Chicago, IL · Seller FAQ
Questions About Selling a House in Chicago, IL
These answers cover repairs, sale timing, costs, paperwork, and situations such as foreclosure or a tenant-occupied home. USA Home Buyers buys houses as-is in Chicago, Illinois, including Chicago addresses in Cook County and DuPage County.
Call 888-274-5006 with a question, or use the form to ask for a written cash offer.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the address and what you know about the property and timing.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
Money and choices
Compare what you keep, not only the sale price
Net proceeds are what remains after sale costs and property obligations. Compare the written price with repairs, commissions, cleanout, carrying costs, payoff, liens, and taxes that apply to your situation.
Cash Offer or EZ Sale: compare the written numbers
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 | Yes, partner visits |
| 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 calculator →
Questions about the two options? Call 888-274-5006.
Chicago seller questions, answered
How do I compare a cash offer with what I might keep from a listing?
The useful comparison is what remains after the costs tied to each option, not only the sale price. Include repairs, commissions, cleanout, carrying costs, mortgage payoff, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes in the assumptions you compare.
Do I need to repair or clean out the house before selling to you?
We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. You can ask for a written cash offer without starting a repair or cleanout project first.
How soon can I get an offer, and how long can the sale take?
We give written cash offers in 24 hours. A Cash Offer is direct, with a term of 30 days or less and a lower price. EZ Sale goes to one of our partners, with a term of 60 days or less and a higher price than the Cash Offer. Both have no repairs, no commissions, and no closing costs. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. The closing plan for a particular house depends on its title, payoff, seller authority, occupancy, and closing requirements.
What closing costs and transfer taxes apply to a Chicago sale?
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. The property’s actual county and city, taxable value, and any exemption affect the amount. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including the Illinois state, county and city transfer taxes. This does not pay a mortgage balance, liens, back taxes, or your share of current property taxes.
Compare estimated proceeds and costs with the Chicago calculator →
Can I sell if a foreclosure case or auction date is involved?
There may still be time, but the court case controls the actual deadline and payoff. Illinois mortgage foreclosures go through court, and the ordinary deadline to redeem — pay the amount required under the case to keep the property — is before the foreclosure auction. Paying missed installments and paying the full foreclosure amount are different options. 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. A signed agreement does not itself extend the redemption deadline, so call promptly with the court papers and sale date.
Can I sell a Chicago house while a tenant lives there?
You can start a sale conversation while the property is occupied. Chicago has longer notice periods in many cases, and tenants may have purchase rights in certain districts. The lease, address, applicable district, notice history, and possession plans matter, so do not assume a tenant must move by a standard date.
What paperwork should I have before I call?
You can start with the property address and what you know about its condition, occupancy, and timing; you do not need every paper gathered first. If available, a deed, mortgage or payoff information, tax or lien notice, lease, or estate and court papers can help identify what the title company will need to review. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing.
Start with a question
You can call before you have every detail figured out
Start with the address, what you know about the house, and any timing or paperwork question on your mind. You do not need a finished file to call. Call 888-274-5006 or use the form above.
Local help
Where to start with a Chicago transfer-tax question
For a City of Chicago real-property transfer-tax question, start with the Chicago Department of Finance information. The address, taxable value, exemptions, and the transaction determine which local details apply.
More detail
More Chicago seller questions and resources
Open the page for the situation you are working through, or use the Chicago guide and local resources for a broader comparison.
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
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.”
Contact
Ask about a cash offer for your Chicago house
Call 888-274-5006 or send the property details through the form. You can start with a question.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Tell us the address and what you know about the house.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.