Sell your house fast in Chicagoland, IL
Chicagoland is home base for BAM Home Buyers. We buy houses as-is, for cash, across Chicago and the suburbs, with a fair offer within 24 hours.
- Any condition, any situation
- We pay all closing costs
- Close in as little as 2–3 weeks
Get your Chicagoland cash offer
Takes 30 seconds. No obligation.
Prefer to talk? (312) 818-3954
Why Chicagoland homeowners sell to us
We’ve been buying houses in Chicago and the suburbs for years, from bungalows and two-flats to condos and suburban homes. For our local Chicago team and a page for every suburb we serve, visit We Buy Houses in Chicago Fast.
Two-flats & older homes
Chicago’s older housing stock often needs work. We buy bungalows, two-flats and multi-units as-is.
Cook County probate
We help executors and heirs sell inherited homes through Cook County and collar-county probate.
Property taxes
Behind on property taxes or facing a tax sale? Taxes are paid off from the sale at closing.
Foreclosure
Illinois foreclosures go through the courts. A sale before the judicial sale can protect your equity.
Sold in 3 simple steps
Tell us about the house
Fill out the form or call. We’ll ask a few questions about the property and your timeline.
Get a fair cash offer
After a short walkthrough, you get a written offer within 24 hours, with the math explained.
Close on your date
Illinois closings are typically handled with real estate attorneys and a title company. Close in as little as 2–3 weeks, or on the date you pick. We pay all of your closing costs.
We buy all over Chicagoland
We buy across Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane and McHenry counties, and most of our Chicagoland deals come from the south and southwest suburbs.
“I lost my job and got behind on my mortgage… We closed in 9 days and I avoided foreclosure.”
“My brother and I inherited our mom’s house… They handled the entire process.”
Reviews from BAM sellers. We’ll add Chicagoland seller stories here as we close more deals locally.
What selling a house in Chicagoland looks like right now
Chicagoland is a region of old houses. In the city you find brick bungalows, two-flats, greystones and frame workers’ cottages, many built before World War II. The inner suburbs like Berwyn and Cicero share that bungalow stock, while DuPage, Will, Kane and Lake counties add ranches, split-levels and subdivision homes from the 1960s on. Older homes here often need a new roof, boiler or furnace, electrical updates, tuckpointing or basement waterproofing before a buyer’s lender is happy. Property taxes are a big part of the story. Cook County reassesses on a three-year cycle, and delinquent taxes can be sold at the annual tax sale. Foreclosure in Illinois runs through the courts, which gives owners time but also adds legal costs. Inherited houses often need a probate case before they can be sold. For many owners, selling as-is is simply the fastest way to stop paying taxes, insurance and utilities on a house they no longer want.
Chicagoland market snapshot, August 2026
49.3% of homes sold above list price, with about 2.7 months of supply
Data: Redfin, City of Chicago, August 2026.
Probate, taxes and foreclosure in the Chicagoland area
Each county runs these a little differently. Here’s what matters when you’re selling an inherited house, dealing with back taxes or trying to stay ahead of a foreclosure. General information, not legal advice.
Cook County County seat: Chicago
- Probate
- Decedent estates go to the Circuit Court of Cook County, Probate Division, at the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago. As of 2026 the Illinois small estate affidavit covers personal estates up to $150,000 (vehicles excluded), but it cannot be used to transfer real estate.
- Property taxes
- The Cook County Assessor’s Office reassesses on a three-year cycle (the south and west suburbs in 2026), and you appeal first to the Assessor during your township’s roughly six-week window after notices mail, then to the Cook County Board of Review in its own filing period. The Cook County Treasurer’s Office collects the bills.
- Foreclosure and tax sales
- Foreclosure is judicial: the lender files in the Circuit Court, you generally have 90 days from service to reinstate, and the redemption period runs 7 months from service or 3 months from judgment, whichever is later; Cook County Sheriff sales are held weekdays at 1 p.m. on the lower level of the Daley Center. Unpaid property taxes are offered at the Treasurer’s Annual Tax Sale, scheduled for December 15, 2026, where a buyer purchases a lien on the taxes rather than the house, and the Scavenger Sale for three or more delinquent years now happens only when the County Board directs it.
DuPage County County seat: Wheaton
- Probate
- Probate cases are heard in the Chancery Division of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court in Wheaton, where Courtroom 2011 handles opening and closing estates. The Illinois small estate affidavit ($150,000 personal estate limit as of 2026) does not transfer real estate.
- Property taxes
- Township assessors value property under the DuPage County Supervisor of Assessments, and appeals go to the DuPage County Board of Review within 30 days after your township’s assessment roll is published. Board of Review decisions can be taken further to the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board.
- Foreclosure and tax sales
- Foreclosure is judicial and residential cases are heard in the Chancery Division (Courtroom 2004); the court’s own guide says the whole process typically takes about 9 months. The DuPage County Treasurer’s annual tax sale is set for November 19-20, 2026 in Wheaton, where buyers bid on the interest rate for a tax lien, and most homeowners then have up to two and a half years to redeem.
Will County County seat: Joliet
- Probate
- Probate is handled by the Circuit Court of the 12th Judicial Circuit at the Will County Courthouse, 100 W. Jefferson St., Joliet. The court keeps a list of probate guardians ad litem for estates involving minors or disabled persons.
- Property taxes
- Your township assessor sets the value, the Will County Supervisor of Assessments may apply an equalization factor, and appeals go to the Will County Board of Review within 30 days after your township’s assessments are published. Missing that window forfeits the appeal for the year.
- Foreclosure and tax sales
- Foreclosure is judicial, and Will County Sheriff sales are held Thursdays at noon in Courtroom 201 of the Will County Court Annex, 57 N. Ottawa St., Joliet. Unpaid taxes can be sold to a third-party tax buyer, and you redeem by paying the Will County Clerk’s Office in full, with certified funds, before that year’s last day to redeem.
Lake County County seat: Waukegan
- Probate
- The Probate Division of the 19th Judicial Circuit Court sits in the main courthouse at 18 N. County St., Waukegan, and handles deceased persons’ estates as well as estates of minors and disabled adults.
- Property taxes
- Township assessors set values under the Lake County Chief County Assessment Office, and appeals must be filed with the Lake County Board of Review within 30 days after your township’s assessments are published. The Board encourages you to talk with your township assessor first.
- Foreclosure and tax sales
- Foreclosure is judicial, and Lake County Sheriff judicial sales are held Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. at the courthouse in Waukegan. The Lake County Treasurer sells only the unpaid taxes, not the house, at the annual tax sale (the 2025 sale was November 13), and the owner redeems through the Lake County Clerk’s Office.
Kane County County seat: Geneva
- Probate
- Probate cases in the 16th Judicial Circuit are heard at the Kane County Courthouse, 100 S. 3rd St., Geneva.
- Property taxes
- Township assessors set values (2026 values are based on 2023-2025 sales), and the Kane County Board of Review hears complaints about them; its decisions can be appealed to the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board within 30 days of the Board’s notice.
- Foreclosure and tax sales
- Foreclosure is judicial, the courthouse runs a foreclosure mediation program, and Kane County Sheriff sales are held the first and third Thursday of each month at 9 a.m. at 37W755 Illinois Route 38, St. Charles. The Kane County Treasurer holds the annual tax sale on the last Monday of October, and owners have roughly two and a half to three years to redeem through the Kane County Clerk.
Where we buy houses around Chicagoland
We buy in every part of the metro, in any condition. These are some of the areas and ZIP codes we see most.
- Chatham60619brick bungalows and Georgians from the 1920s-1950s
- Austin60644, 60651greystones, two-flats and frame homes from the early 1900s
- Portage Park60634, 60641classic Chicago bungalow belt, mostly 1910s-1930s
- Chicago Lawn60629brick bungalows and two-flats on the Southwest Side
- Beverly60643larger early-1900s homes on wide lots
- Pilsen6060819th-century frame cottages and brick two- and three-flats
- Logan Square60647greystones and two-flats, many over a century old
- South Shore60649brick single-family homes and small apartment buildings near the lake
- Berwyn60402dense 1920s bungalow suburb in Cook County
- Cicero60804bungalows and two-flats in an older inner suburb
- Naperville60540, 60563, 60565older homes near downtown plus 1970s-1990s subdivisions
- Aurora60505, 60506early-1900s frame homes on the east and west sides
- Joliet60432, 60435, 60436older frame and brick homes plus postwar ranches
- Bolingbrook604401960s-1980s ranches and split-levels
- Elgin60120, 60123Victorian-era homes near the Fox River and postwar ranches
- Waukegan60085early-20th-century homes and postwar ranches
What a Chicagoland seller actually walks away with
The list price isn’t what you keep. Here’s an illustrative example for a dated Chicagoland house that needs work. We used $400,000 as the fixed-up value, a little under Chicago’s August 2026 median, because the example is a dated bungalow that needs work rather than a newer condo.
| List it yourself | Sell to BAM as-is | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale price after repairs | $400,000 | Your offer amount |
| Repairs before listing | −$55,000 | $0 |
| Agent commissions (5.5% assumed) | −$22,000 | $0 |
| Title, escrow, transfer tax and other seller costs (est. 1.5%) | −$6,000 | $0, we pay them |
| Holding costs for 3 to 4 months (est. 1%) | −$4,000 | $0 |
| Inspection repair credits and concessions (est. 1%) | −$4,000 | $0 |
| What you walk away with | $309,000 | Your offer, dollar for dollar |
Illustrative example, not an offer or appraisal. Commissions are negotiable and every house is different. When you list traditionally, agent commission is negotiable and is usually your biggest selling cost, often several percent of the price. In the Chicago area the seller customarily pays for the buyer’s owner’s title policy. The seller also pays the Illinois transfer tax ($0.50 per $500) and the county tax ($0.25 per $500), and in Chicago the seller pays the $1.50 per $500 CTA portion while the buyer pays the city’s $3.75 per $500. Chicago’s proposed tiered transfer tax was defeated by voters in 2024, so the flat rates still apply.
Compare our cash offer to that bottom-line number, not to the list price. If it’s close, you skip the repairs, the showings and months of waiting. If listing will clearly net you more, we’ll tell you.
Sources for this page (28)
- cookcountycourtil.gov/division/probate-division
- lavellelaw.com/new-illinois-small-estate-affidavit-law-key-updates-for-2025
- cookcountyassessoril.gov/assessment-calendar-and-deadlines
- cookcountytreasurer.com/taxsalegeneralinformation.aspx
- illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/detailed-mortgage-foreclosure-process
- cookcountysheriffil.gov/departments/courts/civil-services/foreclosure-property-sale/
- dupagecourts.gov/18th_judicial_circuit_court/divisions/chancery.php
- dupagecourts.gov/18th_judicial_circuit_court/services/foreclosure_assistance.php
- dupagecounty.gov/government/departments/supervisor_of_assessments/appeal_process.php
- dupagecounty.gov/elected_officials/treasurer/tax_sale_information.php
- willcountycourts.com/court-services/find-a-probate-gal
- borappeals.willcountysoa.com/content/pdf/2020/Guide-to-Filing-Appeal.pdf
- willcosheriff.org/foreclosures/index.php/faqs?tag=Where
- willcountyclerk.gov/taxes-2/tax-sale-redemption/
- 19thcircuitcourt.state.il.us/1331/Probate-Court
- lakecountyil.gov/503/Appeal-Process
- lakecountyil.gov/2028/Sale-Location-Research-Tips-and-Bidding-
- lakecountyil.gov/200/Tax-Sales
- lakecountyil.gov/552/Tax-Sale-Information
- illinoiscourts.gov/courts-directory/23/Kane-County-Courthouse/court/
- assessments.kanecountyil.gov/Documents/Rules.pdf
- kanesheriff.com/Documents/Foreclosures/ForeclosureSalesRules.pdf
- clerk.kanecountyil.gov/TaxExtension/Pages/taxRedemption.aspx
- atgf.com/underwriting/news/transfer-taxes-illinois
- chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/supp_info/revenue/tax_list/real_property_transfertax.html
- chicagorealtor.com/advocacy/advocacy-resources/real-estate-transfer-tax/
- lysinski.com/insights/chicago-closing-costs-2026/
- redfin.com/blog/cook-county-il-housing-market-august-2026/
Facts checked September 2026. Laws, deadlines and fees change, so confirm details with the county or a local attorney before you rely on them.
Selling a house for cash in Chicagoland
How long does foreclosure take in Illinois?
Illinois is a judicial foreclosure state, so the lender has to go through the courts. It usually takes longer than in non-judicial states, which gives you time to sell first.
Do you buy two-flats and multi-unit buildings?
Yes. We buy two-flats, three-flats and small multi-unit buildings, with or without tenants.
I’m behind on Cook County property taxes. Can I still sell?
Yes. Past-due taxes are paid from the sale proceeds at closing.
Who handles the closing in Illinois?
Illinois sales are typically closed with real estate attorneys and a title company. We pay all of your closing costs.
Can I use a small estate affidavit to sell my parent’s house in Illinois?
Usually not. As of 2026 the Illinois small estate affidavit covers personal property up to $150,000, not counting vehicles, but it cannot be used to transfer real estate. If the house was only in your parent’s name, you will most likely need to open a probate case, in Cook County at the Probate Division in the Daley Center, so a representative has authority to sign the deed. Once that authority is granted, the house can be sold as-is.
My property taxes were sold at the Cook County tax sale. Did I lose my house?
No, not right away. At the annual tax sale a buyer pays your delinquent taxes and gets a lien, not the house. For most homes you have at least two and a half years to redeem by paying the taxes plus interest and fees, and 2026 state legislation aims to lengthen that window and protect owners’ equity. If you do not redeem, the buyer can go to court for a tax deed. Selling before then lets the sold taxes be paid off from your proceeds at closing.
Who pays transfer tax when I sell a house in Chicago?
In Chicago the seller pays the Illinois state tax of $0.50 per $500, the Cook County tax of $0.25 per $500, and the CTA portion of the city tax at $1.50 per $500. The buyer pays the city’s $3.75 per $500. On a $300,000 sale, that works out to about $1,350 in transfer taxes for the seller. Many suburbs have their own transfer taxes too, so check your village’s rules.
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