| Note: When you work with one of our partners, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about our editorial policy and how we make money. |
With real estate prices steadily rising in recent years, many Illinois homeowners are considering selling their homes and cashing in — but selling a home isn't free.
In fact, you could end up spending about 12.19% of your home's sale price once the home prep, agent fees, and closing costs are all accounted for.
Many of the costs associated with selling your Illinois home are unavoidable, but Semya-Moya can help you minimize the largest expense when selling your home — realtor commissions.
With Clever, you'll work with a full-service agent from a top broker, but pay only 1.5% to list your home.
Want to find a top local agent without overpaying on realtor fees? Clever negotiates 1.5% listing fees with top-rated realtors from trusted brokerages like Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Berkshire Hathaway.
Get guaranteed full service for a fraction of the 3% rate agents typically charge. Schedule a free, no obligation consultation with a top local agent today!
Average cost to sell a house in Illinois
How much does it cost to sell a house in Illinois? Well, it depends! Many expenses vary depending on the condition and size of the house, the state of the market, and how far you need to move.
That said, you should expect to spend approximately 12.19% or more of your home’s final sale price on selling costs. If you sell your home for the state median value of $252,134, you'll likely spend about $30,724. That said, the cost of selling a house in Chicago may be higher than the cost of selling a house in a more rural area.
To know for sure what your specific home might cost to sell, check out our home sale calculator below.
Common expenses for home sellers in Illinois
See our chart below for some of the more common expenses home sellers in Illinois can expect to pay.
There can be quite a bit of variation in these expenses, so talk to your realtor to see which ones are necessary and how much you can expect to pay.
While some expenses are non-negotiable, the single biggest expense — realtor commission — is. You can minimize the amount you spend on realtor commissions either by selling for sale by owner (FSBO) or hiring a discount real estate broker.
Your best option is to work with a company like Clever that negotiates lower commissions with full service, local agents on your behalf. That way you can save money while getting the same level of service as someone who pays full price!
How much will I make selling my Illinois house?
The amount of money you make selling your house depends on a lot of factors — closing costs, repairs, mortgage balance, and, of course, sale price.
If you're fortunate enough to not have a mortgage, you'll get the entire sale price minus the cost of selling your home. On average, selling costs are 12.19% of the total cost. So, you could take home $221,410 if you sell your home for the state median home value of $252,134.
But if you're like most homeowners, you probably owe some money on your home. In fact, the average Illinois homeowner still owes $177,055! If you're in this category, your remaining mortgage balance will come out of your proceeds and diminish the total amount you walk away with.
» MORE: See what other factors affect your home sale profit
Cost of selling a house calculator
Use this home sale calculator to get a better idea of how much you'll have to spend to sell your home — and how much you'll take home after!
Home selling costs in Illinois: An in-depth breakdown
Preparing your home for sale
Most homes benefit from some kind of prep when they are listed for sale, unless you're selling it "as is" or to an iBuyer.
iBuyers purchase homes in their current condition with no required improvements, saving you time and money. The downside is they tend to offer below market value in exchange for convenience.
If you're interested in how much an iBuyer would offer for your house, fill out the form below to compare offers from top cash buyers.
Compare cash offers from Opendoor, Offerpad, and others to the sale price you'd get with an agent.
If you decide to go the traditional route selling your house, you'll need to determine where your money and efforts are best spent in prepping your house. In hot markets, you may be able to get away with just deep cleaning and removing any clutter.
If the market is more in the buyer's favor, you might need to do more substantial prep like replacing outdated appliances or painting the whole house.
» MORE: Specific costs of prepping your home
Your agent is a great asset when deciding on a strategy for how to most effectively prep your home for sale.
🌟 Ask an expert
I do offer two options to my clients: "As-Is" sale in which we sell in the current condition or "As-Repaired" where we make some improvements to the home. The improvements I look at most are flooring, paint, and any major component (i.e., roof, HVAC).
If the major components are old, we usually adjust the pricing. However, if the owner can replace them, we normally are priced near the top of the market.
— Brent Wilk, Wilk Real Estate, Naperville, IL
Realtor fees in Illinois
With the exception of paying off a mortgage, realtor commissions tend to be the largest expenses a seller encounters when selling their home.
In a standard real estate transaction — one involving two traditional, full-price agents — you'll likely be on the hook for covering the full commission fee for both agents.
» LEARN: How realtor commission is split in a home sale
On average, paying full commission to sell your house in Illinois costs about $13,212 — that could be more than half of your total home selling expenses!
But you don't have to pay that much. Clever negotiates discounts with top listing agents that can save you thousands of dollars when you sell your home!
Get matched with the best local agents from top brokerages and get pre-negotiated listing fees of just 1.5%.
Clever's service is 100% free, with zero obligation. Interview as many agents as you like until you find the perfect fit — or walk away at any time.
Closing costs
Closing costs are a blanket term for the various fees and expenses both buyers and sellers pay at the close of a real estate transaction. Closing costs don't include realtor commissions.
Some closing costs are negotiable, so you could ask the buyer to pay these expenses to save money — but they could ask the same of you. It really depends on who has more leverage.
In hot markets, it's not uncommon for sellers to list "as is" and have the buyer cover at least some of the closing costs. But when there is less demand for your house, you might need to consider offering incentives or making concessions to appeal to more buyers. Some examples of this would be covering more of the closing costs, offering a home warranty, or agreeing to fix certain aspects of the home before closing.
» MORE: How much are seller closing costs in Illinois?
Moving expenses
When you sell your primary residence — that is, the home you live in — you'll have to move your possessions before closing. This can be a hassle, and it can also get quite expensive, depending on how far you're moving, if you're hiring movers, and if you need storage.
In Illinois, the average moving costs are $428 locally and $3,731 for 1,000 miles or more — which accounts for packing supplies, movers, and carrying costs.
» MORE: See how much the average seller spends on moving expenses
How to avoid losing money on your Illinois home sale
Whether you're selling a condo in downtown Chicago, a single-family home in Rockford, or a duplex in Champaign, there are strategies that you can implement to maximize your profits and avoid wasting money.
1. List with a low commission real estate agent
Since commissions are the largest portion of selling expenses, those are a great place to save money when selling your home.
Clever matches you with local full-service agents from well-known brokerages like RE/MAX, Keller Williams, and Century 21. But, instead of paying the typical 2.68% listing fee, you'll only pay 1.5%!
With Clever, you can compare multiple Illinois agents to find the one that best fits your needs. Even better, finding an agent through Clever won't cost you a dime, and there's no obligation to move forward until you find the perfect agent.
Work with a full service agent for only 1.5%!
Clever negotiates discounted listing fees with top agents to help you save money when selling your home!
2. Time your sale to get top dollar for your Illinois home
The best time to sell a house in Illinois is June. Homes that sell in June tend to sell about 16 days faster than the annual average listing time, and they go for about $21,000 more.
» MORE: When is the best time to sell a house in Illinois?
That said, you can be successful selling your home any time of the year if you approach your sale correctly.
We recommend working with a top local agent who knows the area and trends in the market. They can help you implement a strategy that attracts the highest offers in the shortest amount of time.
3. Negotiate like a pro
Good negotiators understand who has the leverage and how to maximize it while still keeping the buyer interested. You want to get the best price possible, but sometimes this requires a little creativity.
If you're in a hot seller's market, it could be very easy to get a good price for your listing. But when there isn't a ton of demand for your house, that's where good negotiation becomes important. You may need to sweeten the deal with a home warranty or a flexible closing date to get the deal finalized.
» MORE: Negotiate so both the seller and buyer get something they want
Working with a top quality agent is very important in these situations, as they are professionals who know exactly who the market favors and what you can do to get the best deal possible.
🌟Ask an expert
I would recommend leaving negotiating to the professionals. There's no disrespect to a home seller but we as brokers have this as a daily priority with our business. Most home sellers may sell a property every 1-2 decades.
— Brent Wilk, Wilk Real Estate, Naperville, IL
If you need to make some repairs, we recommend letting HomeAdvisor connect you with top local professionals so you can compare quotes and get the best possible price.
4. Save on repairs and upgrades
You can also save some money by purchasing items in bulk or on discount. For example, companies like Whirlpool may give you 10% off when you buy two or more full-priced appliances.
You can also cut down on labor costs by using services like TaskRabbit. Whether it be cleaning, landscaping, installing appliances, or moving, TaskRabbit can connect you with people in your area who will help for less than a full-time professional would charge.
FAQs about costs to sell in Illinois
How much are closing costs for sellers in Illinois?
Closing costs in Illinois are usually about 3.05% of the sale price, or $7,678, on average. That said, this doesn't include realtor commissions, which make up the largest portion of your expenses and run about 5.24% of your sale price.
How much does it cost to sell a house in Illinois?
The average home seller in Illinois spends about $30,724, or 12.19% of the sale price. This can vary widely depending on the state of the market and condition of your home, but working with an agent who offers a discounted rate will be a great help in keeping this cost down.
How much money will I make when I sell my house?
In 2021, the average Illinois home seller made about $221,410 on their home sale before paying off their existing mortgage, if they had one. For a more specific idea of what you can expect to walk away with, check out our home sale proceeds calculator.
