The Kernahan Group

06/09/2026

We love positive feedback. But what we love more? This ⬇️

"I had the pleasure of working with Maria Kernahan as our buyer's broker, and I can't recommend her highly enough. Our search spanned Chicago and the North Shore suburbs — where I grew up in — and she adapted quickly as our criteria evolved. Maria never missed a beat. She was consistently responsive, quickly recalibrating her recommendations each time she learned more about our interests, and always kept us focused on our priorities. What set Maria apart was the quality of her guidance. She didn't flood us with options; she was thoughtful and strategic, pointing us toward properties that genuinely fit our needs with specific understanding of the communities and market. Her deep market experience was evident at every turn — from how she framed our offer to how she navigated the negotiation — and ultimately she helped us secure our first-choice home within our budget, and in a highly competitive environment. If you're looking for a broker who combines real expertise with genuine care for her clients, Maria is the person to call." — R.C.

Finding the right home for the right people. That's the whole job. 🙏 If you're ready to start your search, let's talk. 📲 847-877-7100

05/20/2026

☕ tomorrow morning, we're buying! ☕
swing by (2275 N Lincoln) between 9:30–11:30am for your free medium coffee — no strings attached, just our way of saying thanks for being part of this neighborhood we love.

Because great communities are built on great coffee (and great conversations 😉.

🔴 × Christie's International Real Estate
✨ Co-Sponsored by OriginPoint & Rate Company

who's coming? tag a friend you're bringing! ⬇️

05/19/2026

We're getting ready to list an incredible 3,000+ sq ft apartment in a Lincoln Park co-op — and it got us thinking: most buyers have never even considered a co-op. That felt like something worth fixing.
So we put together a deep dive into Chicago's cooperative apartments — what they are, how they work, why they were built, and why they might be the smartest move you haven't made yet.
Inside you'll find:
🏛 The history behind Chicago's co-op buildings
🔑 How co-op ownership actually works (it's different than you think)
💰 The real deal on pricing, financing & monthly assessments
🏢 A list of notable co-op buildings across the city
Link in bio ✨

05/07/2026

04/29/2026

Your move isn't just a change of address — it's a chance to reset how you live. 📦✨

Most people pack everything they own and sort it out later. The ones who move well? They edit first. They pack with a system. They unpack in order of what matters.

We just dropped a full guide on exactly how to do this — from the 6-week declutter countdown to the room-by-room unpacking order to building organization systems that actually last.

Save this. Share it with whoever just went under contract. Link in bio. 🔗

04/01/2026

Your North Shore spring bucket list just got an upgrade 🌸✅ S'mores 🍫 Orchids 🌺 Egg hunts 🥚 Farmers markets 🧺 Beverage crawls 🍷 Symphony 🎶 — we've got it ALL 💛

03/30/2026

Three neighborhoods. One direction: up. 📈

We pulled the latest single-family sales data for Lincoln Park, Near North Side, and Lakeview — and the numbers tell three distinct stories that every North Side buyer and seller should understand right now.

A few things that stood out:
→ Lakeview is appreciating the fastest of the three — up 12.8% year-over-year
→ Lincoln Park's median just hit $749,000
→ Both Lincoln Park and Lakeview are now closing at or above ask
→ Inventory across all three markets has fallen dramatically since 2024

This is not a market that's waiting around. Full breakdown — with charts — is on the blog. Link in bio.

03/16/2026

☃️ It snowed this morning. It's going to be 65° by Friday. Welcome to Chicago spring.

If your winter planters are looking a little sad right now — same. The ornamental kale has done its job and it's time to let it go. 🌿

The good news? You don't have to wait for warm weather to refresh your porch. Pansies, snapdragons, and violas can handle a frost and still look beautiful doing it. 🌷

We put together a full guide to spring container planting — what to buy, when to plant it, and how to style your pots like a pro. Link in bio! 🌸

03/06/2026

A house is four walls and a roof. A home is so much more — and the Chicago Furniture Bank gets that.
Since 2018, they've furnished over 20,000 homes for more than 45,000 Chicagoans transitioning out of homelessness — letting every client choose their own furniture with dignity and choice.
We wrote about their mission, their model, and how you can help — including a note for anyone clearing out a property before listing.
Read the full story at the link in bio. 🔗
kernahangroup.com/kernahangrouprealestateblog

03/02/2026

The sellers who locked in at 3% aren't moving. 🔒 That's one factor that has kept Chicago inventory thin for two years. But the sellers who *are* listing right now have a real reason to move — and that makes them negotiable in ways the market hasn't seen in a while.

Rates are the lowest they've been since 2022. 📉 This is a specific window, and it won't stay open forever. We wrote about exactly how to use it.

👉 kernahangroup.com

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