Looking to sell your house in Illinois?
Over the past year, Illinois home values have been 4.39% up than the previous year. In the past month, Illinois home values have been 0.16% greater than the previous month. In the next year, Illinois median home values are projected to decrease by 2.57%.[2]
Whether you decide to sell your home now or wait out the local real estate market, you’re in the right place! Our guide breaks down the process of selling a house in Illinois into eight simple steps.
⚡ Find an experienced local agent and get a 1.5% listing fee discount!
1. Find a top-rated Illinois real estate agent
If you’re looking to sell a house for the best price — and minimize stress along the way — your first step is to find the right real estate agent in Illinois. They’ll help you navigate the Illinois real estate market, set a competitive price, prepare your home for buyers, and more.
Narrow your search to your specific city or neighborhood. You can begin by looking up brokerages in your area, but don't stop there. Take the time to research and interview multiple real estate agents, paying attention to their:
- Years of experience (the median is 8 years)
- The number of home sales in the last year — the more the better!
- Recently sold properties
- Expertise in your target neighborhood and home value range
- Online reviews and complaints
- Licensing and certifications, such as a Seller Representative Specialist or Certified Residential Specialist
- Membership in local real estate boards, such as the Central Illinois Board of REALTORS®[3]
The best Illinois real estate agents know what local buyers want and how to reach them. They’ll give tips for selling a house on the local real estate market and offer support from listing to closing.
Connect with top local agents who can help you sell on time and for top dollar. You'll pay just a 1.5% listing fee (half the typical rate), helping you save thousands!
💡 Alternatives to selling a house with a real estate agent
While many sellers choose to sell their house with a real estate agent, that’s not the only option available! Depending on your experience level, your goals, and your timeline, a less traditional route may be right for you.
Discount real estate brokers
The best low-commission realtors offer a full-service selling experience at a reduced cost. They typically charge a 1–2% listing commission instead of the standard 2.5–3%.
Discount real estate brokers are ideal for sellers who want professional guidance but want to maximize their profits. However, the quality of service may vary, so thorough research is crucial. Read customer reviews and interview discount agents about their experience and home sales history.
The selling timeline is generally similar to working with a traditional agent, usually taking 2–3 months from listing to closing.
⭐ We’ve found the best discount real estate brokers in Illinois!
For sale by owner (FSBO) / Flat fee MLS companies
FSBO is the process of selling a home without a realtor. It's best suited for experienced sellers or those with strong marketing and negotiation skills.
The main advantage of FSBO is avoiding listing agent commissions, potentially saving thousands of dollars. However, sellers take on all responsibilities, including pricing, marketing, showings, and negotiations. In the past, FSBO sellers have needed to offer a buyer's agent commission, but this may change as soon as the real estate industry implements the settlement of a November 2023 lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Read our coverage of the NAR lawsuit for more details.
If you decide to sell your Illinois home without a realtor, you’ll need the help of an agent or a flat fee MLS (FFMLS) company to post your listing on the local multiple listing service (MLS). FFMLS companies will do this for a low, fixed price, typically ranging from $45 to $999 with the option to add on additional services, like yard signs or showing scheduling.
FSBO sales often take longer than agent-assisted sales, typically 3–6 months, due to limited exposure and the seller's learning curve.
⭐ We’ve found the best flat fee MLS companies in Illinois!
Cash home buyer companies
Cash home buyer companies, often referred to as "We Buy Houses" companies, purchase homes directly from sellers for cash. They're ideal for sellers who need to sell their homes fast or have homes in poor condition and can’t afford repairs.
The main advantages are speed and convenience — sales can close in as little as 7–14 days, and homes are typically bought as is. The significant drawback is that cash offers are usually below market value, often just 70% of the home's actual worth.
Sellers can also work with iBuyers. These companies specialize in paying cash for homes that require minimal repairs. The best iBuyers typically pay more than traditional cash buyer companies and can make an initial offer within 48 hours.
⭐ We’ve found the best cash home buyer companies in Illinois!
2. Decide when to sell your home
You may already have a timeline set in place to sell your home. If you have a move-out date, it’s helpful to work backward from that day to determine roughly when you’ll be closing on your home sale.
Houses in Illinois typically sit on the market for an average of 36 days. Once an offer has been accepted, it takes about 35 days days to close on that offer. You’re looking at an average of 71 days to sell your house in Illinois (this doesn’t include the time prepping your home for the sale).[1]
However, timelines can easily fluctuate based on the real estate market. Talk to your real estate agent to get their perspective and local knowledge of the market and how it may shift over the next few months.
Depending on your priorities, you may want to sell your house for the highest price or sell your home as fast as possible (or both!). Your real estate agent can help you time the market to find the best time to sell your house in Illinois.
Best time for selling a house in Illinois for price
Sell your Illinois house in May to get the best price for your home. Last year in May, the average listing price for houses in Illinois was $336,250, which is 7.3% — or $22,797 — more than the 12-month average listing price of $313,453 in Illinois.
However, in January, houses in Illinois had the average listing price of $289,000, making January the worst month to sell your house for a high sales price.[1]
Best time for selling a house in Illinois fast
The best month to sell your house fast in Illinois is May. In the past 12 months, homes have stayed on the market for the least amount of time in this month.
In May, Illinois homes spend an average of 33 days on the market (DOM), which is 9 days faster than the average DOM in the past 12 months.
In comparison, homes listed in January stayed on the market for 59 days in the past year, making this month not ideal for selling your home fast in Illinois.[1]
3. Price your home
🔎 At a glance: Home values and prices in Illinois
- 💰 Median home value: $280,645[2]
- 💵 Median listing price: $312,500[1]
- 💸 Median home sale price: $314,300[4]
You can use a comparative market analysis (CMA) to help determine the listing price of your house in Illinois. Your real estate agent will generally prepare your CMA, which includes the recent sale prices of other homes sold on the local market.
📊 Home values and listing prices by Illinois cities
| City | Typical home value[2] | Median listing price[1] |
| Chicago | $338,903 | $372,450 |
| Rockford | $202,851 | $248,888 |
| Springfield | $185,464 | $197,400 |
| Peoria | $158,697 |
$157,400
|
| Champaign | $221,922 | $263,450 |
During an assessment of your home, your real estate agent will examine your home’s style, square footage, number of bathrooms, location, and other factors. Although they can talk to you about your house over the phone, your agent will be able to provide a more accurate assessment by visiting.
Pricing is extremely important when trying to attract potential buyers to your property. If you price too high, your home may sit on the market for a while. If you price too low, you may wind up short-changing yourself in the deal or buyers will avoid your house because it seems “suspicious.”
Match with top-rated agents from brand-name brokerages, like Keller Williams and RE/MAX, and request a free CMA today! Sellers will save thousands in realtor commissions with pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fees.
Clever's service is 100% free with zero obligation. Interview as many agents as you like until you find the perfect fit — or walk away at any time.
4. Prepare, market, and show your home
Make necessary improvements
Updating your home increases its value, improves its curb appeal, and will most likely get you more money on sale. Budget for necessary repairs and improvements on your home before showing it to potential buyers.
Lower-cost repairs include:
- Replacing missing roof shingles
- Painting walls with a fresh coat (neutral colors are best)
- Updating light fixtures and switch plates
- Power washing exterior siding and walkways
- Improving curb appeal with basic landscaping
- Adding fresh caulk to bathrooms and kitchen
Higher-cost repairs include:
- Installing a new HVAC system
- Replacing the roof
- Updating the kitchen with new appliances
- Renovating the bathrooms
- Adding a deck or patio
- Improving curb appeal with custom landscaping
- Installing new flooring or carpet
On average, comprehensive home repairs for a typical home in Illinois can cost around $20,489, but keep in mind that you’re likely to make more money back in your home's sale price.
If you need to sell your home as fast as possible, it could be worth selling your home as is to avoid time and money spent on repairs.
Write and share your property’s listing
An excellent web listing for your property will help interest buyers. Get professional photos of your home and write up a great property listing description.
In your listing description, focus on highlighting your home's best features. Start with a catchy headline that summarizes your house’s main selling point. In the main description, use descriptive but conversational language to paint a picture of life in the home, focusing on its key attributes, recent upgrades, and standout features.
Be specific about details like square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and special amenities. Avoid overused phrases like "must-see" or "won't last long," and instead, provide concrete details that set your home apart.
For the property listing site, include high-quality, well-lit photos of each room and the exterior, and consider adding a virtual tour. To make your listing attractive to buyers, emphasize features that appeal to your target market, such as proximity to good schools, a home office space, or energy-efficient upgrades.
Once your listing is complete, your agent will advertise it across multiple channels — your local MLS, popular real estate websites, social media platforms, etc. Your agent may also reach out to their network of potential buyers and other agents to generate interest in your home.
Stage and show your home to potential buyers
When staging your home for showings, create a welcoming, neutral environment that allows prospective buyers to envision themselves living there. Here are some house staging tips to get you started:
- Declutter and remove personal items
- Organize closets and storage spaces to highlight their capacity
- Deep-clean every area (including baseboards and light fixtures)
- Open curtains and add strategic lighting where needed
- Rearrange furniture to create open, flowing spaces
- Add new throw pillows or bedding to freshen up rooms
Your real estate agent will coordinate showings so you can sit back and relax — in fact, sellers aren’t recommended to be present during showings as this can put pressure on the buyer.
5. Field offers and make counteroffers
Once a potential buyer submits an offer on your home (usually through the buyer's agent), you and your agent can propose a counteroffer if you want. The counteroffer process can go back and forth until you reach an agreement, one party ends negotiations, or the purchase agreement expires after a certain time period.
As the home seller, you don't have to respond to a potential buyer's offer. If the buyer's offer is extremely low or comes with unreasonable contingencies, you can turn down the offer or ignore it entirely.
You may get multiple offers, which can be exciting! Be sure to consider all elements of an offer, including price, contingencies, and the buyer's ability to close the deal. The best offer may not always be the highest bid. Your agent can help you evaluate your offers and select the best one for you.
🤔 What's in a purchase agreement?
A purchase agreement is a legally binding real estate contract that governs the entire home-sale process. The buyer's real estate agent usually creates the initial sale agreement, which will include the price and other terms, including:
- Sale details: Buyer and seller names, property address, final price
- Contingencies: Financing, appraisal, inspection conditions
- Earnest money: Buyer's initial deposit amount
- Included items: Fixtures and appliances in the sale
- Disclosures: Legally required property information sellers must disclose
- Closing costs: Buyer and seller payment responsibilities
- Key dates: Closing and possession timeline
6. Get an inspection and appraisal
Buyers typically ask for and pay for inspections of the property. If the inspector finds issues, sellers in Illinois have no contractual obligation to make any repairs — especially to unreasonable buyer inspection requests.
However, a seller who refuses to work with a buyer on repairs risks the buyer terminating the deal and seeking another home in better condition or with a better price for a similar condition.
Damaged roof shingles, HVAC problems, and plumbing leaks are common repair requests made by Illinois home buyers. If possible, deal with these possible issues beforehand to speed up the closing process and potentially get a more valuable appraisal.
The appraisal process
A real estate appraisal, which typically comes after the inspection process, establishes a property's fair market value.
The mortgage lender will typically order the appraisal for the home. Licensed appraisers perform the appraisals and create detailed reports. An appraisal is the only valuation report a lender considers when deciding whether to lend money to a buyer. In some instances, the buyer pays for the appraisal at the time of the loan application. Other times, you can add the appraisal fee to the settlement statement and the buyer pays at closing.
🤔 What happens after a low appraisal?
If the appraisal comes back lower than the purchase price, the lender will only lend the appraisal value to the buyer. Here’s what could happen as a result:
- The buyer could terminate the deal if they have an appraisal contingency in the contract.
- Parties can request a second appraisal and submit proof of oversight (if found).
- The seller and buyer renegotiate the price to more closely match the appraisal value.
- The buyer makes up the difference on the loan and continues with the sale.
- The buyer backs out of the sale and loses the earnest money deposit (if there’s no appraisal contingency).
7. Submit paperwork and required Illinois disclosures
Illinois law requires sellers to make certain disclosures to the buyer before closing. Sellers must reveal problems with the property that could affect its value or desirability.
When it comes to other paperwork, never sign anything without consulting your agent or real estate attorney before signing or filing paperwork. A licensed professional should walk you through all the paperwork and ensure you have everything you need for your situation.
📒 Forms and documents for selling a house in Illinois
Required for all real estate home sales
- 2 forms of ID
- Copy of purchase agreement and any addendums
- Closing statement
- Signed deed
- Bill of sale
- Affidavit of title
Possible additional documents
- Loan payoff information
- HOA forms and guidelines
- Survey results or survey affidavits
- Home inspection results
- Proof of repairs or renovations
- Home warranty information
- Copies of relevant wills, trusts, or power of attorney letters
- Relevant affidavits (name affidavits, non-foreign affidavits under IRC 1445, etc.)
- Closing disclosure (for certain seller concessions)
- Correction statement and agreement
Illinois seller disclosures
- Air conditioning (No)
- Appliances (No)
- Boundary issues (Yes)
- Electrical system issues (Yes)
- Fire safety (No)
- Flood dangers (Yes)
- Hazardous materials (Yes)
- Heating system (No)
- Insulation (No)
- Roof damage (Yes)
- Sewage and plumbing (Yes)
- Structure of the house (Yes)
- Un-permitted improvements (No)
- Water (No)
- Wood-destroying insects (Yes)
8. Close your home sale
Closing takes place once both parties have fulfilled their responsibilities in the purchase agreement.
Closing typically consists of the following steps:
- The buyer performs a final walk-through to check the home is still in good condition and confirms repairs have been made.
- A buyer's lender sends final loan documents to the escrow agent, who schedules the final closing date.
- The closing process is overseen by an real estate attorney.
- The seller generally signs their closing documents first.
- The buyer then signs all closing documents, including the loan documents.
- The buyer pays the remaining funds for their down payment.
- Buyer and seller pay for closing costs.
- The deed gets recorded with the appropriate municipality.
- The buyer takes ownership of the home, the seller receives money from the home sale, and the real estate transaction is complete.
The closing process can take a couple of days or even a week. As the seller, you have the option to do your part of the closing possible electronically.
If you receive the typical Illinois home value of $280,645 for your sale, expect to pay around $8,291 in Illinois seller closing costs. This amount doesn't include Illinois real estate commission.
Home sellers typically pay for agent fees for both their listing agent and the buyer's agent out of their sale proceeds. This way, neither side has to bring extra cash to close.
However, since the 2024 NAR settlement, sellers and buyers negotiate rates with their own agents separately. In Illinois, the average listing agent fee is 2.6%, while the average buyer's agent fee is 2.58%.
This would result in $14,537 paid in real estate commissions.
💸 Closing costs in Illinois breakdown
| Illinois seller average closing costs | Average rate | Average cost |
| 🔍 Title service fees | 0.33% | $928 |
| 🗞 Owner's title insurance | 0.24% | $660 paid by seller |
| 💵 Lender's title insurance | N/A | Typically paid by buyer |
| 🏡 Transfer tax | 0.15% | $421 |
| ✍ Recording fees | 0.04% | $125 |
| 🤑 Buyer incentives | 2.00% | $5,613 |
| 💲 Other costs | Varies | Varies |
| Total* | 2.95% | $8,291 |
*Based on a sale price of $280,645, the typical home value in Illinois
⭐ Here’s the good news: You don't have to pay the full 5.18% commission to a traditional agent. When you match with an agent through Clever, you’re guaranteed a 1.5% listing fee instead of the usual 2.60% in Illinois. On average, Illinois sellers save about $3,087 on realtor fees when using Clever.
Next steps: Sell your Illinois home and save thousands
Whether you’re looking to list your home immediately or 6–12 months from now, it's never too early to start looking for a listing agent, getting advice, and making a plan!
Clever can connect you with top local agents sell your house for a pre-negotiated low rate: just a 1.5% listing fee when your home sells (half the typical rate!).
You can interview your Clever agent matches, get free pricing estimates, and compare marketing plans — all with no strings attached.
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Why trust us
Data sources
The Clever Research Team gathered data for average listing prices, home values, sale prices, median days on the market, and more to create a guide to selling a house in Illinois. This information comes from vetted sources, including Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, and a commission rate data survey from our partner real estate agents.
As the primary sources update, we update the corresponding data in our guides accordingly.
About Clever Real Estate
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