Home Not Selling in Chicago?
Larissa Brodsky helps Chicago owners relaunch and sell.
When a Chicago condo or home sits, it is almost always one of three things: the price is above the properties buyers are comparing it to, the home isn't prepared or presented to compete, or the listing isn't reaching enough of the right buyers. Change the right one and most homes sell. Larissa Brodsky, a real estate advisor with Compass, helps Chicago condo and home owners sell after their home didn't, from the Loop and Lakeshore East to Streeterville, Lincoln Park and Lakeview.
If your home is still listed and showings have slowed, if your listing ended, or if you're ready to try again, this page walks through what usually goes wrong and what changes the outcome.
Source: MRED (MLS) records for 704 condos in Loop ZIP codes 60601, 60602 and 60603 (MLS area 8032), 12 months ending November 13, 2026. Analyzed by Larissa Brodsky.
of downtown condos came off the market at least once without selling (284 of 704)
median sale price vs. their highest earlier asking price, for condos that sold after a listing ended (about $32,000 less)
of condos for sale or under contract right now were listed before and didn’t sell the first time (53 of 142).
Price versus the competition. Buyers compare your home with every similar listing nearby, and for a condo, every similar unit in your building and the towers next door.
Preparation. Scuffed walls, dated finishes, and clutter show up in photos and in person. Buyers subtract more for visible work than the work actually costs.
Presentation and exposure. Listing photos are the first showing. Weak photos, a thin description, or a listing that reaches the same small pool of buyers each week keep the showing calendar empty.
Building factors (condos). Assessments, special assessments, rental rules, and parking all shape what buyers will pay. Explain them up front, not in attorney review.
Access. Limited showing windows, tenant-occupied units, and slow responses cost showings that never come back.
Fresh paint, deep cleaning, a pre-listing inspection with the issues fixed before buyers find them, and light staging, so the home competes as if it were brand new to the market.
Priced against the homes buyers are actually comparing it to today. With deeded parking, Larissa usually prices the condo on its own and offers the parking separately, so the parking can be negotiated on its own terms.
Complete photography and marketing, and a goal of securing both a primary buyer and a backup offer, so one buyer's change of heart doesn't send the home back to square one.
Nearly two decades in Chicago real estate and 400+ closed transactions in 100+ downtown Chicago buildings. Downtown condo specialist since 2008 and Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS).
Your listing agreement is with your current brokerage, so the best first step is an honest conversation with your agent about what is and isn't working. If your listing has ended, or you have been released from it, Larissa is happy to talk through what a relaunch could look like.
Straight answers for Chicago owners whose home is sitting, came off the market, or is ready to relist.
Most Chicago homes and condos that sit are priced above the properties buyers are comparing them to, often in the same building or on the same block. Presentation and exposure come next: dated paint, weak photos, or a listing that reaches the same small pool of buyers week after week. A fresh look at the competing units and the buyer feedback usually shows which one it is.
Sometimes both, but a price cut alone rarely fixes a presentation problem. If showings are steady and offers aren't coming, price is the likely issue. If showings are scarce, look at the photos, the description, and how the condo compares with competing listings online.
Your listing agreement is with your current brokerage, so start by reading it and talking with your agent. Common options are asking for a written release, talking with the managing broker, or waiting until the agreement ends. This is general information, not legal advice; your real estate attorney can review the agreement with you.
The property comes off the MLS and you are free to relist, with the same brokerage or a new one. Check your agreement for any clause that covers buyers who saw the property during the listing. Before you relist, change something real (price, preparation, photos, or terms), because buyers' agents can see the listing history.
A break can help if you use it to prepare: paint, repairs, staging, and new photos. Coming back with the same home at the same price usually brings the same result. In MLS data for Loop-area ZIP codes 60601, 60602 and 60603, 105 of 284 condos that came off the market have not come back or sold.
Plan for the Illinois Residential Real Property Disclosure Report and the Section 22.1 resale package from your association, which covers the declaration, budget, reserves, and any planned capital expenses. Ordering the 22.1 documents early avoids delays during attorney review. Buyer and seller each have their own attorney at closing in Chicago.