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.

Industrial Space Real Estate

Excel Plumbing Opens Location at 661 Glenn Avenue Wheeling, Illinois

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – February 28, 2020

Excel Plumbing has purchased the 18,091 square foot 661 Glenn Avenue industrial building in Wheeling Illinois and has relocated a...

Medical Office Real Estate

The Perfect Medical Space For Your Healthcare Practice

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – February 24, 2020

When exploring the commercial real estate marketplace there are 4 primary property types to consider for your healthcare practice; office...

Industrial Space Real Estate

Adversity Volleyball Expands in the Corporate Woods Vernon Hills, Illinois

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – February 17, 2020

A top level volleyball program and a beloved and respected badminton academy have enlarged their industrial warehouse presence in the...

Real Estate

Incredible Technologies Comes To 1 Overlook Point

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – February 10, 2020

Incredible Technologies, a Class-III gaming manufacturer focused on delivering compelling video slot content to the modern-day casino floor has added...

Elk Grove Village Real Estate

Stockbridge’s $43M Elk Grove Village Purchase Highlights Growing Data Center Demand

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – December 11, 2019

The recent $43.1 million purchase in Elk Grove Village by San Francisco-based Stockbridge Real Estate Fund underscores the growing demand...

Office Space Real Estate

Chicago’s North Suburban Office Market Strengthens

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – September 25, 2019

Contrary to the common “wisdom” that everyone is moving downtown, Chicago’s suburban office market continues to experience positive growth. Accordingly,...

Real Estate

Cook County Tax Increases Likely

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – May 8, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbf5ONEIaw8 Big Changes in the Cook County Assessor’s Office Major changes in the Cook County Assessor’s Office could reshape Chicago’s...

Office Space Real Estate

Low Priced Office Space Offers Chance to Upgrade

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – April 16, 2019

For investors, tenants, and buyers the Lake County suburban office space market could be on the verge of recovery. Q4...

Industrial Space Office Space Real Estate

Chicago’s Industrial Real Estate Market Remains Red Hot

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – March 5, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQn-gYdLKeA The Chicagoland industrial real estate market has experienced 33 consecutive quarters of positive net absorption. As a result, across...

Lake Geneva Real Estate

Lake Geneva’s $7.2M Mansion Sale

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – March 1, 2019

Lake Geneva's $7.2M Mansion Sale Highlights Untapped Commercial Real Estate Markets The recent $7.2 million sale of a palatial waterfront...

Office Space Real Estate

Van Vlissingen and Co. Welcomes Manhard Consulting to One Overlook Point in Lincolnshire, IL

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – February 19, 2019

Van Vlissingen and Co. is pleased to announce that Manhard Consulting, has leased 17,989 Sq. Ft. of Class A Office...

Real Estate

Prevent Frozen Pipes 5 Tips for Commercial Property Owners

Gordon Lamphere J.D. – January 29, 2019

For Chicagoland commercial property owners, Wednesday’s forecast of historically low-temperatures is frightening. Below freezing temperatures create a wide assortment of...