Selling a House in Illinois?
Start Here.
Your Illinois Home Selling Resource Center
I've bought houses for more than 20 years and my team has closed more than 3,000 transactions, usually for people going through something tough. Illinois sellers call about the same handful of things: a parent's estate, a foreclosure case, sold taxes, a tenant who stopped paying, or a house that's been empty through a winter.
Illinois has its own playbook. Most executors can sell without going back to the judge. Foreclosures go through court and the redemption period runs before the sale, not after. Unpaid taxes are sold as certificates with years to redeem, and Chicago and Cook County layer their own landlord and vacant building rules on top.
These guides break it down in plain English so you can choose what works for you: selling to me, listing with an agent or holding on.
Illinois's Most Common Home Selling Situations
Nearly every Illinois call I get fits one of these. Each has its own Illinois rules and deadlines, so start with yours.
Foreclosure
There's more time than in most states, but the judicial sale is still the deadline that matters.
Learn about selling a house in foreclosure in Illinois →Delinquent Property Taxes
Sold taxes or a redemption amount can be paid from a sale at closing.
Learn about selling a house with delinquent taxes in Illinois →- How do unpaid taxes reach a tax sale?
- How long do I have to redeem?
- What changed with the 2026 surplus law?
- What if I inherited a house with back taxes?
Vacant House
An empty house keeps costing you in heat, insurance, fees and risk.
Learn about selling a vacant house in Illinois →- Is my vacant house still insured?
- Do I have to register it?
- How does the 2026 squatter law work?
- What does holding it really cost?
Probate
Selling a probate house starts with whether it's in the estate and what kind of letters were issued.
Learn how to sell a house in probate in Illinois →Inherited House
Inheriting a house means figuring out who owns it, what it's worth and what to do with it.
Read my Illinois inherited house guide →- How did title come to me?
- What about older-house and code issues?
- What if I share it with siblings?
- What do I owe a buyer?
Bad Tenants
You can sell a rental with a problem tenant still in it.
Learn about selling a house with bad tenants in Illinois →- Can I sell with a tenant in place?
- How does an Illinois eviction work?
- Should I pay the tenant to leave?
- What happens to the deposit?
Home Selling Guides
These guides cover the basics of selling a house anywhere, whatever the reason you're thinking about it.
How Cash Home Buyers Work
How cash buyers and real estate investors buy houses, how offers are put together, and what to expect from start to finish.
Learn how cash home buyers work →Selling Your House As-Is
What "as-is" really means, when repairs are worth it, and what buyers expect.
Read my guide to selling your house as-is →How Home Value Is Determined
Location, condition, comparable sales and the market, and how each one moves the number.
Learn how home value is determined →Understanding Closing Costs
What closing costs are, who usually pays them, and what to expect on closing day.
Read my guide to closing costs →Does Making Repairs Always Increase Home Value?
When repairs pay for themselves, when they don't, and how to compare repair costs with what you'd actually net.
Learn when repairs increase home value →What Affects a Cash Offer?
How condition, repairs, resale value, demand, holding costs and risk shape the number a cash buyer offers.
Learn what affects a cash offer →How Selling Your House Works
Whether the house is in great shape or needs everything, the process is the same.
- 1
Tell Me About the Property
The address, the condition and what's going on. The more I know, the better I can lay out your options.
- 2
I'll Review Your Options
I'll look at the house and the situation, answer your questions and tell you what makes the most sense, including when that's listing with an agent.
- 3
Receive a No-Obligation Offer
If selling to me is a good fit, you get a straight as-is number. And there's no obligation to accept my offer — you're in the driver's seat.
- 4
Choose Your Closing Date
Close with an Illinois title company and attorney on the date that works for you.
Why Illinois Homeowners Choose Dennis Buys Houses
Selling a house is rarely just a money decision. It's usually tied to a death in the family, a financial squeeze or a big change. So I keep the process simple and tell you the truth about your options.
When you call, you get me. No AI, no assistants. And if another option makes more sense than selling to me, I'll tell you upfront.
Serving Homeowners Throughout Illinois
I buy houses throughout Illinois. Cook County, Chicago and its suburbs, is where I'm most active right now.
Chicago
North Side · South Side · West Side · Southwest Side · Far South Side
Suburban Cook County
Cicero · Berwyn · Oak Lawn · Evanston · Skokie · Harvey · Calumet City · Schaumburg
Frequently Asked Questions
Everywhere in the state. Most of my Illinois calls come from Chicago and suburban Cook County.
Yes. Old boilers, leaky basements and open violations are all fine. You don't fix anything first.
Take what you want and leave the rest. Dennis Buys Houses handles what's left.
Usually. With independent letters, the executor can typically sign without a court hearing.
Usually not. Illinois gives you time before the judicial sale, and that's when to act.
No. Those are paid off from the sale at closing.
Once title is clear, you choose the date.
No agent commission when you sell to me, because nobody is listing the house.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
No two Illinois homeowners have exactly the same story.
Whether it's an estate, a foreclosure case, sold taxes, a tenant, a two-flat or an empty house in January, I'll help you see your options clearly and without pressure.
Read the guides above, or tell me what's going on with the house. Even if selling isn't the right answer, I'll point you in the right direction.
Prefer to talk first? Call (734) 224-5977