Sell your house fast in East Side
Brick bungalows north of 108th Street, two-flats on the older blocks near the Calumet River, postwar houses toward Eggers Grove and the Indiana line: we buy East Side homes as-is, for cash, on the closing date you choose.
- Cash offer within 24 hours
- No repairs, fees or commissions
- We pay normal closing costs
Your East Side cash offer
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
Selling a house in East Side
The East Side is community area 52 on Chicago’s Far South Side, about 13 miles from downtown. The name comes from its spot on the east side of the Calumet River, not the east side of the city. The river bounds it on the north and west, the Indiana state line on the east and 126th Street on the south. South Chicago and South Deering are across the river, Hegewisch is to the south and Hammond, Indiana, is to the east. The 2020 Census counted about 21,700 people.
Steel built the East Side. Docks and rail lines lined the river, and Republic Steel began operating there in 1901. Heavy industry declined sharply from the 1970s on, and the area became an enterprise zone in 1982. The Chicago Skyway was built through the neighborhood in the 1950s. Calumet Park, on Lake Michigan, began taking shape shortly after 1914, and Eggers Grove Forest Preserve, with its trails and picnic grounds, is to the southeast. The Port of Chicago’s offices are at 3600 E. 95th Street. Transit is mostly CTA buses, including routes 26, 30 and 100, with Metra Electric at 93rd Street and the South Shore Line at Hegewisch nearby. U.S. Routes 12, 20 and 41 cross the area.
Most of the East Side north of 108th Street was built by the 1930s, and building moved south in the 1940s and 1950s. The southeast corner has many homes built after 1980. CMAP counts about 43 percent of homes as built before 1940 and about 46 percent from 1940 to 1969. About 64 percent are detached single-family houses, and two-unit buildings make up about 21 percent. Many of the single-family homes are Chicago bungalows.
An updated bungalow or two-flat here can sell fine through an agent. A cash sale is often the simpler way when a home still has its original systems, when a two-flat has a tenant and deferred repairs, when a basement takes water in heavy storms, or when an estate wants one firm closing date.
What to expect
It begins with a phone call or the online form. We visit once, then send you a written cash price within 24 hours that spells out the repairs we accounted for. You choose the closing day. A local title company does the closing, and the usual closing costs are ours to pay.
Chicago requirements for an East Side sale
- Chicago stamps, even on the state line. Homes on the East Side are in the city, so the Chicago transfer tax applies: $3.75 per $500 usually from the buyer and a $1.50 per $500 CTA portion usually from the seller, plus the state’s $0.50 and the county’s $0.25 per $500. Every bit of that is ours when we buy.
- Full Payment Certificate. Before stamps are issued, the city confirms that water and sewer charges are paid. The title company orders it and any balance is paid from the closing.
- Zoning certification. A city zoning certification is required when a non-condo residential building of five or fewer units is sold, which covers bungalows and two-flats.
- Two-flat tenants. If you live in one unit of a two-flat, the landlord-tenant ordinance generally does not apply. If you don’t, it usually does. Either way, leases and deposits transfer to the buyer.
- Property taxes. Cook County bills are a year behind. The buyer receives a credit at closing for the part of the year you owned the home.
Ahead of closing, the title company pins down exactly which of these your property needs.
East Side home: compare your options
| Sell to us | List with an agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Repairs/updates | Sell it as it is | Buyers ask for repairs or credits |
| Showings | One walk-through | Repeated showings |
| Commission | None | Often a few percent of the sale |
| Closing costs | We pay them | Seller pays |
| Tenants | Can stay in place | Must be worked around for showings |
| Timing | 2–3 weeks or later, your choice | Weeks of marketing, then the loan |
| Certainty | Cash, no lender | Depends on buyer financing |
| Price | Below retail, priced for condition | Top price for updated homes |
The East Side is mostly bungalows and two-flats from before 1940 and brick homes from the postwar years, with newer houses in the southeast corner. Updated homes tend to do well on the market. Original-condition bungalows and two-flats with tenants or repairs are where selling to us is usually simpler.
Selling an older East Side bungalow or two-flat
Chicago bungalows were built mostly from 1910 to 1940, and many East Side houses are bungalows, especially on the older blocks. They are typically brick, one and a half stories with a full basement. Two-flats are also common here, often with an owner in one unit and a tenant in the other.
By now, many of these buildings need some of the same things: tuckpointing, a new boiler, updated wiring, a roof, and basement waterproofing. Two-flats add separate utilities, leases and deposits to sort out. A financed buyer’s inspection can turn into a long list of requests. We buy East Side bungalows and two-flats as they are, with tenants or without, and we price the work in up front. You pick the closing date.
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 East Side owners sell
Nearby areas we buy
East Side FAQ
Do you buy bungalows on the East Side?
Yes. Bungalows are one of the most common houses here, and we buy them in any condition.
I live in one unit of my two-flat. Can I sell to you and move later?
Yes. We set the closing date around your move, and the tenant’s lease continues.
Is the East Side under Chicago rules even though it borders Indiana?
Yes. It is inside the city limits, so the Chicago transfer tax and city certificates are part of the sale.
Do I pay any transfer tax when selling my East Side home to you?
No. All of it is ours to pay: Chicago, CTA, Illinois and Cook County.
My basement takes water in heavy storms. Will you still buy?
Yes. We see the basement during the walk-through and include any water issues in the price.
How soon can we close?
As soon as 2–3 weeks after you accept, or any later date you prefer.