The Chicago real estate market is thriving right now, offering plenty of opportunities to sell your home at a great price. As of November 2024, the median sale price of a Chicago home was $370,000, which is 12.1% higher compared to last year. So, if you’re considering selling your home, this might be your sign.
But do keep in mind that higher home prices also mean higher realtor commissions. On average, a traditional agent will cost you 5-6% of your home selling price. Sounds excessive? Don’t worry; you can sell your home yourself as well.
With our guide on “key steps to sell a home in Chicago,” we’ve got you. We’ll guide you on key steps to sell your home yourself in Chicago and what factors you need to consider to make your home selling process a success.
P.S: You can always consider a cash buyer company like Windy City Home Buyer to lend you a hand and buy your house instantly for easy cash. And you don’t even need a broker in this. We’ll buy your house as-is with less hassle on your side. Get your fair cash offer today!
Key Steps to Sell a Home by Owner in Chicago
Here’s a list of all the essential steps you must follow while selling your home in Chicago:
Step #1: Start with Pre-listing Inspection
Before you put your house up for sale, it’s necessary to fix any structural damages it may have, such as chipped paint, hard-to-open windows, or any pest infestations. Therefore, start with pre-listing inspections.
You can either hire a home inspector for this task or, if you have enough time, you can do it on your own, where you’ll inspect your plumbing system, electrical system, and even HVAC system. All of these fixes might seem like a lot, but they can 2x your property’s value once done.
Step #2: Stage Your Home for the Market
Now, once you have your home inspection report, you’re supposed to enhance the curb appeal of your home and make it market-ready. For instance, let’s start with de-cluttering and de-personalizing. Remove most of your personal items so that the buyer has a clean slate for visualization. Then, de-clutter the space as much as possible to uncover your house’s original form.
Also, it’s best to improve the outer look of your home by washing or painting the outside walls, fixing the fence, and mowing your lawn. You can also hire a professional home stager to prep your house before the showings.
Step #3: Set the Right Price for Your Home
In our list of steps to sell a home in Chicago, this is a very crucial one. It’s very important you set the price of your home competitively, as under-pricing can lead to losing a good deal and results in even lower offerings. At the same time, over-pricing may result in a smaller buyer’s pool and can also make your home stay on the market for long.
Therefore, it’s important to analyze factors like recent sales in your area, local market trends, and your house’s other unique attributes, like upgrades, location, condition, design, accessibility, etc, in order for you to set the right price for your property.
Step #4: List Your Home on MLS
Once you’ve prepared your home and set a price, it’s time to list your property on the MLS for maximum exposure. You’ll reach hundreds of buyers by enlisting your property on 100+ real estate websites through MLS. That’s why, according to this report, 89% of home sellers prefer to enlist their property on MLS.
It’s the best way to boost your house’s visibility and attract maximum number of buyers. However, you can also put a yard sign outside your property as an additional marketing tool for your house. In fact, 12% of home sellers, when selling their house by owner, use the “for sale” yard sign to market their property, as this can attract even unrepresented buyers.
Furthermore, you can also list your home for free on for sale by owner websites. But we do not recommend going for this method alone, as this limits your exposure. Always use an additional method, too, while opting for this one.
It doesn’t matter which method you opt for; make sure you’re grabbing buyers’ attention with a captivating property description. Use adjectives like modern, luxurious, well-maintained, etc.
Step #5: Arrange Property Tours
One of the essential steps to selling a home by the owner is to host home showings. You have two options: either go for ‘Open House Tours’ or ‘In-person showings.’ Or you can even use both methods to sell your house faster.
For instance, you can host an open house tour on weekends or evenings. And if a buyer shows interest in visiting your property privately, you can schedule an in-person showing with them. Plus, there’s another very unique step to sell a home in Chicago where you can offer a virtual tour to your potential customers.
So it’s all up to you and your buyers, however you choose to show your property to them. The aim is to make them feel at home while highlighting all the good points about your property. And you will be able to receive a fair market price with the advantage of selling your home faster.
Step #6: Review and Negotiate Offers
Doesn’t matter if you’re selling your home yourself or through a realtor; the key steps to sell a home remain similar. For instance, once you start receiving offers, the next step is to review, compare, and negotiate these offers. The key strategy is not to rush and wait for the best offers to come.
You need to make sure that your buyer has already been pre-approved for the mortgage. And whether the buyer is willing to waive some contingencies. Plus, are you being offered a fair market value for your home?
Step #7: Close the Deal

Now once you’ve accepted an offer, it’s time for the most important step to sell a home in Chicago. You’re going to transfer the ownership and close the deal. But when you’re managing all on your own, you might not know about some transfer costs. For instance, property tax, transfer tax, and closing tax, etc.
And you might need to hire a real estate attorney to manage all this for you. Also, it’s not a huge amount that you need to pay. Usually, you’re only supposed to pay less than 1% in the transfer tax and approximately 1% in your property tax. But if you’ve already paid your property tax, you can always claim a rebate.
And then, finally, your closing costs involve HOA fees, home warranty fees, and the amount you’re supposed to pay your real estate attorney.
Ready to Sell Your Chicago Home?
Above, we’ve briefly described all the essential steps to sell a home in Chicago. And now you’re ready to sell your home yourself. However, if all of this is overwhelming, exhausting, or time-consuming for you, you can always save yourself by selling your house to Windy City Home Buyer.
We’re a cash buyer company that buys your houses in three simple steps. No need to hire a real estate agent, pay for house repairs, organize showings, or enlist your property. Just fill out our form and receive your no-obligation cash offer in less than 24 hours or less.
We’ll buy your house as-is, and you will be able to walk out with cash in less time compared to the median 62 days.