU on the same property, and allowing ADUs in B1-3 and C1-2 zoning districts. 

What should you do?

  1. I would ask that you email the alderperson of both your home and your office and ask them to support legalizing more homes citywide by co-sponsoring O2023-2075. 
  2. Advise your current and prospective clients that later this year they may be able to move forward with design and permitting of ADUs. 

While you’re here, please double check that your listing appears as you want it still. <http://chicagocityscape.com/adu/serviceproviders.php>

And let me know if you’d like to purchase an enhanced listing (with imagery and get listed first). There are three slots: $350, $300, and $250 (for one year). 


Update to ADU service providers in Chicago (April 2024)

Hi people on the Cityscape ADU service providers directory, 

I wanted to update you on some things. 

What’s in the ordinance?

The big idea is eliminating the five pilot areas and allowing ADUs citywide. Additional provisions would remove the cap on coach house floor area, allow removing existing parking in order to have a grade-level coach house, allowing a coach house and an interior ADU on the same property, and allowing ADUs in B1-3 and C1-2 zoning districts. 

What should you do?

  1. I would ask that you email the alderperson of both your home and your office and ask them to support legalizing more homes citywide by co-sponsoring O2023-2075. 
  2. Advise your current and prospective clients that later this year they may be able to move forward with design and permitting of ADUs. 

While you’re here, please double check that your listing appears as you want it still. <http://chicagocityscape.com/adu/serviceproviders.php>

And let me know if you’d like to purchase an enhanced listing (with imagery and get listed first). There are three slots: $350, $300, and $250 (for one year). 


Find developable lots for sale in Chicago in three clicks

The three clicks is a promise. First, open a Chicago-based Place Report; Property Finder will open automatically. (For example, open Near West Side community area.)

  1. In the Property Finder filters, select the “Developable lots” filter. 
  2. In the “Listing status” filter, tick the checkboxes for each of the property types you want to find. 
  3. Select the “Apply filters” button. 

In a moment, Chicago Cityscape will show you a map and data table of developable lots for sale in Chicago. The information shown to you will also include a calculation of how many homes each property allows based on its current zoning district. 

These filters combined can find excellent new construction and redevelopment opportunities. For example, we found a one-story commercial building for sale in the West Loop which is zoned to allow seven apartments or condos. 

screenshot of Property Finder filters


You might be wondering, what’s a developable lot? Our definition of developable lots comprises properties that meet all of these criteria:

  • Low-intensity land use (parking lots, one-story commercial buildings, side yard, vacant lots, car repair and gas stations)
  • In a zoning district with an FAR of 2.0 or higher, which means that a building on the property can have a floor area of two times, or more, the lot area. Or is in an RM-5, RM-5.5, RM-6, or RM-6.5 zoning district.
  • Within a transit-served location (meaning within 1/2 mile of a CTA or Metra rail station, or within 1/4 mile of a CTA bus route that has higher-frequency service in the middle of the day). 

Chicago Cityscape updates properties for sale once a day; the criteria listed above are updated as needed or as properties change. 

Wrapped! But for Chicago building permits

Chicago Cityscape presents its first multimedia Chicago Permits Wrapped , looking at building permit activity in Chicago in 2023. Watch it as a video , sift through the slideshow on our website, download it as a PDF , or read the Wrapped highlights below. Topline figures are that in 2023 the Cit...

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