A contractor gave you a number you are not going to pay.

As-is means as-is, and we do not retrade

We look at the condition once, price it into the offer, and then we live with it. There is no inspection contingency and no second visit where the number drops. If we missed something, that is our problem, not a renegotiation. Sellers who have been through a retail deal that fell apart in the inspection period understand exactly how much that is worth.

Water in the basement, fire damage, an insurance claim that is open or was denied, a house that has not been lived in for years, hoarding conditions: we have bought all of it. You do not need to clean, and you do not need to be embarrassed.

Violations, hearings, and open permits

Chicago writes building code violations and schedules hearings, and municipalities across the rest of Chicagoland do the same in their own way. If you have a hearing date, a citation, or a stack of notices, bring them. The violation follows the property, so it is priced, not ignored, and we handle the remediation after closing.

Open permits are their own quiet problem. Work that was started and never inspected shows up on title review and can hold up a transfer. We check the permit record on day one so it does not surface in week three.

Unpermitted conversions

The classic Chicago version is a finished basement or attic unit that exists but is not legal. A retail lender will not finance it and an appraiser will not credit it, which is why these listings sit. We underwrite the building as it is, decide whether it gets legalized or reverted, and price accordingly.