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.
Real Estate Success In A High-Interest Rate Climate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQZb1aWZ9oI As a commercial real estate investor, managing construction, leasing, and making money on deals can be challenging in...
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Heather Ewing – Real Finds Podcast #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tGOomBn8Uw This week's podcast features Heather Ewing, founder and CEO of Abstract Commercial Real Estate. Heather is influential in...
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10 Steps To Reduce Office Noise
Noise is a common complaint in corporate office settings, particularly in open-concept seating arrangements where employees occupy a large office...
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What’s a Broker-Tenant Representation Agreement
Defining A Broker-Tenant Representation Agreement A broker-tenant representation agreement, also known as a tenant representation agreement, is a legal contract...
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Can Anyone Post on LoopNet?
Can Anyone Post on LoopNet? One question we get asked all the time by owners looking to list their properties....
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Workplace Hoteling: 5 Pros & Cons of Hot Desking
Workplace hoteling, also known as "hot desking" or "hoteling," is a flexible office arrangement in which employees do not have...
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“Envision Elk Grove Plan: Revitalizing Office and Industrial Growth
The Envision Elk Grove Community Revitalization Master Plan, launched in 2023, represents a strategic evolution in the Village’s longstanding commitment...
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Anson Young – Real Finds Podcast #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMYFHbtvtdw Anson Young - Real Finds Podcast #1 We are lucky to have you on the Real Finds Podcast today,...
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Office Space: 10 Must-Have Amenities
For today’s employers, talent competition is fierce. As the national unemployment rate continues to hover around 4%, employers are getting...
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Robust Small Industrial Demand Despite Market Worries
I get the same question multiple times a day. The stock market and economy are contracting, why aren’t small industrial...
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Antioch Retail Center and Industrial Building Sold for $3.4M in Combined Deals
Two key properties in Antioch, Illinois—a retail center and an industrial building—were recently sold for a combined total of $3.4...
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Vernon Hills Hawthorn Mall Redevelopment Transforms Local Economic Landscape
The approval of Phase 2 of the Hawthorn Mall redevelopment in Vernon Hills represents a transformative milestone for the community,...
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Lake Zurich’s Kemper Lakes Business Center Sells for $190M Suburban Office Record
The recent $190 million sale of the Kemper Lakes Business Center in Lake Zurich marks a pivotal moment for the...
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2022 Winter Property Trends in Lake Geneva
Winter Property Trends in Lake Geneva Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, has long been a haven for luxury living and prime real...
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Broker Named Top LinkedIn Influencer
Van Vlissingen and Co. is proud to congratulate our Director of Sales and Leasing, Gordon Lamphere, on being named...
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Real Estate Experts – Change & Opportunity Ahead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCOu9HOru9I At Lake County Partners' quarterly roundup, real estate experts discussed the future of the market. The panel featured...
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Commercial Real Estate Opportunity In Recovery
Commercial Real Estate Opportunity In Recovery Despite the post-COVID-19 pandemic’s economic collapse, the US economy is recovering faster than expected....
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Robust Industrial Real Estate Market From Ecommerce Growth
The recent Covid-19 pandemic and shelter-in-place policies are accelerating many political, cultural, and economic trends. This is particularly true in...
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