HELPING YOU FIND YOUR PERFECT HOMEBuy a Home in Chicago and the Western Suburbs
From the first showing through closing, we help Chicagoland buyers understand the market, evaluate neighborhoods, and write offers that win, with confidence at every stage.
We pair practical resources for homebuyers with thoughtful advice from hundreds of successful transactions across Chicago and the Western Suburbs. Informed buyers make successful buyers, and we're here to provide the insight and guidance you need, every step of the way.
Our Track Record
Transactions Closed
800+
Repeat Clients
200+
Sold All-Time
$425M
Chicagoland Team
Top 1%
OLIVIA B.“I felt informed and prepared every step of the way, and finally found my dream condo through their creative and expert guidance!”
Areas Served
CHICAGO
Lincoln Park
Lakeview
Bucktown
Roscoe Village
Logan Square
Wicker Park
West Town
Gold Coast
River North
West Loop
and more!
WESTERN SUBURBS
Hinsdale
Clarendon Hills
Western Springs
Burr Ridge
Oak Brook
La Grange
Downers Grove
Naperville
Wheaton
Glen Ellyn
and more!
WHY CHOOSE THE EVERETT GROUPHow We Work With Buyers
STEP ONE
Understanding Your Goals
The first step in your home search is an initial consultation. We want to understand what you're looking for, what your timeline is, and how you want to live. Maybe that's a walkable neighborhood in Chicago, a larger yard in the Western Suburbs, an easy commute, or a building with strong long-term value. Those priorities become the foundation of your search, and they guide every recommendation we make.
STEP TWO
Building Your Search Strategy
After your initial consultation, your agent will set you up on our collaborative search platform, Compass Collection. Compass will provide access to all public and private listings. Through Compass Private Exclusives, our buyers also gain access to homes that aren't publicly listed. From there, we watch the market closely and proactively look for opportunities. In a competitive market, seeing the right home before everyone else can make all the difference.
STEP THREE
Writing a Strong Offer
Every offer is different because every seller, every property, and every market is different. We help you understand the area’s market conditions and recent sales through a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). From here, we’ll structure an offer that puts you in the strongest possible position without losing sight of your goals. If there are multiple offers on the table, your agent will help you navigate negotiations with creative strategies.
STEP FOUR
Navigating the Contract to Close
Once you're under contract, there are a lot of moving pieces and deadlines: earnest money, inspection, attorney review, and more. We keep everything moving behind the scenes, coordinating with your attorney, lender, and the other side while keeping you informed about what matters. Our goal is simple: an organized, well-managed transaction from contract to closing.
Buying in Chicago and the Western Suburbs: What to Know Before You Search
One of the best parts of buying a home in Chicagoland is that no two neighborhoods feel the same. Whether you're looking for a walkable city neighborhood in Chicago or a quieter community in the Western Suburbs, here are a few of the places we love helping clients call home.
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Here, you’ll find quaint tree-lined streets, storied brownstones, lush parks, and a bustling dining and shopping scene. 60614 is one of the most coveted zip codes in real estate. Welcome to Lincoln Park!
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Located on the city’s North Side, Lakeview is the place to be. Here, you’ll discover a neighborhood feel with something for everyone: shops on Southport Corridor, sports bars near Wrigley Field, and the always beautiful lakefront.
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Known for its historic boulevards, beautiful greystones, and thriving restaurant scene, Logan Square blends classic Chicago character with a creative energy all its own. Whether you're grabbing coffee, browsing local shops, or enjoying one of the neighborhood's many parks, there's always something to explore.
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Wicker Park is where you’ll find a little bit of everything: trendy restaurants, shops galore, classic architecture, and an art scene that cannot be beat. This Chicago neighborhood is full of life, and beautiful homes, too!
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West Loop is home to Chicago’s restaurant scene; here, you’ll find world-class restaurants next to up-and-coming spots. That’s not all the area has to offer; you’ll also find beautiful parks and plenty of shopping, and you’re just a short walk to the Loop for a breezy commute.
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Downtown Chicago’s River North neighborhood is home to art galleries, chic boutiques, and fabulous dining destinations. Whether you’re on foot or traveling by car, walkability and transportation is no problem thanks to its density and many transit options.
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Hinsdale is one of Chicago's most sought-after western suburbs, known for its beautiful homes, tree-lined streets, and charming downtown. Top-rated schools, Metra access, and a strong sense of community make it an easy place to put down roots.
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Small-town charm meets everyday convenience in Clarendon Hills. With a walkable downtown, beautiful residential streets, highly rated schools, and easy Metra access to the city, it's no surprise this western suburb is a favorite among families and commuters alike.
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Western Springs offers quiet, tree-lined streets, beautiful homes, and a charming downtown centered around the Metra station. Highly rated schools, neighborhood parks, and a strong sense of community make it a favorite for buyers looking for a classic suburban lifestyle.
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La Grange is known for its vibrant downtown, historic homes, and strong sense of community. With locally owned restaurants, boutique shopping, highly rated schools, and convenient Metra access to Chicago, it's one of the western suburbs' most desirable places to call home.
EDUCATING BUYERS SINCE 2015
WHY CHOOSE THE EVERETT GROUP
We have a passion for homebuyer education. Since our first class in 2015, we have helped more than 5,000 buyers learn the homebuying process through our online classes, in-person events, and partnerships with companies including Deloitte, Uber, and Salesforce.
Our free first-time homebuyer class, taught alongside our go-to mortgage broker, covers the seasonal patterns of the Chicagoland market, how to budget for closing costs, what a home inspector is actually looking for, how to evaluate an offer situation, and more.
WHAT OUR BUYERS SAY
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WHAT OUR BUYERS SAY /
✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸
As a first-time buyer, they over-communicated every step of the way & took the time to explain the process to me.
LAURA M.✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸
Professional, fun to work with, quick to respond to inquiries, & a very smoothly run business..
AUSTIN D.✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸
So You Want to Buy a Condo was really informative and gave us ton of useful info to get us ready to look for our first home.
BAILEY Q.✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸
They helped us navigate a changing rate environment & how to make compelling and competitive offers.
DANIEL W.✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸
I felt informed & prepared every step of the way & finally found my dream vintage condo through their creative and expert guidance.
OLIVIA B.✸ ✸ ✸ ✸ ✸
They helped us navigate a changing rate environment & how to make compelling and competitive offers.
CAM R.
CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE?FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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If you’re renting now, we recommend starting your search about four months before your lease ends. Most buyers find their home within two months of active searching, and closing typically takes another 30 to 60 days after that. If you are looking for something specific, or inventory in your target area is limited, build in more time. If your living situation is flexible, this can help take pressure off your search.
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You’ll want to secure a pre-approval letter. A pre-approval letter is a review by your lender of how much money you can borrow based on your income, assets, debt, and credit. You will need to submit it with any offer you make.
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Plan for 3 to 4.5 percent of the purchase price in closing costs. This covers attorney fees, lender fees, title company fees, transfer taxes, and more. Cook County and the City of Chicago each charge real estate transfer taxes, so buyers purchasing within the city limits will pay both. Your real estate attorney or lender can share a projected closing cost estimate early in the process.
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If you are buying a new home while you already own a home, we generally recommend getting your current home ready to list (including decluttering and photos) before you begin your home search. That way, when you find the right home, you can move quickly and get your property on the market as soon as you're under contract.
The best strategy depends on several factors, including whether your purchase will require a home sale contingency, inventory in the area where you're buying, your financial flexibility, and your timeline. We'll help you compare your options, explain the tradeoffs, and build a plan that makes the buying and selling process as smooth as possible.
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Our collaborative search tool, Compass Collection, will provide access to all public and private listings, which includes listings that are not available on public sites like Redfin or Zillow. As a Compass team, we also have access to Compass Private Exclusives: homes that are only visible to Compass buyers. For buyers in competitive neighborhoods, this can mean seeing properties before anyone else does.
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If your offer doesn't win, we won't leave you hanging. We'll review the feedback from the listing agent, reassess where your offer and strategy stood, and quickly pivot to the next opportunity. While we wait for the next listing, we'll keep you engaged with optional open houses and coming soon previews, so you're ready to act the moment the right home hits the market.
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It's one of the questions we hear most often, and the answer is usually more personal than economic. Timing the market perfectly is nearly impossible, but owning a home gives you stability and the chance to build equity, even while rates move around you. Instead of guessing, we focus on the numbers: we'll review different financing scenarios with our preferred lender and help you weigh your options against your long-term goals.
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That depends on the transaction. In many home purchases, we include a request for buyer’s agent compensation as part of your offer, asking the seller to pay all or a portion of our commission. That commission is paid to Compass, and a portion is shared with your agent. In some cases, buyers choose to pay their agent’s commission at closing, or the cost may be shared between the buyer and seller. We’ll explain your options before you write an offer so you understand exactly how buyer’s agent compensation works and what to expect.
Get Our Buyer Glossary
Real estate has its own language: earnest money, escalation clause, attorney review, financing contingency, just to name a few. We put together a glossary of the top 50 terms you're likely to encounter during your Chicagoland home search. Drop your email below and we'll send it your way.
Ready to Start Your Search?
If you're ready to start your search, or even just want a preliminary chat about the market and timing, we'd love to hear from you. Below is our Buyer Inquiry with a few questions about you and your wishlist. From there, we'll connect you to an agent from our team for an initial consultation.
