Housing roller coaster: Joliet-area market has seen ups and downs — and is waiting for - PhotoGallery

testtwo

Home owners Cheryl Carbone (left) Stacy Harshbarger talk about manufactured homes being built their Grande Park Subdivisiwhile standing front Harshbargers

Home owners Cheryl Carbone (left) and Stacy Harshbarger talk about the manufactured homes being built in their Grande Park Subdivision while standing in front of Harshbargers custom built home in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

A productihome under constructiGrande Park subdivisiPlainfield Illinois Thursday November 29 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

A production home under construction in the Grande Park subdivision in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

A manufactured home under constructiGrande Park SubdivisiPlainfield Illinois Thursday November 29 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

A manufactured home under construction in the Grande Park Subdivision in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

A sign marks home site an empty lot Lakeside sectiGrande Park SubdivisiPlainfield Illinois Thursday November 29 2012. | Joseph P.

A sign marks a home site on an empty lot in the Lakeside section of the Grande Park Subdivision in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

A custom-built home sits background an empty lot marked with home site sign Lakeside sectiGrande Park subdivisiPlainfield Illinois Thursday

A custom-built home sits in the background of an empty lot marked with a home site sign in the Lakeside section of the Grande Park subdivision in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

Homeowners Cheryl Carbone (left) Stacy Harshbarger talk about productihomes being built their Grande Park subdivisiwhile standing front Harshbarger's custom built

Homeowners Cheryl Carbone (left) and Stacy Harshbarger talk about the production homes being built in their Grande Park subdivision while standing in front of Harshbarger's custom built home in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

A row productihomes Basswood Circle Grande Park subdivisiPlainfield Illinois Thursday November 29 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

A row of production homes on Basswood Circle in the Grande Park subdivision in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

A manufactured home (left) next custom built home Basswood Circle Grande Park SubdivisiPlainfield Illinois Thursday November 29 2012. | Joseph

A manufactured home (left) next to a custom built home on Basswood Circle in the Grande Park Subdivision in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

Homeowners Cheryl Carbone (left) Stacy Harshbarger talk about productihomes like three background being built Basswood Circle their Grande Park subdivisiPlainfield

Homeowners Cheryl Carbone (left) and Stacy Harshbarger talk about the production homes, like the three in background, being built on Basswood Circle in their Grande Park subdivision in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

Homeowners Cheryl Carbone (left) Stacy Harshbarger look contrast between productihome (left) next custom-built home Basswood Circle their Grande Park subdivisiPlainfield

Homeowners Cheryl Carbone (left) and Stacy Harshbarger look at the contrast between a production home (left) next to a custom-built home on Basswood Circle in their Grande Park subdivision in Plainfield, Illinois, Thursday, November 29, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun Times Media

Housing roller coaster: Joliet-area market has seen ups and downs — and is waiting for a rebound

Between 1990 and 2005, Joliet had the greatest growth boom in its history. A nationwide housing crisis stopped that surge, and the local real estate market remains difficult to this day. This year has brought some reasons for optimism regarding a housing rebound. Joliet is …