Tips, market updates, and local insights from our team.
NEW EVERY MONDAY
Real closed-sale numbers for nine Southern Illinois towns, every single week — straight from Greg Holthaus, not the national headlines.
September 28, 2026
Five years, nine towns, 24,531 closings: the busiest month is September and the quietest is February. July–October does 1.84× the volume of January–March — which moves the right listing date to about May.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Our weekly report from Southern Illinois' favorite lake — what's for sale, what it costs, and how to get on the water. From SIRE, your Lake of Egypt specialists.
September 22, 2026
36 listings around the lake, $86,000 to $850,000. Three houses that show the whole range — and why price per square foot means nothing out here.
FRESH FROM THE SIRE BLOG
Market numbers, new listings, open houses, and financing tips — fresh from the SIRE team every morning.
Ask Greg · Sep 30, 2026
38 of 70 Marion listings in our feed have cut price and none have raised it — yet asking still sits about 26% above what sold. Six straight answers for sellers and buyers.
What’s Happening in Marion · Sep 30, 2026
The typical Marion house closed at $229,901 in August. The typical one for sale is asking $289,900 — and 38 of the 70 Marion listings in our own feed have already cut the price.
New Listings · Sep 29, 2026
A $95,000 brick two-bedroom with a new roof and a $110,000 three-bedroom, nearly the same price per foot. Plus a Marion mid-century and a Lake Chautauqua ranch.
Lake of Egypt · Sep 29, 2026
On-the-water asks a median of $492,450. Everything else in the same search asks $116,950 — and here is how to tell which one you are looking at.
Market Monday · Sep 28, 2026
The selling season peaks in late summer, not spring — so the right listing date is about May, and a house listed today is aiming at a February close.
Broker’s of the Week · Sep 27, 2026
Our 2025 Top Producer and the broker who shares every file with her — 271 transactions in three years, with new construction and the lake on one side and investment property on the other.
TIPS & GUIDES
Advice from the SIRE team for buyers and sellers across Southern Illinois.
Essential advice for navigating your first home purchase in Southern Illinois.
March 15, 2026
Southern Illinois housing market trends and analysis for Q1 2026.
March 1, 2026
Professional staging tips that help homes sell faster and for more money.
February 20, 2026