Your McHenry County Bestie Report: Week of September 21, 2026 🍂
Hi friends! It's officially almost sweater-weather-adjacent season here in McHenry County, and I am WAY too excited about it. I'm on my second coffee, I've got apple cider donuts on the brain, and I've rounded up everything happening in Crystal Lake, Cary, McHenry, and beyond so you don't have to dig for it. Let's get into it.
🏡 Real Estate Corner
Okay, market talk in plain English: things are still moving, but the pace has cooled just a touch from the frenzy of a couple years ago — which honestly might be a relief if you've been waiting for your moment.
Across McHenry County, the median sale price sits around $373,749, up about 2.7% year-over-year, with homes taking a median of 54 days to sell (a couple days slower than last year). In Crystal Lake, the median sale price is running about $369,799 (+3.3% YoY) with homes moving in roughly 46 days — and it's still very much a seller's market, with homes getting about 3 offers on average and just over half selling above list price. Cary is even hotter: median sale price around $388,788 (up a striking 8% YoY), homes selling in about 40 days, with nearly 58% going above asking. McHenry has stayed a bit more balanced — listings and new inventory both ticked up this summer, giving buyers a little more breathing room, though sellers who price and present well are still doing great.
Mortgage rates, for context, are hovering around 7.5% as of this week, having climbed back above 7% after dipping into the 6% range earlier this year. Economists are largely expecting rates to stay in that 6.5%–7% band through the rest of 2026.
For buyers: get pre-approved before you fall in love with a listing (I say this with love, but also — do it), and don't let a rate number alone scare you off a house you love; you can always refinance later. For sellers: presentation still matters more than ever in a market that's not moving quite as fast — a fresh coat of paint and decluttered closets can be the difference between 20 days and 60.
Thinking about buying or selling in McHenry County? I'd love to grab coffee (my treat, obviously) and talk through your options — no pressure, just your friendly neighborhood Realtor bestie. Reach me anytime at emily@foxvalleyrenovations.com.
👧 Free Fun for the Fam
Splash pad season has officially clocked out for the year (RIP), but fall fun is in FULL swing:
Huntley Fall Fest — Sept 25–27 at 12015 Mill St, Huntley. Free admission, free entertainment, AND free fireworks Saturday night. There's a petting zoo Saturday and Sunday, a kids stage, a full carnival midway, and a pancake breakfast. This is a full weekend of stroller-friendly, budget-friendly fun.
Johnny Appleseed Festival — Fri, Sept 25 (5–9pm) and Sat, Sept 26 (10am–8pm) in Downtown Crystal Lake at the newly renovated Depot Park. Free entry! Craft fair, farmers market, wagon rides, a pumpkin train, a scarecrow on stilts, and activity sheets for the kiddos.
Woodstock Farmers Market — Saturday mornings, 8am–1pm on the historic Woodstock Square. Free to browse, live music, and it's a genuinely lovely stroller loop around the square.
🍕 Eat Well (On a Budget)
Texas Roadhouse in Crystal Lake (835 Cog Cir) offers kids-eat-free deals on select weeknights, typically Monday or Tuesday — call ahead to confirm the current night and any age limits before you load up the crew.
The food tents at the Johnny Appleseed Festival keep it affordable with $5 tasting-size items plus cider, beer, and wine for the grown-ups.
Huntley Fall Fest has a Saturday pancake breakfast and a full lineup of food trucks and vendors if you want to make a morning of it.
The Woodstock Farmers Market is still your best bet for affordable, fresh, local produce before the season wraps.
💪 Fitness & Wellness
I love a good excuse to sweat it out, and this week I'm eyeing the Fox Chase 5K and Youth Mile in Fox River Grove — it's Sunday, October 4th at Stanger Park (975 Algonquin Rd), put on by the Fox River Grove Recreation Council. There's a 5K for all ages and a one-mile youth race for 13 and under, and registration is open now so you've got time to (theoretically) train, or just show up and power-walk it with a stroller like the rest of us. Closer to home, Crystal Lake Park District just released its Fall Activity Guide with yoga, Zumba, and even a Cardio Drumming class on the schedule — worth a browse if you want a drop-in win for your week.
🍽️ New & Noteworthy
Lake Roots just opened in Crystal Lake at the corner of Route 14 and Dole Avenue (the former Mr. A's Italian Beef spot) — it's a cafe, curated market, and artisanal bar all in one, open 7am–11pm Tuesday through Thursday and later on weekends. I'm dying to try it. Meanwhile, keep an eye out: Dutch Bros Coffee continues its McHenry County expansion with a location planned for Algonquin, and a new coffee drive-thru concept has been proposed for Crystal Lake too. Coffee girlies, we're eating (drinking?) good this year.
🌟 Small Business Spotlight
This week's spotlight goes to Lake Roots in Crystal Lake. I love a business that doesn't make you choose between your coffee order, your grocery run, and your evening glass of wine — this new cafe-market-bar hybrid at Route 14 and Dole Ave does all three under one roof. It's exactly the kind of locally-rooted, multi-use spot that makes downtown-adjacent Crystal Lake feel like a real community hub. If you're local, go say hi and grab a pastry — small businesses like this are the heartbeat of our towns, and they deserve the love (and the Yelp review).
🌳 Get Outside
Fall is THE season for McHenry County's outdoor spots:
All Seasons Orchard (14510 IL-176, Woodstock) — pick-your-own apples are in full swing, and pick-your-own pumpkins kick off late September. Open 10am–5pm weekdays (closed Tuesdays) and 10am–6pm weekends through November 1.
Veteran Acres Park & Sterne's Woods (Crystal Lake) — gorgeous wooded trails, stroller-friendly paths near the entrance, and dogs are welcome on leash. Free, always.
The Prairie Trail — this paved multi-use trail runs through Crystal Lake, Cary, and Algonquin, making it one of the easiest stroller-and-dog-friendly stretches in the county for a fall walk or bike ride.
🎉 Fun Fact + Holiday Alert
Mark your calendars: fall officially begins Tuesday, September 22nd — the autumnal equinox! And here's your quirky McHenry County fact of the week: Woodstock, Illinois is THE Woodstock from the movie Groundhog Day — the entire film was shot around the historic Woodstock Square, and the town leans all the way into it, complete with a Woodstock Willie statue and an annual Groundhog Day festival every February. Wild, right? File that one away for trivia night.
Closing
That's your bestie report for the week, friends! Whether you're apple-picking with a toddler on your hip, house-hunting on your lunch break, or just trying to find a decent cup of coffee — I hope this helped. As always, I'm your McHenry County real estate bestie, here for the market questions AND the "where should we get tacos" questions. Reach out anytime.
Catch you next week!
Emily
Emily Spagnola | Realtor | Kale Realty Serving McHenry County, IL — Crystal Lake, Cary, McHenry, Woodstock, Algonquin, Huntley, and beyond 📩 emily@foxvalleyrenovations.com
