Sell your house fast in Near North Side
Vintage co-ops in the Gold Coast, 1970s towers in Streeterville, River North lofts and Old Town row houses near Wells Street: we buy Near North Side property as-is for cash, on your schedule.
- Cash offer within 24 hours
- No repairs, fees or commissions
- We pay normal closing costs
Your Near North Side cash offer
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
Selling a house in Near North Side
The Near North Side is community area 8, directly north of downtown. It runs from the Chicago River north to North Avenue, and from the river’s North Branch east to Lake Michigan. Lincoln Park is to the north, West Town and the Near West Side face it from the far side of the North Branch, and the Loop is south across the main stem. The 2020 Census counted about 105,500 people, making it one of the largest community areas in the city. Its parts include the Gold Coast, Streeterville, River North, the south part of Old Town and Goose Island.
The Red Line runs under State Street with stops at Clark/Division, Chicago and Grand, and the Brown and Purple Lines stop at Sedgwick, Chicago and Merchandise Mart. North Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile, is the main shopping street. Landmarks include the 1869 Water Tower, Navy Pier, the Merchandise Mart, Marina City and the Drake Hotel. Oak Street Beach and the lakefront path run along the east edge.
Nearly nine in ten homes, about 89 percent by CMAP’s count, are in buildings of 20 or more units. The median build year is 1989, but the age range is wide. About 39 percent of units went up between 1940 and 1989, many in Streeterville, the Gold Coast and along Lake Shore Drive, and close to half since 1990, much of it in River North. About 12 percent are older than 1940, from Gold Coast mansions and vintage towers to Old Town’s Victorian-era row houses, some on streets laid out before the 1871 fire. The Astor Street District, the East Lake Shore Drive District and the Old Chicago Water Tower District are Chicago Landmark districts, and the Gold Coast Historic District has been on the National Register since 1978.
An updated unit in a building with strong reserves often does well on the market, and we’ll be straight with you about that. A cash sale tends to fit when a unit in an older tower needs a full renovation, when the building has a facade or riser assessment ahead, when a co-op’s rules make financed buyers hard to find, or when a trust or estate needs a clean sale.
What to expect
One phone call and one visit to the unit is how it starts. Within 24 hours a written cash offer follows, broken down by repair costs and recent sales nearby. If the number works, name your closing date. A title company here in Cook County closes it, and the usual closing costs are on our side of the ledger.
Paperwork for selling on the Near North Side
- Condo disclosures. Illinois law lets a buyer request the condo declaration, rules, a capital spending projection for the next two years, the reserve balance, insurance details and a lien statement of unpaid assessments. The board has 30 days to produce them.
- Co-op approval. A co-op sells shares and a lease, not a deeded unit, and the board usually interviews buyers and sets its own financing rules. We read those rules before we make an offer.
- Transfer taxes. The city’s $3.75 per $500 usually sits with the buyer and its $1.50 per $500 transit surcharge with the seller. Illinois and Cook County collect $0.50 and $0.25 per $500 on top. If we’re buying, all of it is ours.
- Row houses and flats. Old Town row houses and small flat buildings, anything residential with five or fewer units, require Chicago’s zoning certification. Condo units and co-ops are exempt from it.
- Property taxes. Tax bills in Cook County trail by a year. Your portion of this year is settled at closing by crediting the buyer.
Before closing, the title company verifies which of these apply to your property.
High-rise, co-op or row house: comparing your Near North Side options
| Sell to us | List with an agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs/updates | None. Sell it as it stands. | Dated kitchens and baths cut offers |
| Showings | One visit | Showings booked through the front desk |
| Commission | None | Generally a slice of the price |
| Closing costs | We pay them | Seller pays |
| Special assessment | Already in our number | Often negotiated as a credit |
| Timing | 2–3 weeks or the date you set | Listing time, then financing |
| Certainty | Cash, no lender review | Condo and co-op loans can stall |
| Price | Below retail, priced for condition | Top price for updated homes |
With tens of thousands of high-rise units here, buyers can be choosy. A renovated unit in a tower with solid reserves usually earns more listed. A unit in a 1960s or 1970s building that still needs work, or one with a large assessment on the way, is where our offer deserves a close look.
Facade inspections and assessments in older towers
Chicago’s building code requires inspections of exterior walls on buildings 80 feet or taller. Under the city’s facade ordinance, owners file an ongoing inspection report every two years and a more detailed critical examination every four, eight or twelve years, depending on how the walls are built. When an inspection finds problems, repairs to masonry, balconies or concrete can be large.
Associations pay for that work through reserves, loans or special assessments. Many towers here also replace windows, plumbing risers and elevators as they age. If your building has a major project voted or on the horizon, a listing buyer’s lender will see it in the documents. We buy units in those buildings for cash, and our price already reflects the assessment schedule, so you don’t carry the uncertainty into a long listing.
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 Near North Side owners sell
Nearby areas we buy
Near North Side FAQ
Do you buy co-op units in the Gold Coast?
Often, yes. We read the co-op’s bylaws and approval process first, and if the board doesn’t allow a purchase like ours, we tell you up front.
Our tower has a facade assessment coming. Can I still sell?
Yes. We price the unit with the assessment in mind, and the title company settles paid and unpaid amounts at closing.
Will you buy an Old Town row house that needs work?
Yes. Older row houses and flats with worn masonry, porches or systems are a good fit for a cash sale.
Does a condo sale need a Chicago zoning certification?
No. Condo units and co-ops are excluded. It applies to residential buildings with five or fewer units.
My unit is in the Astor Street District. Is the sale restricted?
No. Landmark designation covers permit work on exterior features, not who can buy or sell, so the sale goes forward like any other.
How quickly can you close on a River North loft?
Usually 2–3 weeks from contract, with the condo board’s paperwork as the main variable. A later date is fine too.