What Is the Cost of Selling a House in Illinois?

Published on May 23rd, 2025
11 min read

Cheyenne Wiseman Associate Editor
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Cheyenne Wiseman Associate Editor

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Cheyenne Wiseman is an Associate Editor at HomeLight.com. Previously, she worked as a writer for Static Media (Mashed.com and Chowhound.com) and as an editor for CBR.com. Cheyenne holds a bachelor’s degree in English from UC Davis, where she also founded and led a literary magazine called Open Ceilings. She has four years of experience writing and editing on topics including real estate, financial advising, and pharmaceuticals.

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If you’re like many Illinoisans, your home is probably your most significant financial asset. Selling it is not a decision to take lightly. Whether you’re planning to move to another state, transitioning to the suburbs, or downsizing, you want the selling process to be as seamless as possible while maximizing your proceeds.

As you formulate your strategy, make sure you understand the potential costs associated with selling. This article outlines the expenses you may encounter and provides expert insights to give you a clearer picture of the cost of selling a house in Illinois.

Housing trends in Illinois

Similar to trends across the nation, the Illinois housing market is facing high interest rates and increased home prices.

“It’s so competitive, but in desirable suburbs, we’re still seeing low inventory, which keeps the prices really strong, and if sellers are preparing and pricing strategically, we’re still seeing multiple offers in the first couple of days,” says Lana Erickson, an Illinois-based Elite Agent with 23 years of real estate experience.

Here’s a breakdown of the current real estate landscape in Illinois:

	As of April 2025
Days on market	30 days
Median home sale price	$310,000
Percentage of homes sold for cash	0.1%
Population growth year over year	+0.53%

Sources: Illinois Realtors and World Population Review

Sellers in Illinois should pay attention to the days on market (DOM), which indicates the average time from listing a home to securing a signed purchase agreement. In Illinois, the average DOM is 30 days.

Start with a home value estimate

Getting a home value estimate is a smart first step to determining the cost of selling a house in Illinois. Given how quickly market values can change, checking your home’s worth is a good idea. You might be pleasantly surprised by its current value.

To get a fast online value estimate, try HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator. This free automated valuation model (AVM) tool uses recent sales data, local market trends, and your home’s latest selling price to provide a preliminary value range in under two minutes. To begin, just enter your address.

How much does it cost to sell a house in Illinois?

Based on our findings, the cost to sell a home in Illinois typically ranges from 6% to 10% of your selling price.

For instance, if you sell your home for $310,000 — the median home price in Illinois — your selling costs could be approximately $18,600 to $31,000.

The exact amount you’ll pay depends on your choices regarding home preparations, agent commissions, and any concessions you may offer to the buyer. Let’s look a little closer at what you should consider when estimating the cost of selling a house in Illinois.

What are common expenses for sellers in Illinois?

Erickson notes that the costs associated with selling a house can vary significantly based on Illinois’ fluctuating market.

Several factors can affect these expenses, including your home’s size, age, and condition. Below are estimated costs to guide you as you plan your sale.

Prepping your house for sale

Prepping your Illinois home for sale generally costs between 1.5% and 2.7% of its final sale price. Based on the $310,000 median home price in the state, this could amount to around $4,650 to $8,370.

Here are some potential expenses:

Pre-sale repairs: $4,500-$5,400, depending on the year your home was built and its maintenance history
Staging the home: $1,500-$4,000 (recommended by agents for higher returns)
Professional cleaning services: $118-$237, based on the home’s size
Interior painting: $966-$3,087
Landscaping: $1,249-$6,280
Pre-listing inspection: $200-$500 (if desired)

Consult your agent before undertaking any major projects, such as a kitchen remodel or roof replacement. An experienced Illinois real estate agent can advise you on what repairs are necessary and what not to fix when selling your home.

Realtor fees in Illinois

Realtor commissions are among the largest expenses in a real estate transaction. In Illinois, these fees can range from 2.5% to 6%, depending on whether you pay the buyer’s agent commissions, which is no longer a given due to a landmark court ruling that changed commission rules nationwide.

Based on the median home price of $310,000 in Illinois, you can expect to pay between $7,750 (2.5%) and $18,600 (6%) in Realtor commissions.

While agent commissions may seem high, working with a skilled professional can help you maximize your proceeds. HomeLight transaction data indicates that the top 5% of agents nationwide sell homes for as much as 10% more than the average agent.

Later in this post, we’ll look at how commissions affect your total selling costs in our at-a-glance analysis chart.

Try HomeLight’s Agent Commissions Calculator to estimate your potential Realtor fees in your city. Also, HomeLight’s free Agent Match platform can pair you with a top real estate agent in your Illinois market.

Seller concessions

Seller concessions can increase the overall cost of selling a house in Illinois. Beyond the direct costs of preparing your home and Realtor fees, you may also run into indirect costs. These indirect costs can include seller concessions and buyer incentives.

A concession happens when a seller agrees to use part of their sale proceeds to cover some or all of a buyer’s closing costs. The amount of these costs will vary based on market conditions and selling circumstances.

“A lot of buyers are asking sellers to cover their closing costs. That would be the most common concession,” Erickson says.

While sellers are not required to offer concessions, doing so can attract more buyers, make your home stand out, and help close the deal. Here are some examples of seller concessions that could increase your selling costs in Illinois:

Home inspection fees: $296-$424, depending on square footage
Buyer’s home warranty: $350-$900 (more comprehensive plans can cost $1,200-$1,400)
Repair credits: Seller credits vary and can lower your net proceeds

Closing costs and additional fees

Your closing costs and additional fees (excluding agent commissions) will likely range from 2% to 4% of your home’s selling price. Using Illinois’ median home price of $310,000, this would amount to between $6,200 and $12,400.

So, what closing costs do sellers incur in Illinois? Here’s what you might see on your final settlement statement:

Escrow fee
Title insurance premiums
Title search fees
Tax liens or other judgments
Homeowner’s association dues
Reconveyance fee and recording fees
Prorated property taxes
Mortgage loan payoff amount (U.S. average: approximately $250,000)
Real estate transfer tax

Illinois’ transfer tax: While not all states impose a real estate transfer tax, Illinois does. The state transfer tax rate is $0.50 per $500 of the property’s sale price. Counties can also charge a transfer tax of $0.25 per $500, and some cities may impose an additional transfer tax on top of these amounts.

The seller is typically responsible for paying transfer taxes, but this can vary by location. For example, in Chicago, both the buyer and seller must pay a transfer tax, and in some communities, the buyer may be responsible for all or part of the tax.

“It’s funny because we have transfer taxes here, and then other municipalities have their own transfer taxes. So that tends to be a surprise. So we have the state transfer tax, and then the municipalities have additional taxes, and they can be significant,” says Erickson.

At-a-glance home selling cost example for Illinois

This at-a-glance analysis is based on the median home price of $310,000 in Illinois. To simplify things, this table does not include a mortgage payoff amount. These figures may be a helpful planning tool as you prepare to sell your home.

Selling expense	Example costs*	% of home sale price
Prepping your home for sale	$6,200	2%
Realtor fees (commissions)	$9,300	3% (listing agent only)
Concessions, closing costs, taxes, fees	$9,300	3%
Transfer tax	$465	0.15% (combined state and county transfer tax rate, not including any additional city taxes)
Total selling cost example	$25,265	8.15%

*General estimates based on Illinois’ median home price of $310,000

If you choose to cover the buyer’s agent fee, add an estimated 2.5% or $7,750.

How much profit will you make? To gain a better understanding of your potential earnings after expenses, try HomeLight’s Net Proceeds Calculator. This free tool considers all the selling costs covered in this post, including your mortgage payoff amount.

Relocation expenses

One expense that may not be top of mind is the cost of relocating. Moving expenses vary based on your destination and whether you hire movers to pack and haul your belongings. Here’s a general idea of moving costs to expect:

Typical cost to move: $883-$2,567
Typical cost to move out of Illinois: $3,000-$9,500

How can I reduce my seller costs in Illinois?

You can lower the cost of selling a house in Illinois in several ways. For example, Erickson recommends decluttering and deep cleaning your house. “A clean house, even if it’s not updated, goes a long way,” she says. “It’s worth the investment.”

Here are some additional strategies to keep in mind:

Handle repairs yourself when possible
Negotiate a lower commission with your real estate agent
Use a discount-commission agent or brokerage
List your home for sale by owner (FSBO)
Avoid offering seller concessions or buyer incentives
If you agree to cover closing costs or provide a repair credit, consider raising your home’s sale price
Resist the temptation to over-improve or make unnecessary repairs when selling
Sell your house off-market
Time your home sale right using HomeLight’s Best Time to Sell Calculator
Work with a top-performing Illinois agent who has a proven sale-to-list ratio

While a discount agent or broker may offer lower fees, they might lack the experience necessary to close the sale successfully, potentially costing you more in the long run.

“You get what you pay for. I mean, I hate to say it, but it’s true. We are a top-notch team, and we’re not the cheapest, but you’re definitely going to get the most value with our marketing and our advertising because we don’t just put it in the MLS,” says Erickson.

Helpful tools for your next home purchase

As you prepare to buy your next home, consider these HomeLight tools and our innovative Buy Before You Sell program:

Partner and plan with a top Illinois agent

An important first step in determining the cost of selling a house in Illinois is to get a home value estimate.

Then, you need to create a plan to maximize your profits. HomeLight’s free Agent Match service can connect you with a leading Illinois real estate agent who can help sell your property above its list price.

Typically, the cost to sell a house in Illinois is 6% to 10% or more of your home’s final sale price.

HomeLight’s Agent Match can connect you with the highest-performing agents in your market who can help you make the most of your home sale.

Header Image Source: (Bernd Dittrich/Unsplash)

At HomeLight, our vision is a world where every real estate transaction is simple, certain, and satisfying. Therefore, we promote strict editorial integrity in each of our posts.

Cheyenne Wiseman

Associate Editor

Cheyenne Wiseman is an Associate Editor at HomeLight.com. Previously, she worked as a writer for Static Media (Mashed.com and Chowhound.com) and as an editor for CBR.com. Cheyenne holds a bachelor’s degree in English from UC Davis, where she also founded and led a literary magazine called Open Ceilings. She has four years of experience writing and editing on topics including real estate, financial advising, and pharmaceuticals.