Sell your house fast in Woodlawn
Brick two-flats on the side streets off 63rd, courtyard buildings near the Cottage Grove Green Line stop and condos close to Jackson Park: we buy Woodlawn property as-is for cash, on the closing date you choose.
- Cash offer within 24 hours
- No repairs, fees or commissions
- We pay normal closing costs
Your Woodlawn cash offer
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
Selling a house in Woodlawn
Woodlawn is community area 42 on Chicago’s South Side. It starts at 60th Street, along the south edge of the Midway Plaisance, and runs south to 67th Street, with a small piece below 67th between Cottage Grove and South Chicago Avenues. King Drive is the west line and Lake Michigan is the east. Hyde Park sits across the Midway to the north, Washington Park and Greater Grand Crossing are to the west, and South Shore is to the southeast. The 2020 census counted about 24,400 people.
The Green Line ends here, with stations at King Drive and at Cottage Grove along 63rd Street. Metra Electric trains stop at 59th Street and 63rd Street on the east side. 63rd Street and Cottage Grove are the main commercial streets, and Stony Island Avenue runs along the edge of Jackson Park. That park, more than 500 acres on the lake, held the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and is now the site of the Obama Presidential Center. The 63rd Street Bathing Pavilion and the Lorraine Hansberry House, a brick three-flat at 6140 S. Rhodes Avenue, are both Chicago Landmarks. The Strand Hotel on Cottage Grove is on the National Register.
Most of the housing is in small and mid-size apartment buildings. CMAP counts about 16 percent of units in two-flats, 17 percent in three- and four-unit buildings and close to a quarter in buildings of five to nine units, the six-flats and courtyard buildings found across the area. Detached houses are only about 11 percent. Some 37 percent of homes went up before 1940 and about a quarter between 1940 and 1969, so the median building dates to the mid-1950s. Newer construction and condo conversions fill in many blocks, especially east of Cottage Grove.
A rehabbed two-flat or a condo with new finishes can do well on the open market, and we will tell you so. Our offer tends to fit better for an older building with tenants and deferred repairs, a vacant unit that needs a full gut, a condo where the association has a special assessment coming, or an estate property that needs a firm closing date.
What to expect
It starts with one visit. We look over the building with you, including each unit if it is a multi-unit, and send a written cash offer within 24 hours. The offer lists our repair estimate and the recent sales we used. If the numbers work for you, pick a closing day. We close at a local title company and pay the usual closing costs.
City requirements for a Woodlawn sale
- Transfer tax. Four taxes apply to a Chicago deed: the city’s $3.75 and the CTA’s $1.50 per $500 of price, plus $0.50 to Illinois and $0.25 to Cook County. The city expects the buyer to cover its share and the seller the CTA share. Sell to us, and we cover all four.
- Water and sewer. Before the deed is stamped, Chicago needs proof that the water and sewer bill is current, called a Full Payment Certificate. An unpaid balance gets settled out of the closing.
- Zoning certification. Every residential building up to five units, house through five-flat, needs a city zoning certification at sale to confirm the legal unit count. Condos and co-ops are excluded, and larger six-flats and courtyard buildings don’t need it.
- Tenant leases. Rented units transfer with their leases. Under Chicago’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance, security deposits and any interest owed move to the new owner at closing.
- Condo paperwork. If you are selling a condo, the association provides a paid-assessment letter and the resale documents Illinois requires.
- Taxes and estates. Property tax bills in Cook County lag a year, so your share is credited to the buyer at closing. Estate cases go through probate at the Daley Center downtown.
Before closing, the title company checks which of these apply to your building, since city rules get updated.
Two ways to sell a Woodlawn building
| Sell to us | List with an agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs/updates | No fix-up list for you | Most buyers want work done or a price cut |
| Showings | One visit, plus each unit if rented | Repeated showings around tenant schedules |
| Commission | No commission | Usually a percentage of the sale price |
| Closing costs | We pay them | Seller pays |
| Tenants | Tenants stay, leases go with the building | Many buyers ask for vacant units |
| Timing | Your call, from 2–3 weeks out | Weeks listed, then a loan closing |
| Certainty | Cash, no financing contingency | Loans on multi-units can stall |
| Price | Below retail, priced for condition | Top price for updated homes |
Woodlawn has more small apartment buildings than single houses, so the right choice often comes down to the units. A fully leased, updated two-flat may draw strong interest from buyers using loans. A three-flat or six-flat with vacant units, old boilers and a stack of leases is where a cash offer is worth comparing.
Selling a Woodlawn six-flat or courtyard building
Buildings with five to nine units make up close to a quarter of Woodlawn’s housing. Many are brick six-flats and courtyard buildings from the early 1900s through the 1920s, often with a shared boiler, a common basement and porches at the back. Over the decades some were split into more units or turned into condos.
For a seller, these buildings bring their own paperwork. Lenders often treat five or more units as commercial loans, which can narrow the pool of buyers on a listed sale. You will need current leases, a rent roll and a list of security deposits. We buy these buildings with tenants in place and with units empty or in poor shape. We review the rent roll, look at the mechanicals and the roof, and price the work into one cash number, so you don’t have to fill vacancies or replace a boiler before you sell.
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.
Common reasons Woodlawn owners sell
Nearby areas we buy
Woodlawn FAQ
Do you buy two-flats and three-flats near the Cottage Grove Green Line stop?
Yes. We buy multi-unit buildings around 63rd and Cottage Grove in any condition, with tenants or with units empty.
Is a zoning certification needed for my Woodlawn six-flat?
No. The rule stops at five units, and it excludes condos and co-ops, so a six-flat sale goes ahead without one.
Can I sell my Woodlawn condo if the association has a special assessment coming?
Yes. We look at the assessment along with the unit and factor it into our offer, and the association letter shows what is owed at closing.
Who pays Chicago’s transfer tax on a Woodlawn sale?
The city splits it, putting the CTA portion on the seller. If we are the buyer, we cover the city, county and state amounts.
My tenants are behind on rent. Can I still sell?
Yes. We buy rentals with tenants in place, behind or current. Bring copies of the leases and a list of deposits to the walk-through.
How long does a Woodlawn closing usually take?
Many close in 2–3 weeks, once the water certificate and title work are back. If you need more time, you can pick a later date.