Sell your house fast in Back of the Yards
Brick two-flats on the blocks west of Halsted, 1880s and 1890s cottages near the old stockyard gate, three-flats along the Ashland and 47th Street corridors: we buy Back of the Yards property as-is, for cash, on the date you choose.
- Cash offer within 24 hours
- No repairs, fees or commissions
- We pay normal closing costs
Your Back of the Yards cash offer
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
Selling a house in Back of the Yards
Back of the Yards is the largest neighborhood inside New City, community area 61, on Chicago’s Southwest Side. New City runs from Pershing Road south to Garfield Boulevard, and from Western Avenue and the CSX tracks east to the Norfolk Southern tracks. Back of the Yards fills the area west of Halsted, while Canaryville covers the blocks east of it. McKinley Park and Bridgeport are to the north, Brighton Park and Gage Park to the west, and Englewood and West Englewood to the south. The 2020 Census counted about 43,600 people in New City.
The name comes from the Union Stock Yard, which opened in 1865 on the land north and east of here and closed in 1971. Its limestone gate, designed by Burnham & Root in 1879, still stands on Exchange Avenue at Peoria Street and has been a Chicago Landmark since 1972. The old yards are now an industrial district. Ashland Avenue and 47th Street are the main commercial streets, with CTA buses on both. Davis Square Park, opened in 1905 with a field house by D.H. Burnham and Co. and grounds by the Olmsted Brothers, was one of the city’s first neighborhood parks of its kind.
The area was part of the Town of Lake until Chicago annexed it in 1889. That same year developer Samuel E. Gross laid out one of his early subdivisions of workers cottages here. Most of the housing is old. CMAP counts about 59 percent of New City’s homes as built before 1940, and only about 27 percent are detached single-family houses. Two-unit buildings make up about 35 percent and three- and four-unit buildings about 21 percent. Many blocks mix frame cottages, brick two-flats and small courtyard buildings, along with newer infill housing built since 1990.
A rehabbed two-flat with good leases can sell well through an agent, and we will say so if that is your building. A cash sale makes more sense when an older cottage needs a foundation, roof or sewer line, when the boiler or porches are near the end of their life, when tenants make showings hard, or when heirs need to split a building that no one wants to manage.
What to expect
You tell us about the building by phone or through the form, and we set a time to walk through it, units included. Inside 24 hours we send a written cash price and explain the repair and rent numbers behind it. Pick the closing date that suits you, as soon as 2–3 weeks. A local title company closes it, and we cover the normal closing costs.
Chicago paperwork for a Back of the Yards sale
- Transfer stamps. Chicago’s tax is $3.75 per $500 of the sale price, usually a buyer cost, and the CTA adds $1.50 per $500 that usually falls to the seller. Illinois and Cook County stamps add 75 cents more per $500. On a sale to us, those four charges are ours.
- Water account. The city will not issue stamps until it certifies that the water and sewer bills are paid. The title company requests this Full Payment Certificate, and any balance due is cleared at closing.
- Legal unit count. Residential buildings with five or fewer units need a city zoning certification at sale, confirming how many units are legal. Condos and co-ops are exempt.
- Leases and deposits. Chicago’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance covers most rentals here. Owner-occupied buildings of six or fewer units are excluded. Security deposits and any interest owed transfer to the new owner at closing.
- Estates and taxes. Cook County probate cases are heard at the Daley Center downtown. Because Cook County bills taxes a year late, your portion of this year’s bill appears as a credit to us on the closing statement.
Your title company reviews these items against your specific building before closing day.
Back of the Yards building: two ways to sell
| Sell to us | List with an agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs/updates | None needed. We buy it as it stands. | Lenders may flag porches, wiring or boilers |
| Showings | One visit to see the units | Many visits, set around tenants |
| Commission | None | Usually a cut of the sale price |
| Closing costs | We pay them | Seller pays |
| Tenants | Can stay. Leases move to us. | Some buyers want units empty first |
| Timing | As soon as 2–3 weeks | Market time plus a 30–45 day loan close |
| Certainty | Cash. No appraisal, no loan approval. | Financing or appraisal can stall a deal |
| Price | Below retail, priced for condition | Top price for updated buildings |
Most homes in Back of the Yards are more than 80 years old, and two- and three-unit buildings outnumber single-family houses. That means tenants, shared systems and deferred work show up in a lot of sales here. If your building is updated and fully leased, an agent may get you more. If it needs work, a cash sale is usually simpler.
Workers cottages near the old yards
Many of the oldest houses here are workers cottages: narrow one- or one-and-a-half-story frame houses on 25-foot lots, built from the 1880s to about 1910. Over the years a lot of them were raised and given a brick lower floor, had rooms added at the back, or were split into two units.
Those changes can create problems at sale. The foundation under a raised cottage may have settled, the framing may be original, and a second unit may not match what the zoning certification says is legal. A buyer using a loan often runs into an inspector’s list or a lender’s question about the unit count. We buy these cottages as they are. Tell us what was changed and when, if you know, and we price the work in rather than asking you to fix it first.
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 Back of the Yards owners sell
Back of the Yards FAQ
Is Back of the Yards part of New City?
Yes. Back of the Yards and Canaryville together make up New City, Chicago community area 61. The city and Cook County records use New City.
Do you buy two-flats and three-flats in Back of the Yards?
Yes. Multi-unit buildings are a large share of what sells here, and we buy them with or without tenants.
My cottage was raised and has an extra unit below. Can I still sell?
Yes. Tell us how the building is used today and we will price it as it stands, including any unit question.
Do I owe any transfer tax if you buy my building?
No. Every portion, from the city and CTA shares to the Illinois and county stamps, is paid by us.
Can my tenants stay after the sale?
Yes. Their leases continue, and their deposits move to us at closing along with any interest owed.
How soon could a Back of the Yards closing happen?
Usually 2–3 weeks after you accept, once title is clear. If you need more time to move or settle an estate, pick a later date.