Sell your house fast in Near South Side
Condo towers near the Museum Campus, loft conversions on Motor Row and townhomes in Central Station and Dearborn Park: we buy Near South Side units as-is for cash and close on your timeline.
- Cash offer within 24 hours
- No repairs, fees or commissions
- We pay normal closing costs
Your Near South Side cash offer
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
Selling a house in Near South Side
The Near South Side is community area 33, just south of the Loop. It runs from Roosevelt Road south to 26th Street, with Lake Michigan on the east and the Chicago River, Clark Street, Federal Street and the Stevenson Expressway along the west. The Loop is to the north, Douglas is to the south, Armour Square is to the southwest, and the Near West Side and Pilsen are across the river. The 2020 Census counted about 28,800 people. Much of the area is also called the South Loop.
The Museum Campus, with the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and Adler Planetarium, sits at the north end of the lakefront, with Soldier Field, Burnham Park and McCormick Place to the south. The Green Line stops at Cermak–McCormick Place, the Red, Orange and Green lines meet at Roosevelt on the north edge, and Metra Electric stops at 18th Street and McCormick Place. Michigan, Indiana and Wabash Avenues carry most of the traffic, and Lake Shore Drive runs along the lake.
This is one of the newest housing areas in the city. CMAP puts the median year built at 2004, with about 57 percent of units built from 1990 to 2009 and another 22 percent since 2010. Over 80 percent of units are in buildings of 20 or more. Factory and warehouse buildings have been turned into loft condos since the mid-1990s, and high-rises such as One Museum Park went up later. Dearborn Park’s townhomes date from the late 1970s on, and Central Station was built on about 72 acres of old rail yards. The Prairie Avenue District, home of Glessner House, and the Motor Row District, with its early auto showrooms on Michigan Avenue, are Chicago Landmark districts.
A current, well-kept unit in a financially healthy building often sells well with an agent, and we’ll tell you so. A cash sale fits better when a 2000s unit needs flooring, appliances and paint, when the association is facing a large repair or special assessment, when a tenant’s lease runs past your move date, or when an estate wants to settle the unit quickly.
What to expect
Reach us by phone or the form and we’ll set up a visit to the unit. Within a day we send a written cash price, with the recent building and area sales and the repair costs we used. Choose any closing date that works, use a local title company, and we pay the normal closing costs.
Near South Side closing checklist
- Paid-assessment letter and resale packet. Illinois condo law gives the association 30 days from a written request to hand over its governing documents, budget and reserve figures, any pending suits and a lien statement showing what assessments are unpaid. We ask for it the day the contract is signed.
- Right of first refusal and leasing rules. A Near South Side declaration might reserve a first-refusal right for the board or set a ceiling on rentals. We read those terms early so they don’t surprise anyone near closing.
- Transfer taxes. Chicago’s own tax is $3.75 per $500, which buyers customarily pay, and a CTA surcharge of $1.50 per $500 is customarily the seller’s. Then come the state stamp at $0.50 and the county stamp at $0.25 per $500. When we buy, every piece of it is on us.
- Full Payment Certificate. The city confirms the property’s water and sewer charges are paid before it issues transfer stamps. The title company orders it.
- Property taxes. Taxes in Cook County run in arrears. The closing statement gives the buyer a credit covering the months of this year that the unit was yours.
The title company double-checks every item above for your building before you sign.
Condo or townhome on the Near South Side: list it or take cash?
| Sell to us | List with an agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs/updates | None needed | Updated finishes usually expected |
| Showings | One showing | Weeks of showings and building access |
| Commission | None | Commonly a percentage of the price |
| Closing costs | We pay them | Seller pays |
| Special assessment | Factored into our price | Buyers may ask for a credit |
| Timing | 2–3 weeks, or later if you prefer | Listing time, then the lender’s schedule |
| Certainty | Cash purchase | Condo financing reviews can delay |
| Price | Below retail, priced for condition | Top price for updated homes |
Most homes here are condo units built in the last 30 years, so finishes and building finances drive value. A move-in-ready unit in a tower with solid reserves will usually do better listed. A dated loft, a rented unit or a unit in a building with a pending assessment is where our offer is worth comparing.
Selling a rented Near South Side condo
Many owners here rent out their units, and a lease doesn’t have to end before you sell. Under Chicago’s landlord and tenant ordinance, the lease and the security deposit transfer to the new owner at closing, along with any interest due.
Listing a rented unit has its own friction. Showings depend on tenant notice, the unit may not show well, and buyers who want to live there may have to wait for the lease to run out. We buy with the tenant in place. Send us the lease, the deposit amount and the association’s leasing rules, and we factor them in. If the building limits rentals, we check how those limits apply before we make a final offer.
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 South Side owners sell
Nearby areas we buy
Near South Side FAQ
Do you buy loft condos in converted warehouse buildings?
Yes. We buy loft units in older converted buildings and newer towers alike, and we price for both the unit’s condition and the building’s finances.
My building has a right of first refusal. Does that stop a cash sale?
Usually not. The board gets a set window to waive or use it, and we build that time into the closing date.
Can I sell my unit with a tenant still living there?
Yes. The lease and deposit pass to us at closing, so your tenant can stay through the end of the term.
Is a zoning certification needed for a condo sale?
No. Condo units and co-ops are exempt. A fee-simple townhome on its own lot, like other residential property of five units or fewer, does need one.
Will you buy a townhome in the Prairie Avenue District?
Yes. Landmark status doesn’t restrict a sale. It means exterior permit work is reviewed by the city’s landmarks staff, which the buyer handles after closing.
How soon after I call can we close?
Commonly 2–3 weeks, depending mostly on how fast the association sends its resale documents. If you need more time, set a later date.