Some Chicago-Area Condos and Townhomes Are Taking Much Longer to Sell. Where Could Buyers Negotiate?
CHICAGOLAND— Some suburban condos and townhomes are sitting on the market much longer than they were a year ago.
September data from Mainstreet REALTORS® shows average marketing times for attached homes jumped sharply in several suburbs, including Elmhurst, Willowbrook and Des Plaines.
| Suburb | Sept. 2025 | Sept. 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Elmhurst | 28 days | 75 days |
| Willowbrook | 15 days | 69 days |
| Des Plaines | 26 days | 60 days |
That does not mean every condo in these communities is suddenly discounted.
But for buyers, a property that has been sitting for 60 or 75 days can create a very different negotiation than one that received multiple offers its first weekend.
Attached Homes Are Taking Longer Across the Suburbs
Des Plaines Illinois
The slowdown is broader than these three communities.
Across the suburban market tracked by Mainstreet, attached homes averaged 39 days on the market in September, up from 31 days a year earlier. Attached-home sales also declined 6.7% year over year, while pending activity fell 3%.
Some communities saw particularly large changes:
Elmhurst: 28 days to 75 days
Willowbrook: 15 days to 69 days
Des Plaines: 26 days to 60 days
Palos Heights: 22 days to 80 days
But there is an important detail.
These statistics cover attached homes, not condos exclusively. Depending on the local housing stock, that category can include condominiums, townhomes and other attached residential properties.
So buyers should use the numbers as a signal to investigate individual listings, not assume every condo in Elmhurst or Willowbrook is moving slowly.
Longer Market Time Does Not Automatically Mean Lower Prices
This is where the September numbers become interesting.
Even though attached homes were taking longer to sell, the regional median attached-home sale price increased 6.6% year over year, from $275,000 to $293,000.
In other words:
Homes can take longer to sell without becoming dramatically cheaper.
A seller may still be holding firm on price. The property could have unusual HOA fees, an older interior, limited parking or simply a smaller buyer pool.
Or the listing may have started too high and lost momentum.
That is why buyers should look beyond the number of days on market and ask why the property is still available.
Where Longer-Listed Homes Can Create Negotiating Room
A listing sitting for 60 days does not automatically justify a low offer.
It does give you more information.
For example, negotiation may become more realistic when a condo or townhome has:
been listed substantially longer than competing properties
already gone through one or more price reductions
returned to the market after a previous contract fell apart
remained vacant while the seller continues paying taxes and HOA fees
few recent showings or no competing offers
outdated finishes compared with similarly priced listings
upcoming repairs or assessments that buyers will need to absorb
Price is also not the only thing worth negotiating.
A seller may be more willing to consider closing-cost credits, repair requests, a flexible closing date, included furniture or appliances, or other contract terms if the listing has been sitting without strong activity.
The strongest offer is not always the one with the lowest price.
Sometimes getting the seller to contribute toward costs can produce a better financial result for the buyer.
Condo Buyers Should Look at the Building Too
A long market time could reflect the unit.
But it can also reflect the condominium association.
Before deciding that an older listing is simply a bargain, buyers should review issues such as:
HOA assessments, reserves, upcoming special assessments, insurance, recent meeting minutes, major repairs, rental restrictions and the building’s financial condition.
A condo priced below comparable properties may look attractive until you discover a large special assessment or unusually high monthly HOA costs.
That makes attached-home negotiation different from simply finding the property with the longest days on market.
The question should be:
“Why has this home been available longer, and does that reason create an opportunity or a risk?”
What Buyers Should Do in Elmhurst, Willowbrook and Des Plaines
The September numbers suggest these markets deserve a closer look, especially for buyers who previously felt they had little ability to negotiate.
But the strategy should remain property-specific.
If a well-priced condo hits the market in a desirable building and immediately generates several offers, the broader suburb's 60- or 75-day average may not matter much.
On the other hand, a unit that has been available for two months, has already reduced its price and has no competing offers could present a very different conversation.
Mainstreet REALTORS® President Greg Phillips emphasized that suburban markets are moving at different speeds, with some homes still receiving offers quickly while slower markets experience less activity.
That is the bigger takeaway for buyers in late 2026.
There is no single “Chicago suburbs market.”
Negotiating power can change from suburb to suburb, building to building and even listing to listing.
Looking for a Condo or Townhome in the Western Suburbs?
The Cory Tanzer Group at Option Premier helps buyers evaluate pricing, days on market, comparable sales, HOA costs, building condition and seller motivation throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
If a property has been sitting longer than expected, the goal is not simply to make a low offer.
It is to understand why it has not sold and where the seller may actually be willing to negotiate.
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