A Chicago house too full to sell? Leave it as is.
Take the things that matter to you and leave everything else. We buy cluttered and hoarder houses in Chicago and the suburbs as-is, handle the cleanout ourselves, and pay the normal closing costs.
Get an offer without cleaning
No obligation. We never sell your info. Prefer to talk? Call or text (773) 825-9855.
Selling a heavily cluttered house in Chicago
Many of the cluttered houses we see were inherited. Someone lived there for decades, and now the family is facing rooms, a basement and a garage filled to the ceiling. Other owners are simply ready to move and can’t face sorting through it all. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s a common situation, and it has practical solutions.
Start by getting a clear picture of what you’re dealing with.
- Look for safety issues first.
Heavy piles can block exits and hide damage. Before anyone starts hauling, check for blocked doors and stairs, sagging floors, roof leaks, signs of mice, rats or insects, and mold from water nobody noticed. If a floor feels soft or a ceiling is stained, keep weight off it and have a contractor look.
- Find what has to be kept.
Set papers aside before anything is thrown out: wills, deeds, insurance policies, tax bills, bank statements, vehicle titles, photos and keepsakes. In an estate, the executor or administrator usually needs these, and cash or valuables sometimes turn up in boxes.
- Confirm who can sign.
If the owner has died, someone needs legal authority to sell, often through probate or as trustee of a trust. In Cook County, probate cases are heard by the Probate Division of the Circuit Court at the Daley Center. Our probate page explains the steps.
- Choose how to clear it.
You can do it yourself, hire a cleanout or junk removal company, hold an estate sale for items with resale value, or sell the house with the contents still inside.
A full cleanout is real work. A large, full house can take more than one dumpster and several days of labor. In Chicago, a dumpster on the street or in the alley needs a permit from the Department of Transportation, which the dumpster company normally gets. Significant mold or pest problems may call for a specialist before or during the cleanout. The EPA suggests calling a professional for mold covering more than about 10 square feet. Then there are the repairs a full house can hide, from old plumbing leaks to worn floors, which usually only show up once the rooms are empty.
Ways out, compared
This costs the least in cash and lets the family go through everything personally. It can take many weekends, and you still pay for dumpsters and haul-away.
A professional crew can empty a house in days. Pricing usually depends on volume and conditions, so get two or three written quotes and ask how they handle papers and valuables they find.
An estate sale company sells items with value, often for a share of the proceeds. After the cleanout and some repairs, an agent can list the house and aim for top price.
Take what you want and leave the rest. We buy the house as-is, handle the cleanout, pay the normal closing costs and all transfer taxes, and close when you’re ready.
Take what matters. Leave the rest to us.
We’ve bought houses in every condition over 20+ years, so a full house doesn’t change how we treat you. Here’s how it works:
- We walk through with you, or with a key if you’d rather not go inside. We look at the structure, roof, mechanicals and any water or pest issues, not at anyone’s belongings.
- You take your time removing what you want. Photos, papers, jewelry, furniture, anything that matters to your family. Tell us if you need more time before closing.
- You leave the rest. The cleanout is our job after closing, and its cost is already built into our offer, so there’s no separate bill.
- We keep it private. No yard signs, no open houses and no strangers walking through.
If family members live out of state, much of the process can be handled by phone and email. Ask the title company if your documents can be signed remotely.
Closing on a house sold with its contents
The house and whatever is left inside transfer together at a local title company. Before closing, the title company searches for liens and orders payoff letters. At closing:
- Any mortgage, reverse mortgage or home equity loan is paid from the sale price.
- Property taxes are prorated. Illinois taxes are billed a year behind, so the buyer gets a credit for the current year through the closing date.
- Unpaid water bills and recorded city liens are paid from the proceeds so the title is clear.
- In an estate, the executor or administrator signs with the authority the court gave them.
- We pay the normal closing costs and all state, county and city transfer taxes.
The contract states that personal property left in the house is included in the sale, so it’s clear the contents are ours to remove. You see the settlement statement before you sign.
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.
Questions sellers ask
Do I have to clean out the house before you buy it?
No. Take what you want and leave the rest, including trash, furniture and everything in the basement or garage. Clearing it out is our job after closing.
Will you judge the condition of the house?
No. We see full and cluttered houses regularly, and our walk-through is about the building, not the belongings. If you’d rather not be there, you can leave us a key.
How long does a cleanout usually take?
It depends on the size of the house and how full it is. A professional crew may need a few days, while a family working on weekends can take weeks or months.
What if there are mice, bugs or mold?
We still buy the house. Pest and mold problems are common in houses that have been full for a long time, and we factor them into the offer instead of asking you to fix them first.
My parent owned the house and has passed away. Can I sell it?
Usually yes, once someone has authority to sell, such as an executor or administrator appointed by the probate court, or a trustee if the house was in a trust. In Cook County, probate is handled at the Daley Center.
What if we find valuables after we sign the contract?
You can keep going through the house until closing. Tell us if you need more time to look, and we can set a closing date that gives it to you.
Is an estate sale worth doing before selling?
It can be if there are antiques, collectibles or quality furniture. An estate sale company can usually tell you after a walk-through if the contents justify a sale.
Do I need a dumpster permit in Chicago?
For a dumpster on the street or in the alley, the city requires a permit, and the dumpster company normally gets it. When you sell to us, you don’t need a dumpster at all.