Welcome To The Real Finds Blog: Commercial Real Estate Insights for Chicago and the Midwest
Welcome to The Real Finds Blog, your daily briefing on commercial real estate trends across Chicagoland and the Midwest. Published by Gordon Lamphere, a fourth-generation commercial real estate broker at Van Vlissingen & Co., this blog delivers sharp, actionable insights for CRE professionals navigating a changing market. Every article connects macro trends—interest rates, automation, supply chains, policy shifts—to local real estate strategy across high-demand submarkets, including:
- Downtown Chicago – office space, adaptive reuse, capital markets
- Elk Grove & O’Hare – industrial leasing, logistics infrastructure
- Kenosha & SE Wisconsin – warehouse development and distribution hubs
- Oak Brook & Schaumburg – suburban office leasing and reinvestment
- Naperville & the I-88 Corridor – flex space, R&D, life sciences
- Bolingbrook & the I-55 Corridor – fulfillment centers and industrial site selection
- Lake, DuPage, Will, Kane, and McHenry Counties – land use, entitlements, development opportunities, and tenant migration
From daily blog posts to in-depth strategy guides and transcribed podcast interviews, Real Finds turns global uncertainty into hyper-local market intelligence for investors, landlords, tenants, developers, and brokers New posts are published every weekday.
Grading The Bears Commercial Real Estate Stadium Draft Picks
After a long tenure at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears are on the clock for their next big pick: where...
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When Will Industrial Real Estate Investors and Occupiers Have More Certainty with Onshoring, Nearshoring, and Reshoring?
In today’s volatile global trade environment, industrial real estate investors and occupiers are navigating one of the most unpredictable supply...
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How To Survive Trump’s Supply Chain Shock? With Richard Barnett – RFP 58
As the global economy braces for another wave of trade disruption, companies are being forced to rethink their most fundamental...
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HVAC Costs Could Cool Commercial Real Estate Deals
In an era of global uncertainty, few systems feel the heat of economic volatility like Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning...
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Can We Save America’s Construction Industry? With George Carrillo – RFP 57
The cranes may still dot our skylines, but the ground beneath America’s construction industry is starting to shake—and not in...
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Key Arlington Heights Developments In 2025
Arlington Heights, Illinois, is experiencing a significant transformation in its commercial real estate landscape. The village is positioning itself as...
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140 West Wood Street Signaling Investor Confidence In Palatine
In a significant move for the suburban Chicago real estate landscape, QMR Partners has acquired the Park Towne Condominiums at...
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Tariffs Are Heating Up HVAC Costs For Commercial Real Estate
In an era of global uncertainty, few systems feel the heat of economic volatility like Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning...
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Key Schaumburg Developments To Watch In 2025
Schaumburg, Illinois, continues to evolve as a dynamic hub for commercial real estate, with several key developments shaping its landscape....
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Key Elk Grove Village Developments To Watch In 2025
Elk Grove Village, Illinois, is undergoing significant transformations, reshaping its landscape and economic prospects. From ambitious mixed-use developments to strategic...
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JPMorgan Expands at 131 South Dearborn: A Signal in Chicago’s Office Space Market Shift
The office space market in the City of Chicago is entering a new chapter in 2025. One marked by caution,...
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Vetter’s $163 Million Expansion In Des Plaines
Vetter, a German pharmaceutical company specializing in the filling and packaging of injectable medications, has unveiled plans for a substantial...
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FINRA’s Expansion at 101 N. Wacker and What It Means for the Chicago Office Market
In a reversal of a downsizing trends that has defined much of the post-pandemic commercial real estate narrative, the Financial...
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Key Libertyville Developments To Watch in 2025
As the commercial landscape of Libertyville continues to evolve, several developments both approved and under review, are poised to redefine...
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Chicago’s Office Future: Smaller Footprints, Smarter Space
After years of uncertainty, the Chicago office market is showing renewed signs of life. Leasing activity is rising, but the...
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T5 Data Centers’ Morse Avenue Purchase Sparks Elk Grove Industrial Space Demand
Elk Grove Village is once again proving itself as one of the most important commercial real estate markets in the...
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Bridge Industrial in Downers Grove Continues The Era Of Office To Industrial Redevelopment
A major shift is underway in suburban Chicago, and Downers Grove may be one of its most important test cases....
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Lincoln Yards Stalls: What Sterling Bay’s Setback Means for Chicago’s Neighborhoods and Development Future
Sterling Bay, one of Chicago’s most high-profile developers, has hit a major roadblock. After years of delays and difficulty securing long-term...
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