Own a vacant house in Chicago? Stop paying to keep it.
An empty house still costs you taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep, and Chicago adds registration rules. We buy vacant houses in Chicago and the suburbs as-is, on the closing date you pick.
Get an offer on your house
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
What owning a vacant house in Chicago involves
Houses sit empty for ordinary reasons: a move, an estate, a tenant who left, a project that stalled. In Chicago, a single-family home or building under 10 units counts as vacant when no one lawfully lives there and past residents don’t intend to return within six months. Once it’s vacant, the city’s vacant building ordinance (Municipal Code 13-12-125) applies. The duties fall on the owner of record. If the house is in foreclosure, you’re still the owner until the court approves the sale and the deed is recorded.
- Register
Register with the Department of Buildings within 30 days after the building becomes vacant or after you take ownership, whichever is later. The fee is $300 per building, doubles if the city finds the vacancy first, and is due again every six months while it stays empty. You can register and pay online through the city’s vacant building registration site.
- Insure
Carry liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence for a residential building, and notify the city within 30 days of any lapse or change.
- Secure and post a sign
Secure all openings. The city allows plywood only for the first six months, then wants real doors and windows, brick or metal security panels. Repeated break-ins can require a monitored alarm. Post a sign with your name, address, phone and registration number, visible from the street.
- Maintain
Cut the grass, clear debris, shovel the walks, control pests, light exit areas from dusk to dawn, and let the city inspect with reasonable notice.
- Deregister
When the house is reoccupied, demolished or sold, deregister within 20 days.
An empty house also costs money every month. Property taxes, insurance, water, gas and electric bills keep coming, and small problems like a roof leak or a failed sump pump can go unnoticed for weeks.
Violations carry fines of $500 to $1,000 per offense, each day counts as a separate offense, and fines can become a lien on the property. In the suburbs, the same basic duties apply: keep the house secured, insured and maintained. Many suburbs also have their own vacant property rules, so check with your village or city hall.
Ways out, compared
A tenant ends the vacancy and brings in income. It usually means repairs, inspections and the work of being a landlord.
If you plan to move back or keep it in the family, register it, insure it for vacancy, winterize it and check on it often.
A vacant house in good shape is easy to show and may bring top price. Utilities need to stay on for inspections, and carrying costs continue until closing.
We buy as-is, so there’s no clean-out or repairs. You pick the date, and we pay normal closing costs and all transfer taxes.
Insurance, winter and break-ins
- Insurance. Standard homeowners policies often limit coverage once a home has been empty for 30 or 60 consecutive days, which can leave out vandalism, broken glass, water damage and theft. Tell your insurer before the house sits empty and ask about a vacant home policy or endorsement.
- Winter. Frozen pipes are a real risk in an empty Chicago house. Common advice is to keep the heat at 55 degrees or higher, or have the water shut off and the lines drained.
- Break-ins and squatters. Empty houses draw trespassers. Since January 1, 2026, Illinois law (Senate Bill 1563) makes clear that police can remove someone squatting in a home without a court eviction. Disputes over whether someone is a tenant can still end up in court, so call the police and get legal advice.
- Taxes and utilities. Property taxes, water and other bills keep coming. In Cook County, the homeowner exemption requires the home to be your principal residence on January 1, so a vacant house can lose it and get a higher bill.
How a cash sale of a vacant house works
A vacant house is often simpler to sell because no one has to move out. Here is how it usually goes with us.
- Walk-through. We look at the house, often with you on the phone or a family member letting us in. No cleaning or repairs needed.
- Offer. You get a cash offer within 24 hours, and we show you how we got the number.
- Closing. A local title company pays off your mortgage, back taxes, city fines and the final water bill from the proceeds. In Chicago, the city’s Full Payment Certificate is needed for transfer stamps, and the title company orders it.
- Our costs. We pay normal closing costs and all transfer taxes, including the City of Chicago’s.
- After closing. Deregister the building within 20 days and cancel your insurance and utilities once the deed is recorded.
Three steps. You pick the closing date.
- Tell us about the house
Fill out the form or call (773) 825-9855. A few quick questions, no pressure.
- Get a fair cash offer in 24 hours
We look at the house with you and show you how we got the number. No obligation.
- Close on your date
As soon as 2–3 weeks, or take more time. We close at a local title company and pay your closing costs.
Questions sellers ask
Do I have to register my vacant house in Chicago?
Yes, within 30 days after it becomes vacant or after you take ownership, whichever is later. Registration lasts six months and must be renewed while the house stays empty.
How much does Chicago vacant building registration cost?
The ordinance sets the fee at $300 per building for each six-month period. It doubles if the city finds the vacancy before you register.
What insurance does a vacant house in Chicago need?
The city requires liability coverage of at least $300,000 per occurrence for residential buildings. Your regular homeowners policy may also limit coverage once the house has been empty for 30 or 60 days, so call your agent.
Can I use plywood on the windows?
Only for the first six months the building is vacant. After that, the city wants real doors and windows, brick or metal security panels.
What if someone is living in my empty house without permission?
Call the police. Under Illinois Senate Bill 1563, effective January 1, 2026, police can remove squatters without a court eviction, but if someone claims to be a tenant, talk to a lawyer.
Do you buy vacant houses in the suburbs too?
Yes, across Cook County and the collar counties. Many suburbs have their own vacant property rules, and the title company confirms what’s needed for your address.
Do I need to clean it out before selling?
No. Take what you want and leave the rest. We buy the house as it is.
Do I have to be in Chicago to sell?
No. Many owners of vacant houses live out of state. We can do the walk-through with a family member or lockbox, and the title company can arrange to have your documents signed where you live.