Sell your house fast in Clearing
Postwar brick houses between Midway Airport and Harlem Avenue, 1943 duplexes and townhouses in Chrysler Village, small apartment buildings of five to nine units: we buy Clearing property for cash and you choose the closing day.
- Cash offer within 24 hours
- No repairs, fees or commissions
- We pay normal closing costs
Your Clearing cash offer
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
Selling a house in Clearing
Clearing is community area 64 on the far Southwest Side. It runs from 59th Street south to 65th Street, between Harlem Avenue on the west and the rail tracks just east of Cicero Avenue. Garfield Ridge is to the north, West Lawn to the east, and the village of Bedford Park to the south and west. The southern part of Midway Airport lies inside Clearing. The 2020 Census counted about 24,500 people.
The name goes back to rail freight. In 1888, A.B. Stickney of the Chicago Great Western Railroad laid out a one-mile circle here meant to clear freight traffic around the city, but the plan failed. The Clearing Industrial District started in 1909, Clearing incorporated as a village in 1912, and Chicago annexed it in 1915, with more pieces added in 1917 and 1923. The city’s municipal airport was dedicated in 1927 on land straddling Clearing and Garfield Ridge, and it was renamed Midway in 1949. Hale Park at 61st and Melvina has a pool and field house, and Lawler Park sits in the middle of Chrysler Village.
Clearing grew fast after World War II, going from about 6,100 people in 1940 to almost 25,000 by 1970. The housing reflects that. CMAP’s figures show about 64 percent of homes went up between 1940 and 1969, and fewer than 10 percent before 1940. About 57 percent are detached single-family houses and 8 percent are attached, while buildings of five to nine units make up about 18 percent. Chrysler Village, between 63rd and 65th Streets and Long and Lavergne Avenues, was built in 1943 as brick single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses for workers at a wartime defense plant.
A well-maintained brick house near Midway can sell quickly through an agent. A direct cash sale tends to work better when a home still has its 1950s systems, when a small apartment building has vacancies or repairs, when an attached home shares a wall with a neighbor’s problem, or when the house is part of an estate.
What to expect
Tell us a little about the property and we will set up a single visit. You get a written cash offer within 24 hours that shows what we saw and how we priced it. The closing date is up to you. We close through a local title company and pay the normal closing costs.
City requirements for a Clearing sale
- Transfer tax. Chicago’s portion is $3.75 per $500 and is usually a buyer cost. The CTA portion, $1.50 per $500, is usually a seller cost. Illinois adds $0.50 per $500 and Cook County $0.25. We pay the whole amount when we buy your house.
- Full Payment Certificate. The city must show the water and sewer account is paid before stamps are issued. For a multi-unit building, a final reading may be needed.
- Zoning certification. Required for selling a residential building of five or fewer units. A five- to nine-unit building may be just over the line, so the title company checks the unit count.
- Tenants. In rental buildings covered by Chicago’s landlord-tenant ordinance, security deposits and interest move to the buyer at closing.
- Year-behind tax bills. Your share of this year’s Cook County taxes, not yet billed, becomes a credit to the buyer at closing.
The title company reviews which of these apply to your Clearing property before closing.
Clearing property: cash sale vs. a listing
| Sell to us | List with an agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs/updates | None. As-is is fine. | Buyers expect updates or credits |
| Showings | One walk-through | Repeated visits |
| Commission | None | A commission off the top |
| Closing costs | We pay them | Seller pays |
| Shared walls | We buy duplexes and townhouses as they are | Inspection may reach both sides |
| Timing | 2–3 weeks, or the date you want | Usually a few months |
| Certainty | Cash purchase | Subject to buyer’s loan |
| Price | Below retail, priced for condition | Top price for updated homes |
Clearing is mostly postwar brick, with Chrysler Village’s 1943 duplexes and townhouses and a band of small apartment buildings mixed in. Updated single-family houses here usually sell well with an agent. Attached homes with shared repairs and apartment buildings with older systems are where selling to us is often the easier route.
Selling a home in Chrysler Village
Chrysler Village is a small, planned section of Clearing built in 1943 for workers at a nearby defense plant. Its brick single-family homes, duplexes and townhouses sit on a tight grid around Lawler Park, between 63rd and 65th Streets.
Homes here are more than 80 years old and many have been updated in pieces. Duplexes and townhouses share walls, roofs and sometimes sewer lines, so one owner’s repair can involve the neighbor. A buyer with a loan may need both sides of a problem resolved before closing. We buy these homes as they stand, including original systems and shared-wall issues. We look at what is there, price it in, and close on the date you pick.
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 Clearing owners sell
Nearby areas we buy
Clearing FAQ
Do you buy duplexes and townhouses in Chrysler Village?
Yes. We buy single-family, duplex and townhouse homes there in any condition.
Do you buy small apartment buildings in Clearing?
Yes. Buildings of five to nine units are common here, and we buy them with tenants in place.
Does living near Midway Airport change your offer?
We price each house on its condition and recent sales nearby. Airport proximity is one factor, not a deal breaker.
My Clearing house has the original 1950s boiler. Should I replace it first?
No. We include it in the price, so you do not spend money before selling.
Who pays the city and CTA transfer tax on a sale to you?
We pay both, plus the Illinois and Cook County amounts.
How quickly can you close in Clearing?
Often in 2–3 weeks once title is clear, or later if you need time.