Sell your house fast in Uptown
Vintage courtyard buildings and six-flats in Sheridan Park, condo and co-op units along Marine Drive, and Prairie-style houses on Hutchinson Street: we buy Uptown property as-is for cash, and you choose when to close.
- Cash offer within 24 hours
- No repairs, fees or commissions
- We pay normal closing costs
Your Uptown cash offer
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
Selling a house in Uptown
Uptown is community area 3 on Chicago’s North Side, along the lake. It runs from Foster Avenue south to Montrose Avenue and Irving Park Road, and from Lake Michigan west to Ravenswood Avenue and Clark Street. Edgewater lies to the north, Lincoln Square and North Center to the west and Lake View to the south. The 2020 census counted about 57,200 people.
The Red Line stops at Argyle, Lawrence, Wilson and Sheridan, and Lake Shore Drive has exits at Foster, Lawrence, Wilson, Montrose and Irving Park. Broadway, Lawrence, Wilson and Clark are the main commercial streets. The lakefront takes in Montrose Beach, Montrose Harbor and the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, and Graceland Cemetery fills the southwest corner. Around Broadway and Lawrence, the Uptown Theatre, the Aragon Ballroom, the Riviera and the Green Mill anchor the entertainment district.
Sub-areas include Buena Park, Sheridan Park, Margate Park, Clarendon Park and the blocks around Argyle Street. Several are historic districts. Hutchinson Street (1977) and Dover Street (2007) are Chicago Landmark districts, while Buena Park, Sheridan Park, Uptown Square and West Argyle Street are on the National Register. Hutchinson Street is known for its Prairie-style houses.
Uptown is mostly apartment and condo buildings. CMAP puts about 59 percent of units in buildings of 20 or more and another 19 percent in five- to nine-unit buildings, and only about 4 percent are detached houses. About 45 percent of units date from before 1940, including 1920s apartment hotels, courtyard buildings and six-flats, and some former single-room-occupancy buildings have become condos and co-ops. An updated condo in a building with sound finances tends to do well listed. Cash is worth considering for a unit facing a big special assessment, a co-op that is hard to finance, a unit that needs a full rehab, or a vintage two- to six-flat with tenants.
What to expect
Reach us by phone or the form and we’ll see the unit or building once. In under 24 hours a written cash offer follows, walking through our repair costs and the Uptown sales we compared. You name the closing date, the title company closes it locally, and the ordinary closing costs are ours.
Selling an Uptown condo, co-op or building: city and association steps
- Paid-assessment letter. A condo sale needs the association’s paid-assessment letter. Illinois law also has the board supply the declaration, bylaws, current budget, reserve balance, insurance summary and any pending lawsuits within 30 days of a written request.
- Right of first refusal. If the declaration includes a right of first refusal for the association, the board signs a waiver before closing.
- Co-op approval. Co-op apartments, like those in some vintage Marine Drive buildings, transfer as shares and usually need approval from the co-op board under its own rules.
- Zoning certification. Applies to residential buildings of five units or fewer. Condos and co-ops are excluded, so here it applies mainly to houses and two- to five-flats.
- Transfer taxes. City ($3.75 per $500), CTA ($1.50 per $500, normally the seller’s), state ($0.50) and county ($0.25). On a sale to us, we pay them all.
Every building is different, so the title company confirms the documents and approvals your sale needs.
Uptown unit or building: which way to sell?
| Sell to us | List with an agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs/updates | Not needed, we buy as-is | Updated units sell faster |
| Showings | One visit | Showings arranged around building rules |
| Commission | None | Paid out of the sale price |
| Closing costs | We pay them | Seller pays |
| Association approval | Letters, waivers or board approval, with no lender review | Same steps, plus the buyer’s lender review |
| Timing | Around 2–3 weeks, or a date you set | Weeks or months to sell, then 30–45 days to close |
| Certainty | Cash, no share loan or mortgage needed | Rests on the buyer’s loan or share loan |
| Price | Below retail, priced for condition | Top price for updated homes |
Most Uptown housing is condo, co-op or rental units in buildings put up before 1970. A remodeled unit in a building with solid reserves usually brings more listed. A unit with an assessment coming, a co-op that’s hard to finance, or an older multi-unit building with tenants is where a cash buyer can be the simpler route.
Selling an Uptown condo or co-op with an assessment ahead
Many of Uptown’s vintage buildings date from the early 1900s and the 1920s. Keeping them up means masonry and terra cotta repair, roofs, elevators, boilers and windows, and associations often pay for big projects through special assessments. When an assessment has been voted or is under discussion, it shows up in the resale disclosures and in any buyer’s lender review.
Co-ops add another layer. Buyers usually need board approval, and fewer lenders make share loans. We pay cash and review the same documents a buyer would see. Our offer spells out how we accounted for the assessment, and you can compare it with the net from a listing before deciding.
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 Uptown owners sell
Nearby areas we buy
Uptown FAQ
Do you buy co-op apartments in Uptown?
Yes. A co-op sale transfers shares and a proprietary lease, and the board’s approval process applies. Paying cash avoids the search for a share-loan lender.
My condo has a special assessment coming. Can I still sell?
Yes. We get the amount and schedule from the association and include it in our offer, so you know where you stand before signing.
What is a paid-assessment letter?
It’s a statement from the association showing your assessments are current or what is owed. The title company needs it before a condo can close.
Do you buy houses in the Hutchinson Street landmark district?
Yes. Landmark status affects permits for exterior work, not your right to sell.
Can you buy a six-flat with tenants near the Red Line?
Yes. Leases and security deposits, plus any interest owed under Chicago’s landlord and tenant ordinance, pass to the buyer at closing.
How long does an Uptown condo sale take with you?
Often 2–3 weeks, depending mostly on how quickly the association sends its letter and any waiver. Co-op approvals can add time.