How to Sell a House Without a Realtor in Illinois

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  Written by Jon Stubbs

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  Edited by Lindsay Stefan

Should I sell without a realtor? | Cost of selling FSBO | How to sell without a realtor | FSBO paperwork | Best alternative: discount realtors | FAQs

Selling your home without a realtor means you won’t have to pay a listing commission, which in Illinois averages 2.7% of the sale price. Considering a typical Illinois house is worth about $235,000, that’s a savings of $6,298.

However, trying to sell a home For Sale by Owner (FSBO) can be tough. You’ll be responsible for every step of the selling process, which can take up a lot of your time and energy.

In the end, selling a house without a real estate agent isn’t worth it for most homeowners in Illinois. Many sellers don’t even realize that there are low commission real estate companies that offer professional assistance at reduced prices.

If you’re considering selling a house without a realtor in Illinois, read on to find out everything you need to know to do it successfully.

Should I sell my house without a realtor?

Selling a house for sale by owner in Illinois comes with many pros and cons. While it’s not recommended for everyone, FSBO can help experienced home sellers save on commission—but only if they know what they’re doing. 

✅Selling your home without a realtor might be right for you if…

• You want to save on commission
• You have plenty of time to take on the responsibilities of a real estate agent
• You already have a buyer lined up 
• You’re in a hot seller’s market and you have a desirable home

🚫 Selling without a realtor might not be right for you if…

• You don’t have a lot of free time
• You’ve never sold a home in Illinois
• You want to sell for market value – or higher

If you’re still not sure, check out our thorough guide to selling FSBO to help you decide. If you’re open to other options, some low-commission real estate companies, like Clever Real Estate, allow you to work with a top local real estate agent at half the typical cost.

Cost of selling a house without a realtor in Illinois

Below, you’ll find a list of prices for common services you might want to consider if you decide to sell without a realtor. However, know that if your home is in need of repairs or is in a buyer’s market, you might need to spend a lot more to prep and market your property.

💸 Common costs for FSBO sellers

Appraisal	$315 to $405	To price your home more accurately
Photography	$153	To compete with homes listed by agents
Staging	$760	To stand out to local buyers
Real estate attorney	$100 to $470 per hour	To assist with paperwork, contracts, and legal requirements
Flat fee MLS listing	$300 to $800	To get listed on the MLS
Buyer’s agent commission	2.6% of sale price	To compensate the agent that represents the buyer (it’s customary for the seller to pay)
State transfer tax	$0.50 per $500 of sale price	To pay the state of Illinois for the title transfer
County transfer tax	$0.25 per $500 of sale price	To pay the county for the title transfer (only applies in some counties)

On average, it costs 7.5% of the home price to sell by owner and about 10% of the home price to sell with a real estate agent. However, the amount you’ll actually save will depend on repairs you need to make, concessions, and other expenses.

Use our calculator to get an idea of how much you can expect to spend if you sell without a realtor.

If you’re considering selling without a realtor in Illinois, check out our friends at Clever Real Estate. Clever eliminates all the hassles and headaches of FSBO while helping you pay less than you would for a traditional realtor.

In Illinois, sellers pay an average of 2.7% to a listing agent. Considering the median home value in Illinois is $235,000, that amounts to $6,298. But with Clever, you can sell with a top local agent for just 1.5%, letting you keep more of your home’s equity in your pocket.

7 steps to sell a home in Illinois without a realtor

Selling a home without a realtor involves many of the same steps as selling with one, except you’re on your own. To learn more about the basic steps to sell, read our simple, 12-step guide to selling a house. 

For Illinois FSBO sellers, here’s what you need to know.

1. Get your home ready to sell

First, get your home into the best possible condition. 

Perform small repairs around the house and tackle large, expensive fixes like a new roof or boiler. Those day-one big-ticket repairs can be a deal breaker for many buyers.

A fresh coat of paint is an inexpensive and highly effective way to get your home looking new again. 

Deep clean your entire home. Declutter by getting rid of unneeded junk and remove half your furniture to make your home look roomier. 

Boost your home’s curb appeal by refreshing the landscaping, with a focus on native Illinois plants like the Blue flag iris and the New England aster. 

If you’re not happy with how your furniture looks, consider a professional home staging service. In Illinois, home staging costs an average of $1,529.

Once your home is looking great, take your listing photos. If you don’t want to handle it yourself, a professional photographer in Illinois costs an average of $140.

If your home needs too much work to sell to a typical buyer, you might consider selling to a cash buyer. You can quickly compare cash buyer offers against your home’s value on the open market with Clever Offers. Try it for free with no obligation.

2. Price your home accurately

When it comes to how to sell your house by owner in Illinois, the right list price will get your home sale off to a fast start— but a bad list price can derail it. A price that’s too high will drive off many buyers, while a price that’s too low could leave money on the table.

We suggest one of the following tools to help you narrow in on the right list price for your home.

Get a comparative market analysis (CMA)

A comparative market analysis (CMA) is an analytic tool that compiles data about recent home sales in your area and uses it to suggest a list price for your home.

You can get a CMA from a realtor (who often give them to clients free of charge), a flat fee MLS company, or you can create your own using publicly-available data. (Just make sure you use homes that closely resemble yours and be objective.)

Hire an appraiser 

Licensed professional appraisers conduct a thorough, in-person evaluation of your property, which is why appraisals are trusted by banks, lenders, and investors to accurately value homes. 

While an appraisal accounts for most of the same things as a CMA does, it goes a step further by evaluating the condition of your home and your land’s value in a more detailed manner. Then, the appraiser produces an official report detailing the reasoning behind your home’s estimated value. 

In Illinois, a home appraisal will cost you an average of $300 to $435.

» LEARN: Should I get an appraisal before selling?

3. List and market your home

First, read Illinois’ state laws regarding real estate ads so you don’t accidentally do anything illegal while selling your own home in Illinois.

Next, list your home on free, FSBO-friendly sites like:

• ForSaleByOwner.com
• Zillow’s and Trulia’s FSBO section
• Facebook Marketplace
• Craigslist

A simple FSBO yard sign can also be extremely effective. FSBO sellers in Illinois are allowed to place “for sale” signs in their yards. However, sign ordinances can vary from city to city. For example, many cities have size restrictions and don’t allow for illuminated signs.

Word of mouth also helps, so tell your friends, family members, and coworkers about your listing. Use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor to get the word out. 

If you want maximum exposure, think about working with a Illinois flat fee MLS company.

Illinois flat fee MLS companies

One of the biggest challenges for FSBO sellers is visibility. The multiple listing service (MLS) is the main directory of homes for sale, but only eligible, dues-paying agents and brokers can upload listings there. 

Fortunately, a flat fee MLS company, which is run by an eligible agent or broker, can get your home listed on the local MLS for a small fee. MLS listings are auto-populated onto big real estate sites like Redfin, Zillow, and Realtor.com. If you have no idea how to sell your home without a realtor, this is a great place to start.

In Illinois, using a flat fee MLS service will cost you an average of $80 to $1,000. Our top picks for flat fee MLS companies in Illinois are:

🥇 Mentor Listing Realty: Best for first time sellers
🥈 Beycome Illinois: Most affordable option
🥉 Prello Realty: Best Chicago flat fee service

Read our in-depth guide to Illinois’s flat fee MLS companies to decide which one works best for you.

Required Illinois Seller Disclosures

Illinois disclosure law requires sellers to disclose “all known defects” of their home. You must make these disclosures using a standard disclosure form before signing the sale agreement. The form includes 23 questions that can be checked with “Yes,” “No,” or “N/A.”

The Illinois disclosure form will ask if you are aware of: 

• Leaks or material defects in the roof, ceilings, or chimney.
• Material defects in the walls, windows, doors, or floors.
• Material defects in the electrical system.
• Unsafe conditions in the drinking water.
• Material defects in the heating, air conditioning, or ventilating systems.
• Material defects in the septic, sanitary sewer, or other disposal system.
• Current infestations of termites or other wood-boring insects.

At the end of the document, sellers are asked to write in more detail about the defects they responded to with “Yes.” 

If a seller finds another defect after submitting the disclosure to the buyer, the state requires them to complete a supplemental disclosure form. Illinois sellers who don’t comply with disclosure law could be liable for financial damages or even legal penalties down the line.

Federal law also requires the disclosure of lead-based paint in homes built before 1978, and flood risk disclosure.

Illinois Radon Awareness Act

The Illinois Radon Awareness Act requires sellers to give two pamphlets about radon hazards to buyers.

The first document, “Radon Testing Guidelines for Real Estate Transactions,” is from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The second document is simply the text of the law (420 ILCS 46/1), which explains that the property may be exposed to radon. 

Although state law doesn’t require sellers to test for radon, it’s strongly recommended to put buyers at ease.

4. Manage showings on your own

Hosting and keeping track of showings is a big job. Make things easy on yourself by coming up with a system and sticking to it.

Use a free online calendar tool to track appointments and buyer contact information. If you use a flat fee MLS company, it may provide a showings tool.

Some proven tips on showings:

• Block showings back-to-back for maximum efficiency. This can also build competition among buyers, since they’ll see other interested buyers coming and going.
• Don’t hang around during showings, as you could make buyers feel uncomfortable. If you must be there, give them plenty of space.
• Consider an electronic lockbox for secure, buyer-guided showings.

Provide fact sheets for prospective buyers with listing information, as well as your contact information. Attach your disclosure forms and place them in a highly visible spot like the kitchen counter.

Serious buyers will have questions after showings; be prepared to answer them promptly.

5. Review and negotiate offers

When offers come in, they’ll be in the form of a residential real estate contract, which is also known as a purchase and sale agreement. Read the full text of each offer. If you have any questions, ask the buyer’s agent for clarification.

Keep the following in mind when evaluating offers:

• Note all buyer contingencies, as these could sink the deal later. You can also add your own seller contingencies
• Determine if it’s a cash offer or a financed offer. Many sellers prefer cash offers, since they come with less risk.
• Note if the buyer is asking for repair credits. You can negotiate the amount, or offer to do the repairs yourself.

Use these negotiation strategies to get the best deal possible. When you’re ready to make a counteroffer, you can do so by amending the purchase agreement and sending it back.

You’re not required to hire an attorney to sell a house in Illinois, but it never hurts to have a lawyer look over your paperwork.

6. Allow the buyer to conduct due diligence

The time between acceptance of the offer and closing is known as the due diligence period.

During due diligence, the buyer makes sure the property is in acceptable condition, and their lender finalizes financing. They do this through:

• The home inspection
• The home appraisal
• Mortgage underwriting
• The property title search
• The final walkthrough

Depending on the results of this period, the buyer may want to negotiate further or trigger a contingency to back out of the deal. If you want to back out of the sale, but don’t have a contingency giving you an out, talk to an attorney.

Once the terms of the deal are finalized, both parties proceed to closing.

7. Close

The date of closing is determined in the purchase agreement.

You’ll receive a closing statement around three days prior to closing, so there shouldn’t be any major surprises. The closing statement will list all charges and fees associated with the transaction and indicate who has to pay them.

The day of closing itself is coordinated by the title company, though it can also be handled by a broker or attorney. At closing, you’ll sign all the necessary paperwork, then sign the deed over to the buyer and give them the keys. 

In Illinois, you can expect to receive full payment on the same day as closing.

For sale by owner paperwork in Illinois

Here’s a list of the Illinois paperwork you’ll need to sell your home without a realtor.

• Seller Disclosure Form
• Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
• Flood Risk Disclosure
• Residential Real Estate Contract

Not finding what you’re looking for? Check out our comprehensive list of paperwork for selling your house without a realtor.

Best alternative: work with a discount broker

For many people, trying to sell without an agent isn’t worth the hassle. If you think you’ll need some help along the way, a discount broker is a good alternative.

Discount brokers are full-service real estate agents who are willing to work for a reduced commission rate. Sellers can save thousands while still receiving assistance from an expert local agent.

» READ: The Best Discount Real Estate Brokers in Illinois

For discount broker services, we highly recommend our friends at Clever! Clever pre-negotiates with top agents to offer you low commission rates without compromising on service quality.

Related links

Still have questions about selling your Illinois home? Check out these additional resources to learn more: 

Average Real Estate Commission in Illinois: What’s Fair in 2022?: Even if you choose to sell without an agent, your buyer will probably rely on an agent to help them find a home. Find out how much agents expect to earn on an average transaction here!

Top We Buy Houses Companies in Illinois REVEALED: If you need to sell your house quickly, working with a We Buy Houses company is one possible solution. Learn about the pros and cons of the top companies in Illinois to decide if it’s the best option for you.