Ask almost any REALTOR® across Chicagoland what their clients are struggling with today and you’ll likely hear that same two words: affordability and inventory.
Mainstreet HQ, Downers Grove – Our signature event, Propel, is an annual summer staple featuring keynote speakers and panelists from far and wide who bring their subject matter expertise and real-world business solutions to attendees. Its “must-see” vibes are unmatched in a room full of industry experts and cutting-edge content. The real estate business is changing faster than ever. AI, consumer expectations, marketing and technology are evolving rapidly, making ongoing education a necessary competitive advantage. Consumers increasingly expect agents to be tech savvy. Research shows how buyers and sellers evaluate an agent's digital presence, marketing, responsiveness and use of technology. For a look at the NAR Technology Survey, click here. Low inventory means agents need better strategies to find listings and buyers. Welcome to Mainstreet’s Signature Event, Propel. Our sessions feature nationally recognized titans of industry and localized top-producing REALTORS® sharing what's working right now. A.I. is no longer optional. Social media continues to influence consumer decisions. Research shows how consumers select real estate professionals online based on personalized brand recognition. Technology helps REALTORS® save time, not replace relationships. At Propel, attendees learn how to use practical tools with immediate implementation. Study successful local REALTORS® as they provide concrete ideas that can be applied in the Chicagoland market. MRED is agile and future-focused, as they continue to introduce new tools and enhancements. As an attendee for Propel, you will receive updates and tips to maximize resources they already have access to. Additionally, a professional headshot is an investment in an agent's brand. An up-to-date headshot offers a clear view into a trustworthy agent’s profile, building credibility and trust. Consumers love to know who they are going to be working with and what an agent looks like before agreeing to any marketing or showings. Call it curb appeal, if you will. Networking always has and always will matter. Connecting with hundreds of productive REALTORS®, brokers, affiliates and technology partners can be accomplished in one afternoon at Propel. Your continued education provides ROI. Propel positions you for implementation, not theory. Expect actionable takeaways to be used ASAP. Click here to visit Propel 2026 Registration Page to purchase a table for 10 or a single ticket!
Chicagoland's suburban housing market showed continued resilience in April, even as sales stagnated compared to a year ago.
Mainstreet HQ, Downers Grove – Mainstreet is dedicated to making things easy for our members. After reviewing member feedback, we have made several improvements to the Forms and Contracts library to simplify and streamline your access. There are three different updates: 1. Log in to MyMainstreet and look for the green Forms and Contracts Icon, located in my tools across the top of the page. 2. Secondly, on the left side of the member portal, the purple vertical column of clickable resources says, “member resources.” Once here, look for the “forms” tab listed along the top of the dropdown menu choices. 3. Lastly, if you know which form you are looking for, instead of using member resources, navigate to the member portal page and in the same purple vertical column, look for “forms and documents.” Here you can search for the form you need by keyword. The above video details these changes, step by step. Click play to watch our tutorial video, brought to you by the Professional Standards staff at Mainstreet REALTORS®. Do you want access to our industry-leading forms and contracts library?
Mainstreet REALTORS® was honored to be a proud sponsor of Polonia Impact Day in Springfield on April 29 —an impactful day dedicated to celebrating and elevating the voice of the Polish American community across Illinois. We are especially proud that our 2025–2026 President, Kinga Korpacz, attended this important event as the first Polish President in Mainstreet’s history . Her presence reflects not only a personal milestone but also the growing diversity, leadership and cultural representation within our organization and the real estate industry as a whole. Polonia Impact Day brought together leaders, advocates and community members to engage directly with legislators, celebrate heritage and strengthen relationships that shape the future of our communities. The event featured special proclamations recognizing the contributions of Polish Americans, including efforts led by Senator Robert Martwick and presentations by Senate President Don Harmon, alongside support from Omar Aquino and Laura Murphy. Treasurer Michael Frerichs and his team also welcomed all participants to the Capitol, helping create a memorable and meaningful experience for all in attendance. Events like Polonia Impact Day highlight the importance of advocacy, cultural pride and community engagement—values that strongly align with Mainstreet REALTORS®’ mission. As REALTORS®, we know that building strong communities goes beyond real estate—it means showing up, supporting one another and having a voice in the decisions that impact housing and homeownership. We are proud to stand alongside the Polish American community and look forward to continuing to support initiatives that bring people together and make a lasting impact.
Mainstreet HQ, Downers Grove – Mainstreet’s Economic Outlook 2026 presented forecasts for the U.S. economy and possible Illinois housing market trends. That was in January. Halfway through the year, you need an update. Mainstreet has the data call you will want to hear for the second half of 2026. Listen in as NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun provides insights and advice about the back half of 2026. The Mid-Year Economic Update is a Mainstreet webinar focused on economic signals for the second part of 2026. Here is what Illinois voters think about the economy: - 81% Say Housing in Illinois is Unaffordable; - 65% Support Allowing Modest Duplexes on Larger Residential Lots; - 59% Bipartisan Support for Housing Affordability as a Top Priority; - 33% Have Had to Cut Back on Daily Essentials to Afford Housing. Using the information above, it is fair to say affordable housing and inventory are hot button issues in the world of economic headlines and topics. Specifically in Illinois where the supply crisis is squeezing middle class families out of the market altogether. For example, according to Illinois REALTORS® research, “Illinois would need to TRIPLE new home construction for 5 years in a row just to meet the current demand.” – Excerpt from IR Unlocking Our Housing Plan 2026. Now hear what Dr. Lawrence Yun has to say! The update coming from Dr. Yun, Chief Economist at NAR will provide critical information about what buyers and sellers have been doing so far in 2026. Knowing what your clients want based on buyer and seller behaviors gives you an advantage over other agents who are a day late and a dollar short. A one-hour webinar is a small price to pay for an increase in Q3 and Q4 sales volume. Click here to register today for the Mid-Year Economic Update.
Spring arrived in Chicagoland suburbs and so did homebuyers.
DOWNERS GROVE, IL – Mainstreet REALTORS® has named Brian Palm, designated managing broker and president of Palm Real Estate Ventures, Inc. in Naperville, as its 2026 REALTOR® of the Year. This award recognizes Brian’s outstanding leadership and contributions to both the real estate industry and his community.
This headline poses a big question. I’m not sure. Let me ask Chat GPT. (Just kidding). Aside from the larger question – should we even take an overall For or Against position on AI? – it’s important for us to understand how REALTORS® and consumers are already using AI technology in real estate. More importantly, we need to know how to advise Mainstreet members on the pros and cons of using AI in their businesses. For example, we know that roughly two-thirds of all real estate agents in the U.S. have used AI (mostly Chat GPT and similar tools) at least a little. And about half of those use AI to create listing descriptions/marketing content. The downside? This AI-generated content could be problematic if it’s not checked and edited for accuracy and fair housing compliance. On top of that, you could be in further danger if you’re using free versions of AI tools. Because you’re probably contributing to someone else’s content and security; not your own. [1] Here’s a quick list of how REALTORS® are using AI: Listing copy + marketing content: Writing listing descriptions, social posts, email nurture, open-house blurbs. Tip: Feed the model structured property facts, fair-housing guardrails and your voice to stay compliant and on-brand (Source: NAR ). Rapid creative for visuals: Using virtual staging, enhancement, video scripts and reels to showcase home features when full staging and video budgets aren’t feasible. Tip: Combine with clear disclosure to avoid misrepresentation (Source: TheRealEstateTrainer.com ). Follow-up and CRM hygiene: Drafting first-touch replies, lead-routing snippets and task summaries, then handing off to your CRM. (Source: NAR ). Market prep and comps support. Outlining CMA talking points and neighborhood briefs that you verify with MLS data. AI is a prep assistant, not the source of record. It’s time saving and client-experience enhancing. Tip: Use AI to assemble, then validate. (Source: NAR ). For the last several years, Mainstreet has produced and hosted our own in-person tech and marketing conference, Propel, with a focus on AI. Moreover, we’ve made a sizable investment in big tech for our members, launching a new digital experience on the Membio platform including MainstreetRealtors.com, the MyMainstreet member portal and a consumer listings website, ChicagolandHomes.com . The Membio platform is always evolving and changing and will increasingly incorporate AI technology to deliver better service and free leads to our 19,000 members. We’re also ramping up the use of other AI tools in our communications and marketing work, notably with video. Coming this December, our own Carrie Little is teaching the three-hour CE course – Innovation of Real Estate: Embracing AI, Ethics, Digital Marketing and Data. Fittingly, we’re offering this via Zoom. Coming back around to the question of, “why do we at Mainstreet REALTORS® care about how AI is used in real estate?” The answer is related to our Big Why: Mainstreet empowers every member to define and achieve their goals. If AI can help you achieve your goals faster – and if you use it wisely, it certainly can – then we care about that. Because we care about anything that can make you more successful (while also keeping you out of trouble). We’re obsessed with what works. The live virtual mastermind that I was part of featured Chris Smith as keynote speaker. He said that empathy is the new currency. Meaning that when virtually (no pun intended) everyone in real estate ends up using AI to do basic research and writing, automate tasks and save time and money – you can still differentiate yourself by being human. That’s good news. “Average is over,” said Smith. “Create memorable moments.” That’s exactly what we’re about at Mainstreet REALTORS®. We’re here to give context and clarity to our ever-changing real estate landscape. And give you opportunities to learn, grow and thrive. Whether that’s learning more about AI – sign up for Carrie’s course! – or engaging in some other way in our diverse and forward-thinking community. As I said at Propel two summers ago, I’m a big sci-fi fan. I love the Terminator and Matrix movies. But I don’t believe technology is here to usher in doomsday. It’s here to be a tool that we can all better understand to help us do our work. John Gormley is CEO of Mainstreet REALTORS® [1] This list was created using ChatGPT
