The Illinois housing market improved in May, with sales up 17.3 percent over April, according to the Illinois Association of Realtors’ latest report.

“Illinois defied the national trend for the third time in the last six months by adding 4,000 jobs in May, registering a 0.35 percent growth in jobs in the last 12 months,” said Dr. Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, director of the Regional Economics Applications Laboratory (REAL) of the University of Illinois.

Hewings forecast a sales decline in July but says a steady sales pace is expected in August.

Tags: Illinois, real estate, sales