Published October 11, 2026 in Market Update

West Loop Gate / Loop inventory fell, but more homes still went under contract

By Thurston Gayle

Real estate, West Loop Gate / Loop

Nationally, active listings topped 1.16 million homes, growing 5.5% year over year, according to Realtor.com. West Loop Gate / Loop moved the other way. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted only 18 homes for sale in ZIP 60606 in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is down 28% from the same months of 2025. Fewer choices for buyers here, not more.

Here is what stands out. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 31 pending sales in ZIP 60606, up 14.8% from a year ago. More homes went under contract than were sitting available. That gap tells you demand held up even as supply shrank.

Homes moved faster this year

The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows median days on market fell to 62 days, 18 days shorter than a year ago. Nearly 3 in 10 homes went under contract within two weeks of listing, up 10.5 points from 2025. Supply sat at just 2 months, down 1.2 months from a year ago. Well-priced homes did not wait long.

Price dipped a little, but sellers still got close to asking

The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price at $385,000, down 2.5% from the same months of 2025. That is a small dip, not a slide. Sellers still averaged 99.3% of their asking price, up 0.2 points from a year ago. About 22.2% of homes sold above list, down 2.8 points. Not every home drew a bidding war, but most closed very near asking.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings took a price cut in September, the highest September share since 2018. That pressure is not showing up the same way in ZIP 60606, where the sale to list ratio ticked up, not down.

Rates are a real headwind right now

CNBC reported the average contract rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage rose to 7.49% as of October 7, 2026. Redfin noted rates were already above 7% heading into fall. Higher rates raise monthly costs and can slow how many buyers step forward. That is worth knowing if you are pricing a home right now.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator also counted 27 homes sold in ZIP 60606 during the three months ending August 31, 2026, up 12.5% from the same period in 2025. New listings came in at 26, up 8.3%. More sellers listed, more buyers closed. Both sides of the market picked up, even with fewer homes sitting available at any one time.

One note on ZIP codes: 60606 covers a defined area, and one building or one block can read very differently from the whole ZIP. If you want to know what the numbers mean for your specific address, text me.