In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, Aaron Masliansky is joined by Nadia Evangelou, Senior Economist and Director of Real Estate Research at the National Association of Realtors®. They explore how global trade dynamics, tariffs, and macroeconomic shifts are impacting the U.S. housing market — and what that means for Chicagoland.

Nadia shares insights from her latest research, including a closer look at which U.S. states are most reliant on exports and imports and how trade exposure influences job growth and home prices. They also discuss trends in interest rates, inflation, immigration, remote work, and foreign investment — and what signals to watch for in 2025 and beyond.

Key topics:

• How tariffs affect construction costs and home affordability
• Why Illinois and Chicagoland are highly exposed to global trade shifts
• Where mortgage rates might head by the end of 2025
• The growing importance of inventory and affordability for first-time buyers
• Remote work, office absorption, and what’s next for downtown real estate
• How changing immigration and foreign investment patterns could influence the housing market
• Opportunities in the Chicago area condo market

Resources mentioned:

• Nadia’s NAR profile and articles: https://www.nar.realtor/nadia-evangelou
• Blog article discussed: https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook/which-states-rely-most-on-exports-and-imports-a-closer-look-at-the-numbers-behind-trade
• Connect with Nadia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiaevangelou/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nadioula/

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Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide!
For more insights into the best places to live, work, and explore in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com. Connect with us on social media for more updates and behind-the-scenes content. If you have any questions or want to share your own Chicagoland stories, feel free to reach out! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.

In this episode of The Chicagoland Guide, host Aaron Masliansky sky introduces Inside the Skev listeners to the Chicagoland Guide, reconnects with longtime friend, scientist, and conservationist Dr. Becky Barak of the Chicago Botanic Garden to explore how native plants can play a key role in the future of urban and suburban living across the region.

Becky will be speaking at Skokie Public Library on April 24, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in an event titled “Rethinking Lawns: Incorporating Native Plants into Home Landscapes.” In this conversation, we go in-depth on what native plants are, why they matter for our local ecosystems, how they can help with flood prevention, and how homeowners, HOAs, and municipalities can shift their approach to landscaping.

Aaron and Becky also discuss practical advice for how to:

Introduce native plants into townhome communities like College Hill

Talk to landscaping professionals about transitioning away from traditional turf grass

Select beginner-friendly native species for home gardens or rain basins

Avoid common mistakes in native lawn conversion

If you care about water management, storm resilience, biodiversity, and beautiful, low-maintenance alternatives to traditional lawns — this episode is for you.

🌱 Becky Barak’s Website

🏛️ Becky’s Profile at the Chicago Botanic Garden

📚 Rethinking Lawns Event at Skokie Public Library (April 24)

🌎 RethinkingLawns.com – Research, Resources, and Plant Lists

💼 Connect with Becky on LinkedIn

This conversation is another reminder of why Chicagoland is such a dynamic, thoughtful place to live — where world-class institutions like the Chicago Botanic Garden are working on local solutions to global problems. Whether you’re in Evanston, Skokie, or anywhere across the region, this episode offers practical insight on how we can make our communities more beautiful, resilient, and sustainable — one yard at a time.

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide!
For more insights into the best places to live, work, and explore in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com. Connect with us on social media for more updates and behind-the-scenes content. If you have any questions or want to share your own Chicagoland stories, feel free to reach out! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.

Welcome to The Chicagoland Guide! I’m your host, Aaron Masliansky.

This podcast is for anyone who wants to explore what makes Chicagoland one of the most vibrant, diverse, and fascinating regions in the country.

In this kickoff episode, I share what to expect in Season 2—from local business spotlights to neighborhood tours, cultural insights, interviews with community leaders, and real estate updates.

This show is an evolution of Inside the Skev, and I’m excited to expand the conversation to include more of what makes our region a great place to live, work, and explore.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes

🌐 Visit: https://thechicagolandguide.com

📸 Follow on Instagram: @thechicagolandguide_

📬 Questions or want to collaborate? Email me at aaron@thechicagolandguide.com

Thanks for being here!

Thank you for listening to The Chicagoland Guide!
For more insights into the best places to live, work, and explore in Chicagoland, visit thechicagolandguide.com. Connect with us on social media for more updates and behind-the-scenes content. If you have any questions or want to share your own Chicagoland stories, feel free to reach out! Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review if you enjoyed this episode.