Chicago, IL · Cook County seller guide
USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Chicago and Cook County. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
Call 888-274-5006 to talk about the property.
Compare selling options ↓Your choices
Listing can make sense when a house is ready to show and you have time for preparation, showings, offers, and negotiation. Compare the likely sale price with repairs, cleanout, commissions, carrying costs, and closing costs to estimate what you might keep. A direct sale is another written option to compare before deciding.
The Cash Offer is a direct purchase by USA Home Buyers; EZ Sale goes to one of our partners. Compare the written numbers and the work, timing, and costs that apply to your house.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the Illinois state, county and city transfer taxes. Your mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
We have two ways to buy. A Cash Offer is built for speed, condition, and tough situations — heavy repairs, tight timelines, difficult circumstances. EZ Sale is often the better fit when the house doesn't need major repairs and you want a higher number. Either way, you compare written numbers and you pick what works best for you.
Swipe across the table to compare all four selling options.
| Factor | List with a realtor | FSBO | Cash Offer | EZ Sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timeline | Market-dependent | Market-dependent | 30 days or less | 60 days or less |
| Price | Highest, if it sells | Varies | Lower price | Higher price than the Cash Offer |
| Repairs | Repairs may be needed before listing or after inspection | The seller handles repair decisions | No repairs | No repairs |
| Commissions | Agent commissions apply under the listing agreement | No listing-agent commission; the seller handles the sale | No commissions | No commissions |
| Closing costs | Seller costs depend on the contract and settlement statement | Seller costs depend on the contract and settlement statement | No closing costs | No closing costs |
| Showings | The seller prepares for and coordinates showings | The seller markets the property and coordinates showings | None | None |
| Who buys | Retail buyer | Retail buyer | USA Home Buyers buys directly | Goes to one of our partners |
| Certainty | Depends on the buyer, inspections, financing, and contract | Depends on finding and qualifying a buyer | Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. | Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. |
| Net proceeds | Compare the expected sale price after commissions, repairs, costs, and waiting | Compare the expected sale price after seller-managed costs and work | Compare the written price after your payoff and other property obligations. No commissions. No closing costs. | Compare the written price after your payoff and other property obligations. No commissions. No closing costs. |
Compare what you would keep after costs with the Chicago, IL calculator →
Questions about the two options? Call 888-274-5006.
Steps and numbers
1
Share the address, what needs work and who lives there. Tell us when we can see it and when you want to sell.
2
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
3
Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
These citywide measures describe Chicago, not the price, offer, or proceeds for one house. Condition, repairs, title, occupancy, and the details of the property still matter.
Prices, timing and your selling options
Homes in Chicago, IL sold for a median of $425,000 for the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin). Repairs and condition affect what someone will pay for your house. Homes in Chicago, IL spent a median of 49 days on the market for the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin). You still have bills while waiting to sell, including utilities and any mortgage payments. Allow time for closing, too.
A sale price is not the same as the money left after costs. Use the Chicago calculator to adjust assumptions and compare a listing with an as-is sale.
Local property facts
Chicago’s residential stock includes bungalows and vintage homes. The Chicago Bungalow Association offers programs and educational resources to maintain, preserve, and adapt them. If upkeep is part of your decision, compare those resources with the costs and work of selling as-is.
Chicago Bungalow Association programs and resources
Austin, Englewood, Hyde Park, Lincoln Park, North Lawndale, Roseland, South Shore, and Humboldt Park are Chicago community areas. A neighborhood name helps with orientation; use the property address for permit, inspection, or code questions. Oak Park, Evanston, Cicero, and Skokie are nearby but separate municipalities.
Chicago’s city boundary reaches both Cook and DuPage Counties. Confirm the parcel’s county before using a county court or records office; Cook County resources below apply to Cook County properties.
Chicago neighborhoods and nearby communities →Closing questions
The person who may sign depends on the property title and any estate or court authority that applies. Cook County’s Probate Division is a local court-office reference for estate-related questions in Cook County; it does not determine the signer for every property. Confirm the parcel’s county and the required authority with the title company and an Illinois attorney.
For a taxable transfer, Illinois charges 50 cents for each $500 of taxable value, or part of $500. A county can add 25 cents for each $500, and some cities impose their own transfer taxes. Exemptions, taxable value, the property’s county and city, and who is responsible can change the amount. Ask the title company to confirm the charges for the parcel.
Illinois Department of Revenue transfer-tax overview · 35 ILCS 200/31-10
Illinois mortgage foreclosures go through court, and the normal redemption deadline is before the foreclosure auction. The deadline and payoff depend on the court case; paying only missed installments and paying the full foreclosure amount are different options. Signing a purchase agreement does not automatically postpone the auction or extend the redemption deadline. Contact us promptly with the court papers and sale date so we can work out whether a sale can close in time. Our agreement of sale will often get a foreclosure sale postponed so we can close. Signing alone doesn't postpone it automatically; we use the agreement to ask for the postponement, and it works more often than people think.
Illinois mortgage-foreclosure statutes · Illinois Courts mortgage-foreclosure forms
Where to find help
The City department handles permitting, inspections, and code enforcement. Include the street address and any notice or permit details when asking about a property.
A local court-office reference for Cook County estate-related seller situations. Confirm the property county before relying on a county court resource.
Testimonials are real, from our transactions, verified and approved by our attorneys. Each seller’s location is shown with their account.
Here's what sellers have said about working with us.
“We had a grease fire in the kitchen that spread to the wall and the cabinet above the range before we got it out. Insurance gave us actual cash value — $19,000 on a kitchen that would cost $35,000 to rebuild. I wasn't going to fight that for six months. USA Home Buyers bought the house as-is in nine days.”
“I worked at the Amazon distribution center in Kenosha and took a medical leave for six months. Fell behind on payments, the bank filed in Kenosha County Circuit Court — Wisconsin judicial foreclosure. USA Home Buyers explained exactly where the timeline was and moved fast. Written offer in twenty-four hours, closed in eleven days. Foreclosure dismissed.”
“We owned our Lakeview property for twenty-six years and the property taxes hit $6,400 this year. Both retired, two incomes gone to one Social Security check. The house had too many stairs for my husband's knees anyway. USA Home Buyers gave us a fair number and closed in seven days. We moved to a one-floor condo in Waukegan.”
Yes. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
No. The 24-hour statement is about a written cash offer, not a property-specific closing date. Cash Offer is 30 days or less; EZ Sale is 60 days or less. You receive written offer and written terms before you commit, and closing is through a title company.
Compare the written price and terms with likely repairs, cleanout, commissions, carrying costs, closing costs, showings, and the time you may carry the house. A listing can fit a home ready for retail buyers; a direct sale gives you another set of written terms to compare before you decide.
The right signer depends on the property title and any estate or court authority that applies. Cook County’s Probate Division is a local court-office reference for Cook County estate questions. Confirm the property’s county and signing authority with the title company and an Illinois attorney.
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the Illinois state, county and city transfer taxes. Your mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate.
Illinois mortgage foreclosures go through court, and the normal redemption deadline is before the foreclosure auction. The deadline and payoff depend on the court case; paying only missed installments and paying the full foreclosure amount are different options. Signing a purchase agreement does not automatically postpone the auction or extend the redemption deadline. Contact us promptly with the court papers and sale date so we can work out whether a sale can close in time. Our agreement of sale will often get a foreclosure sale postponed so we can close. Signing alone doesn't postpone it automatically; we use the agreement to ask for the postponement, and it works more often than people think.
The City of Chicago Department of Buildings handles permitting, inspections, and code enforcement. Use the property address and any notice or permit information when you contact the department.
Share the property address, its condition, who lives there, and the timing that matters to you. Call 888-274-5006 or use the form.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
Takes 2 minutes. No obligation.