Sell your house fast in South Shore
Vintage condos along South Shore Drive, bungalows south of 75th Street and big early-1900s houses in Jackson Park Highlands are all part of South Shore, and we buy homes here as-is for cash on your timeline.
- Cash offer within 24 hours
- No repairs, fees or commissions
- We pay normal closing costs
Your South Shore cash offer
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
Selling a house in South Shore
South Shore is community area 43, along the lakefront on Chicago’s South Side. It runs from 67th Street south to 79th Street, with Stony Island Avenue on the west and Lake Michigan on the east. Woodlawn and Jackson Park are to the north, Greater Grand Crossing and Avalon Park to the west, and South Chicago to the south. The 2020 census put the population near 54,000. South Shore joined Chicago in 1889, when Hyde Park Township was annexed.
The Metra Electric South Chicago branch runs down the middle of 71st Street, with stops at Stony Island, Bryn Mawr and South Shore, then turns down Exchange Avenue to Windsor Park and Cheltenham. Lake Shore Drive is close by. 71st Street, 75th Street, 79th Street and Jeffery Boulevard are the main shopping streets. Rainbow Beach sits on the lake, and the South Shore Cultural Center, the former South Shore Country Club designed by Marshall and Fox, is now a Chicago Park District building open to the public.
This is mostly an apartment and condo neighborhood. About 30 percent of homes are in buildings of 20 or more units and another 24 percent in buildings of five to nine, per CMAP, and 46 percent were built before 1940. There are also three National Register or landmark areas. Jackson Park Highlands, the 16 blocks between 67th and 71st and Cregier and Jeffery, is a Chicago Landmark district of larger homes on wide lots. The Jeffery–Cyril Historic District protects six apartment buildings from 1927 to 1929. The South Shore Bungalow Historic District, south of 75th Street, has 229 bungalows built from 1911 to 1930.
A renovated condo in a well-run building usually sells fine on the open market. We’re worth a call when an association has a special assessment coming, when a vintage unit needs a full kitchen and bath, when a bungalow’s basement or roof needs work, or when you need to close by a set date.
What to expect
After a quick call, we come see the unit or house. You’ll have a cash offer within 24 hours, along with how we reached it. If you have association paperwork, we look at it with you. You decide when to close, the title company handles the documents, and the normal closing costs are paid on our side.
City and association steps for a South Shore sale
- Transfer tax, all of it. Chicago’s transfer tax normally splits into a $3.75 per $500 buyer share and a $1.50 per $500 CTA share for the seller. Illinois and Cook County add another $0.75 per $500 combined. When you sell to us, we pay the full amount.
- Water account. A Full Payment Certificate from the city is needed before the deed gets its stamps. For a condo, the water bill is often the association’s, so the title company checks how it applies.
- Zoning certification. Houses and buildings of five or fewer units need one when they sell. Condominiums and co-ops are exempt.
- Paid-assessment letter. For a condo, the association provides a letter showing dues and special assessments are current. Anything owed is paid at closing.
- Jackson Park Highlands. Exterior work visible from the street in a Chicago Landmark district is reviewed by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks. The listing itself doesn’t limit a sale.
- Property taxes. Cook County collects in arrears. Your share for this year becomes a buyer credit at closing.
The title company confirms each requirement for your address before the closing.
South Shore sellers: cash offer or open market?
| Sell to us | List with an agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Updates | None needed | Expected for top price |
| Showings | One visit | Showings coordinated with the building |
| Agent commission | Not charged | Commonly a cut of what you sell for |
| Closing costs | We pay them | Seller pays |
| Association approval | We handle the paperwork with the board or manager | Buyer’s lender may question the building’s finances |
| Timing | 2–3 weeks or the date you pick | Weeks to months on market, then 30–45 days |
| Certainty | Cash. No condo loan review. | Financing can stall on condo questionnaires |
| Price | Below retail, priced for condition | Top price for updated homes |
South Shore has more condos and co-ops than most South Side areas, and lenders look hard at a building’s reserves, rentals and lawsuits before they’ll make a loan. If your building passes, listing may net more. If a special assessment is pending or the unit needs work, a cash buyer avoids the lender questions.
Selling a vintage condo or co-op in South Shore
Many South Shore apartment buildings date from the 1920s and later converted to condos or were set up as cooperatives. That means more paperwork than a house sale. You’ll need a paid-assessment letter, and the buyer will usually ask for the declaration, bylaws, budget and recent minutes. A co-op sale can also need board approval of the buyer.
Special assessments are the part that catches sellers off guard. Older masonry buildings often need tuckpointing, roof work or new boilers, and the cost is split among owners. If an assessment has been approved, it may need to be paid at closing or credited to the buyer. We buy South Shore condos with assessments pending, and we’ll walk you through how it affects the number.
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 South Shore owners sell
Nearby areas we buy
South Shore FAQ
Do you buy condos in older South Shore buildings?
Yes. We buy condo and co-op units in vintage courtyard and high-rise buildings, including ones with pending special assessments.
There’s a special assessment on my building. Who pays it?
It depends on the contract and the association’s rules. Often the unpaid balance is settled at closing. We’ll show you exactly how it’s handled in our offer.
My house is in Jackson Park Highlands. Does the landmark status affect selling?
Not the sale itself. Landmark review applies to exterior changes visible from the street, so a buyer planning work will factor that in.
Do condo sales in Chicago need a zoning certification?
No. The city exempts condominiums and co-ops. Houses and buildings of five units or fewer still need one.
Who pays the transfer tax on a South Shore sale to you?
We do. The Chicago, CTA, Cook County and Illinois portions are all on us.
Can we close before my association’s next assessment is due?
Often, yes. Most closings take 2–3 weeks, depending on how fast the management company sends the paid-assessment letter.