The number of houses for sale in Northern Illinois increased in January for the first time in several years, according to the Northwest Illinois Alliance of Realtors. Despite this, the average price for a home in Winnebago, Boone, and Ogle County is nearly $236,000-thousand dollars, the lowest price in six months. There were just over 300 houses available for sale, up 10% from the same time last year. This is the highest inventory for the start of a new year since 2022. Despite these increases, there is still a shortage in the housing market.