What needed to be understood.
The comparison needed to separate long-term market movement from recurring seasonal noise while distinguishing homes from condos in two different cities.
How the analysis was built.
- Compared home and condo indices across time for Boston and Chicago.
- Used descriptive statistics to compare average levels and volatility.
- Reviewed seasonally adjusted and non-seasonally adjusted series.
- Translated the patterns into buyer and investor considerations.
What the evidence showed.
- Both cities showed growth, a decline around the housing crisis, and later recovery.
- Boston remained higher and more volatile in the submitted comparison.
- Boston condo growth accelerated more sharply after 2012, while Chicago appeared steadier.
- Seasonal adjustment clarified the underlying trend by reducing predictable seasonal fluctuations.
What should happen next.
- Match market choice to risk tolerance rather than assuming the highest-growth city is universally preferable.
- Use seasonally adjusted data for trend decisions and raw data for timing-sensitive operational questions.
- Add affordability, rents, interest rates, and neighborhood-level data before making an investment decision.
What this project does—and does not—prove.
The analysis used city-level indices and did not include transaction costs, rental yields, financing conditions, or neighborhood differences.