Photo: DFHoulihan · CC BY-SA 4.0181 homes sold in River Forest in the last year, at a typical $657K
Houses and condos split the market almost evenly. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where River Forest homes are listed.
Every place River Forest homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to River Forest.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
38% of River Forest’s sales are condos, at $779K less than a house
101 houses and 68 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 101 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $358IL $180
- Days to sell
- 48
- Sold over asking
- 40%
- Listings with a price cut
- 17%
typical sale · 68 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $198IL $251
- Days to sell
- 62
- Sold over asking
- 29%
- Listings with a price cut
- 15%
Townhouses: 12 sold, typical $366K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.4 times the 2016 price
181 sales in the last year, against 280 in 2021 and a low of 151 in 2024. The typical sale went from $471K in 2016 to $657K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $650K buys in River Forest
Check a listing against what River Forest homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in River Forest are more common than before the pandemic, but 61% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of River Forest’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to May 2026, 181 sales.
If you’re buying in River Forest
- Shop in February. It brings about 29 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (16% over asking).
- Less room to haggle. Only 14% of listings cut their price, against 22% before the pandemic.
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 100.4% of the list price on average; 35% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 44% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 54 days.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
March has the most new listings (about 35 a month), but July is the most competitive: 23% of July sales close over asking. January has the least competition (11%) but only about 18 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Hotter than in 2021, and about like Illinois as a whole
| River Forest now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IL now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 35% | 12% | 19% | 37% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 44% | 29% | 35% | 46% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 14% | 22% | 24% | 19% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 100.4% | 95.8% | 97.2% | 99.2% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 54 | 79 | 32 | 49 |
36 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 61% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2012’s 103.
1 in 7 listings has cut its price
14% in the last year, against 22% in 2017–19 and 19% across Illinois.
Since 2019, houses are up 46%, condos 37%
A house typically sold for $1M in the last year (101 sales), a condo for $239K (68).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
River Forest ranks 204th of 324 busy Illinois markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. River Forest is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Five things worth knowing
New listings in March
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 7.
Best time to buySchools
The schools grade for River Forest, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in River ForestTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in River Forest.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Oak Park, Maywood, Forest Park, Elmwood Park, River Grove and Melrose Park sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of River Forest, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Park | 703 | $448K | $269 | 46% | 48 |
| Elmwood Park | 293 | $369K | $229 | 40% | 58 |
| Forest Park | 233 | $320K | $223 | 37% | 49 |
| Maywood | 209 | $298K | $176 | 44% | 72 |
| River Forest | 181 | $657K | $303 | 35% | 54 |
| River Grove | 116 | $326K | $230 | 38% | 56 |
| Melrose Park | 111 | $368K | $219 | 43% | 78 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to River Forest, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to River Forest. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing River Forest with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in River Forest
What do homes sell for in River Forest, IL?
181 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $657K, $303 a square foot. Houses sold for about $1M, condos for about $239K.
Is River Forest a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 27 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 20 sold, about 1.4 months of supply. Buyers paid 100.4% of asking on average, and 14% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in River Forest?
March brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
Where can I see homes for sale in River Forest?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry River Forest’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to River Forest.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).