The Chicago Association of Realtors finally had some good news to share at its recent economic briefing. There are still clouds out there, and Chicago is behind other cities, but the local housing market is showing some promise. On Tuesday, the Illinois Association of Realtors reported that home sales in the nine-county Chicago area rose almost 27 percent in 2012 from 2011. The inventory of available area homes in December plunged 37 percent from its year-ago comparison, which has led to multiple-offer scenarios and quicker marketing times.