River Forest's December Home Sales Jump 50 Percent Year-Over-Year

By Michael Sewall

The 28 single, detached homes sold in Oak Park during December 2013 represented a 12 percent increase from December 2012, when 25 homes were sold, according to the Mainstreet Organization of Realtors (MORe). The nine homes sold in River Forest during December represented a 50 percent increase from the previous year, when six homes were sold. 

Meanwhile, the median home sales price increased in Oak Park and River Forest during December. The median price in Oak Park went up 1.3 percent to $400,000 from $395,000 in December 2012. The median price in River Forest dropped 46.1 percent, from $892,000 in 2012 to $480,900 in 2013, according to the statistics.

According to Zillow, the most expensive Oak Park home that sold in December was at 611 N. Elmwood Ave., and went for $610,000. 

The most expensive River Forest home that sold in December was at 1110 Jackson Ave. That home sold Dec. 4 for $1.14 million. 

Here are the others that sold for more than $400,000 in December, according to Zillow:

In Oak Park:

• 1026 N. Marion St. sold Dec. 13 for $540,000
• 1122 N. Elmwood Ave. sold Dec. 4 for $537,500
• 1222 Woodbine Ave. sold Dec. 19 for $493,000
• 1129 Columbian Ave. sold Dec. 16 for $486,000
• 140 N. Euclid Ave. sold Dec. 4 for $480,000
• 811 N. East Ave. sold Dec. 9 for $465,000
• 526 N. Elmwood Ave. sold Dec. 31 for $450,000
• 1029 S. Grove Ave. sold Dec. 18 for $440,000
  
• 1112 Wenonah Ave. sold Dec. 4 for $406,000
• 328 S. Grove Ave. sold Dec. 23 for $405,000
• 615 N. Taylor Ave. sold Dec. 27 for $405,000

• 1126 Keystone Ave. sold Dec. 6 for $635,500
• 1407 William St. sold Dec. 16 for $635,000
  
• 942 Keystone Ave. sold Dec. 16 for $625,000
  
• 7624 Washington Blvd. sold Dec. 5 for $560,000
  
• 1511 Monroe Ave. sold Dec. 10 for $445,000
  
• 210 Ashland Ave. sold Dec. 3 for $420,000

Among the 59 Patch communities surveyed, the number of homes sold increased 8.2 percent, slightly below the rise seen across the estimated 200 Chicago suburbs MORe tracks.

“There’s no question that 2013 was an outstanding year for the Chicago-area housing market,” said Michael Parent, president of MORe and Vice President of Operations for Burnet Title’s Chicago Region. “In some ways it was even better than predicted, especially in regard to the upward trend in prices.”

Parent noted that the extreme cold we’ve experienced in 2014 has slowed the market, but he’s optimistic for the rest of the year.

“We expect to see good inventory coming on the market and an increase in buyers by the end of January,” he said. “Those are the homes that will be closing in April and May of 2014.”

Top Performers

• Largest percentage increase in homes sold: Flossmoor (200 percent)
• Largest percentage increase in median sales price: Downers Grove (56.9 percent)
• Most homes sold in December 2013: Naperville (118)
• Highest median sales price in December 2013: Hinsdale ($997,000)

Related: A chart of December sales for all Patch towns in the Chicago area.