Estimate Your Home's Value (Zillow.com)

Check out Zillow.com. This is an online real estate site that essentially compiles home sale information from public records and publishes it online. You can enter your home address and it will give you an estimate of value. I checked out my home - it wasn't in there - but some of my neighbors homes were. It is fairly accurate, but of course can't take into consideration condition, type of home, number of bedrooms, etc, etc. But it is interesting to see what it comes up with. I wouldn't recommend using it for a hard and fast appraisal but it can give you a general idea. It's certainly the best online database I have seen yet.

Median Housing Prices For Chicago, By Neighborhood

From the Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2006-01/19350762.pdf

you may need a password to access

median = half above and half below. Unlike an average, a median is less sensitive to extreme highs and lows ( just a note on statistical use.... :) )

Mortgage Rates 2/21/06

Today's rates on 5/1 ARM Loans

guaranteed Rate 6.054

CitiMortgage 6.074

US Bank 6.169

LaSalle Bank - ABN AMRO 6.185

Wells Fargo 6.230

First American Bank 6.231

Washington Mutual 6.308

Chase Manhattan 6.319