Blog Posts

Who Is in Charge of Paying for the Appraisal and Inspection Illinois

Who Pays For Home Appraisals And Inspections In Illinois

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Sellers I talk to across Illinois assume appraisals and inspections are the same thing, paid for by whoever ordered them. That mix-up gets expensive, because who pays for home appraisals and inspections in Illinois gets settled long before anyone signs. Confuse the two at the wrong moment in a transaction, and you end up renegotiating … Continued
Guide to Selling a Property in a Trust After Death Chicago

How To Sell A House Held In Trust After Death In Illinois

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Most families don’t think about the deed until someone dies. Then there’s a house, a stack of documents nobody fully understands, and three siblings around a kitchen table in Evanston asking the same thing. Who’s actually in charge here, and can we sell this? If the home was put in a trust, you’re ahead of … Continued
Selling a House As-Is Without an Inspection Illinois

Can You Sell A House As-is Without An Inspection In Illinois

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Most Illinois sellers I talk to have already done the math in their heads before they pick up the phone. They know the roof needs work. They know the basement leaks when it rains hard enough. They know an agent would tell them to spend forty thousand dollars before listing. And they’re wondering if they … Continued
Who Pays HOA Fees At Closing Chicago

Who Pays HOA Fees At Closing In Illinois Real Estate Transactions

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Ask who pays HOA fees at closing in Illinois and you will get a different answer from every agent, attorney, and neighbor. Sellers leave money on the table, or get blindsided at the closing table, every single day because nobody sat them down ahead of time and walked through exactly what an HOA owes, what … Continued
Essential Paperwork for Selling an Inherited Home in Chicago

Documents Required for Selling Inherited Property

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Selling an inherited property isn’t quite the same as selling a home you bought yourself. On top of the usual sale steps, you also have an estate to settle. That means gathering the documents required for selling inherited property, the paperwork that proves you have the right to sell. Missing even one of them can … Continued
Selling a House That Has Water in the Crawl Space in Illinois

Selling a House With Water in the Crawl Space in Illinois

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Selling a house with water in the crawl space in Illinois is just one more item to handle before you list your home. It doesn’t mean your plans are ruined, and it doesn’t mean you have to delay the sale until every drop is gone. Moisture under a house is common in Illinois, usually tied … Continued
How long should you stay in your house before selling in Chicago

How Long Should You Live in a House Before Selling

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A home is a long hold for most people, so the exit date rarely gets much thought at the closing table. Then life moves. A new job, a baby on the way, a divorce, a bill nobody saw coming, and suddenly you’re pricing out a sale you never planned. Before you put the property on … Continued
Understanding What a Property Title Represents

Difference Between Title and Deed

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Plenty of homeowners have sat across a kitchen table from me, holding a stack of closing documents, and asked which one actually proves they own the house. I’d point to the deed, call it done, and move on. Over the years, I’ve learned that framing costs people real money and real peace of mind, because … Continued
Selling A House That Needs Repairs Chicago

Selling A House That Needs Repairs In Illinois Without The Stress

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Most homeowners who call me aren’t panicking about their property’s condition. They’re panicking about time, money, and not knowing what comes next. A leaking roof in Rockford, a dated kitchen in a Joliet ranch house, a foundation crack in a South Side bungalow: none of those things automatically mean you’re stuck. What gets people stuck … Continued
Is a deed necessary to sell a house In Illinois

Do You Need a Deed to Sell a House in Illinois

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When you sell your home for cash in Illinois, you need a deed. A deed is a legal document that transfers ownership of the house from the present owner to the buyer. But you don’t have to hold the actual paper deed to have it in your hands. But often homeowners lose track of their … Continued
Selling a Home with Solar Power Illinois

Selling a House With Solar Panels in Illinois

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Illinois has emerged as one of the top domestic solar markets, ranking third in the country for residential solar installations in late 2024, so having solar panels on a property in Illinois could be a plus when it comes time to sell. More solar installations, driven in part by demand ahead of the state’s net … Continued