Seller guide, Wilmette, Illinois
Cost to Sell a House in Wilmette, IL
Every cost a Wilmette seller pays at closing, line by line, with the taxes the buyer pays instead.
By Realtors of North Shore. Updated November 2026.
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- Office at 517 Green Bay Rd, Wilmette
- Open 24 hours
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- Office in Wilmette
- Free home value
- Wilmette to Glencoe and Evanston
01 / The costs
Cost to sell a house in Wilmette, IL, line by line
Cost to sell a house in Wilmette, IL comes down to six lines on your closing statement. Some are set by law, some by your contracts and some by the calendar. The village transfer tax is not one of them: in Wilmette the buyer pays it.
Commission
Who sets it: Your listing agreement, negotiable
Paid by: Seller, under the agreement
Illinois transfer tax, $0.50 per $500
Who sets it: State law
Paid by: Seller, by custom
Cook County transfer tax, $0.25 per $500
Who sets it: County ordinance
Paid by: Seller, by custom
Owner's title insurance policy
Who sets it: Title company rates
Paid by: Seller, by custom in Illinois
Attorney's fee
Who sets it: Your attorney
Paid by: Seller
Property tax credit
Who sets it: The Cook County tax calendar
Paid by: Seller, as a credit to the buyer
Wilmette village transfer tax, $3 per $1,000
Who sets it: Village ordinance
Paid by: Buyer
Confirm every rate with your attorney before closing.
Get your net sheet
Add your address and the price you hope for. We reply with your costs and what you keep.
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02 / Example
An example: selling a $1,200,000 Wilmette home
Example only, not a quote. Commission, title, attorney and the tax credit depend on your contract and closing date.
- $1,200
- Illinois transfer tax
- $0.50 per $500 on $1,200,000
- $600
- Cook County transfer tax
- $0.25 per $500 on $1,200,000
- $3,600
- Wilmette village tax
- $3 per $1,000, paid by the buyer, not the seller
03 / Property taxes
The property tax credit
Cook County property taxes are paid a year behind. At closing, the seller credits the buyer for the taxes owed for the time the seller lived in the home, often estimated from the last full tax bill. Ask your attorney how the credit is figured in your contract.
04 / Condos
Extra costs when you sell a Wilmette condo
- Association documents for the buyer, which the association may charge for.
- Any special assessment the contract asks the seller to pay.
- A move-out fee or deposit, if the building charges one.
05 / Lowering costs
How to keep selling costs down
- Price from recent sales, so the home sells without long price cuts.
- Fix what an inspector will flag before you list, not after.
- Read the commission terms before you sign the listing agreement.
06 / Questions
Questions about the cost to sell in Wilmette
No. The Wilmette village transfer tax, $3 per $1,000 of the price, is paid by the buyer. The Wilmette seller customarily pays the Illinois and Cook County taxes.
No. The commission is set in your listing agreement and is negotiable with every Wilmette agent.
Most Wilmette sellers hire a real estate attorney for attorney review, the closing documents and the transfer stamps.
A net sheet lists your sale price, every cost and the amount you keep. Realtors of North Shore prepares one for your Wilmette address for free.
Related: sell my house in Wilmette, get your Wilmette home value and the North Shore market report.
See what you would keep
Tell us your address and price. Realtors of North Shore replies with a free net sheet.
Call (847) 582-4576