Cash home buyers in Illinois

Sell your house fast for cash in Illinois

We buy houses for cash in Chicago, Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Rockford, Springfield, Peoria and across Illinois. Two-flats, bungalows, rentals with tenants and houses with back taxes can all be sold as-is.

  • Cash offer within 24 hours for homes
  • Close in as little as 7 days
  • No repairs, commissions or showings
  • We buy across Illinois, not just in Chicago

Updated October 1, 2026

Get your Illinois cash offer

Step 1 of 2: about the property

Homes get an offer within 24 hours; land and commercial property within 72.

A ballpark is fine. It helps us tell you quickly whether we can get close.

No obligation. Takes about two minutes.

Cash offer
Within 24 hours for homes; 72 hours for land and commercial property
Closing
In as little as 7 days for homes and 10 days for other property, or on your date
Condition
As-is. No repairs, cleaning, staging or showings
Cost to you
No commissions or fees; we cover standard closing costs
Where
Anywhere in Illinois, from Chicago and Aurora to small towns and rural land

Where we buy in Illinois

We buy houses in Chicago, Aurora and Naperville and across Illinois

Whether your property is in Chicago or a small town hours from the nearest metro, the process and the timeline are the same: a written offer first, then a closing date you choose.

  • Chicago, IL
  • Aurora, IL
  • Naperville, IL
  • Joliet, IL
  • Rockford, IL
  • Springfield, IL
  • Peoria, IL
  • Elgin, IL
  • Plus suburbs, small towns and rural property statewide

Local know-how

Selling a house in Illinois: what to know

Illinois has some of the highest property taxes in the country, and Cook County bills can be especially steep, so a vacant or inherited house is expensive to hold. In Chicago, two-flats, three-flats and brick bungalows make up much of the housing; downstate markets like Rockford, Peoria and Springfield are more affordable and slower.

Illinois foreclosures go through the courts and commonly take a year or more. Real estate attorneys are customary at Illinois closings, and Chicago and some suburbs add their own transfer taxes, water certifications or compliance inspections before a sale.

  • Chicago water certificate

    Before a Chicago sale closes, the city issues a full payment certificate confirming the water account is paid. Past-due charges come out of the proceeds.

  • Basement flooding

    Heavy storms back up sewers and flood basements across the Chicago area. Water damage and old sump pumps are priced in.

  • Two-flats with tenants

    We buy two- to four-unit buildings with tenants in place, whatever their lease terms.

  • Property tax bills

    Cook County bills arrive a year in arrears, so the title company prorates taxes at closing. Delinquent taxes are paid from the sale.

How it works

How to sell your Illinois house for cash

Three steps from first contact to closing, wherever the property is in Illinois.

  1. Step 1

    Tell us about the property

    Share the address, the property type and the best way to reach you. It takes about two minutes, and there is no obligation.

  2. Step 2

    Get a written cash offer

    We look at the property and recent sales nearby, then send a fair cash offer: within 24 hours for homes and 72 hours for land and commercial property.

  3. Step 3

    Close when you're ready

    Pick the closing date. We close through a licensed title company or closing attorney in as little as 7 days for homes (10 for other property), and you are paid at closing.

Start with your address

Compare your options

Cash offer vs. listing your Illinois house

Both can be the right choice. Here is how they differ on the things that usually decide it.

Cash offer from Serden Listing with an agent
Time to an offer 24 hours for homes, 72 hours for other property Weeks or months on the market
Closing As little as 7 days, or on the date you choose Usually 30 to 60 days after an offer is accepted
Repairs and cleaning None. We buy as-is Often expected before listing or after the inspection
Showings and open houses None Many, on the buyer's schedule
Agent commissions None Often 5% to 6% of the price, depending on what you negotiate
Closing costs We cover standard closing costs Seller usually pays a share
Financing risk None. We pay cash A buyer's loan can fall through late
Price A fair cash price that reflects repairs and our risk Potentially higher, before commissions, repairs and months of holding costs

Listing can bring a higher price for a house in move-in condition when you have time to wait. A cash sale is built for speed, certainty and property that needs work. Compare the offer with what you would net after commissions, repairs and months of mortgage, taxes and utilities.

Sell with confidence

How to vet any Illinois cash buyer, including us

Most cash buyers are legitimate, but the industry has its share of lowball bait-and-switch offers and companies that never intended to buy. These checks protect you whoever you sell to.

  1. Get the offer in writing It should show the price, any fees or deductions, who pays which closing costs, and the closing date.
  2. Close with a licensed title company or attorney Look them up yourself. They hold the money and record the deed, so neither side handles the funds directly.
  3. Never pay to get an offer A legitimate buyer doesn't charge an application, inspection or "processing" fee up front.
  4. Ask who is actually buying Some companies sign a contract and then sell it to another investor. Ask whether the company on the contract will be the one closing.
  5. Ask for proof of funds A cash buyer should be able to show the money is available before you take the house off the market.
  6. Compare it with listing Weigh the offer against what you would net after commissions, repairs, closing costs and months of carrying the property.

Any condition, any situation

We buy Illinois houses in any condition

From a dated house in Aurora to an inherited property in Naperville that nobody has lived in for years: you don't have to fix it or clear it out first.

  • Inherited or probate property

    Sell a house you inherited without clearing it out, fixing it up or managing it from far away.

  • Behind on payments

    A quick sale can pay off the loan before a foreclosure finishes and protect what equity is left.

  • Divorce or separation

    A clean cash sale with one closing date makes it simpler to divide the proceeds and move on.

  • Relocating

    Moving for work or family? Close before you go, or after, without carrying two housing payments.

  • Tired landlord

    Sell a rental with tenants in place, overdue repairs or a lease that still has months to run.

  • Major repairs

    Fire, water, foundation, roof or mold damage: we price the work in so you don't have to do it.

  • Downsizing or retiring

    Sell the family home on your schedule and leave behind anything you don't want to move.

  • Liens, back taxes or code violations

    Liens and unpaid taxes are paid from the sale at closing, and open violations become our problem.

Questions and answers

Questions about selling a house in Illinois

How fast can I sell my house for cash in Illinois?

Request an offer and we send a written cash offer for a Illinois home within 24 hours (72 hours for land and commercial property). Once you accept and the title is clear, most homes close in as little as 7 days. If you need longer, you choose the date.

Can I sell my Chicago two-flat with tenants?

Yes. We buy occupied two-flats, three-flats and small apartment buildings across Chicago and the suburbs. Leases and security deposits transfer to us at closing, so you don't need to empty a unit first.

What if I owe back property taxes on my Illinois house?

You can still sell. Unpaid taxes are paid from the proceeds at closing. If the taxes were sold at a tax sale, there's a redemption period, and the title company gets the amount needed to redeem from the county clerk before closing.

Can I sell my Illinois house if I'm facing foreclosure?

Usually, yes, until the foreclosure sale. Foreclosures in Illinois generally go through the courts, which usually takes months and gives you time to sell before a sale date is set. Selling for cash can pay off the loan and stop the foreclosure. A HUD-approved housing counselor (free or low cost) or a local real estate attorney can walk you through every option.

Do you buy houses in Chicago, Aurora and Naperville and smaller Illinois towns?

Yes. We buy in Chicago, Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Rockford, Springfield, Peoria and Elgin, and in suburbs, small towns and rural areas across Illinois. Location affects the offer, not whether we make one.

What does it cost to sell my Illinois house to Serden?

Nothing out of pocket. There are no commissions or fees, and we cover the standard closing costs. Any mortgage, liens or unpaid property taxes are paid from the sale at closing, and the rest is yours.

Selling near the state line?

We also buy in states near Illinois

Somewhere else?

All 50 states

Own property in another state? Choose it on the map.

Browse all 50 states by region

Northeast & Mid-Atlantic

Southeast

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Get your Illinois cash offer

Tell us about the property and get a written, no-obligation offer. Illinois homes hear back within 24 hours.

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