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.
Elk Grove Village’s Willow Crossing Sells for $89M
The recent $89.3 million acquisition of the Willow Crossing apartment complex in Elk Grove Village by Chicago-based R.I.G. Capital highlights...
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Sale of Industrial Flex Property in Vernon Hills for $2.4M
The recent sale of 825 Corporate Woods Parkway, a single-tenant industrial flex property in Vernon Hills, represents more than just...
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The Future Remains Bright for Arlington Heights Real Estate Despite Unlikely Bears Stadium
Arlington Heights, a vibrant Chicago suburb, has long been a focal point of commercial real estate (CRE) development in the...
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Investing In Urbanism With Brad Biehl – RFP 41
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhTwofM8e8Y Join us on this week's Real Finds Podcast as we dive into the world of urbanism with Brad...
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Top 5 Reasons to Hire an Elite Commercial Property Manager for Your Investment Portfolio
Owning and investing in commercial real estate can be incredibly rewarding, offering a reliable path to building generational wealth. However,...
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The Power Of Developing Unique Real Estate With Ben Wolff – RFP 40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUDRR8MYhQo Welcome to today’s blog post, where we dive into the evolving world of hospitality, building strong commercial real...
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Succeeding In The Shark Tank With Gabe Trevizo – RFP 39
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZMlxwEKw84 Join us as we explore the world of entrepreneurship with Gabe Trevizo, the brilliant mind behind Suds2Go and a...
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6 Tips To Improve The Mental Health Of Your Workspace
In today's fast-paced business environment, maintaining mental well-being has become crucial not just for individual health, but also for organizational...
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What Fischer Paper Products’ Growth Means for the Antioch Market
The recent recognition of Fischer Paper Products with the Community Investment Award at Lake County Partners’ Big Event underscores more...
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Maximizing End Of Life Product Value With Reverse Logistics – Emily Petway RFP #38
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL5OfubPX50 Emily Petway stands as a beacon of innovation, particularly in reverse logistics and the way the nonprofit sector is...
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Watch Out For A “Bad Commercial Landlord?”
Navigating the world of commercial leasing can be a daunting task, especially when it involves identifying and dealing with a...
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What Costs To Consider When Investing In Commercial Real Estate?
What Costs To Consider When Investing In Commercial Real Estate? Investing in commercial real estate can be lucrative, but it...
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Commercial Real Estate Brand Growth In Lake Geneva
Multiple Brands Grow In Lake Geneva Lake Geneva is set to welcome Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, marking the premium...
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UW-Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics Celebrates 110 Years of Excellence
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics proudly celebrates 110 years of delivering top-notch business education during the...
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How Does My Leasing Strategy Impact My Investing Objectives?
How Does My Leasing Strategy Impact My Investing Objectives? This blog post will explore the critical relationship between leasing strategy...
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Liquid Mortgage: Decentralizing Real Estate Investment With Chris Lehman – RFP #37
Exploring the Future of Real Estate with Blockchain Innovator Chris Lehman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltrWxeE9uoE In the latest episode of The Real Finds...
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How To Distinguish My Building in the Market?
How To Distinguish My Building in the Market? In a competitive commercial real estate market, finding ways to make your...
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What Vernon Hills 900,000-Square-Foot Industrial Redevelopment Means For The Market
The redevelopment of International Corporate Park in Vernon Hills, represents a transformative project for the local industrial market. This major...
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