The Net Gain Realty Blog

Chicago home-selling guides, real market data, and what it costs to sell

Neighborhood-level MLS numbers and straight answers on commission, pricing, and what you actually keep at closing.

Cost to Sell

What Is the Cheapest Way to Sell a House in Chicago? Every Option Ranked (2026)

The cheapest way to sell a house in Chicago is a $100 to $500 flat fee MLS listing, if you do the agent's job yourself. Every option ranked by real cost, and where cheap backfires.

July 3, 2026
Flat Fee

Flat Fee MLS vs. Net Gain Realty: Which Is Cheaper in Chicago? (2026)

A flat fee MLS service charges $100 to $500 to list your home, then the work is yours. Net Gain Realty does the full listing job for a flat $1,995. The tier-by-tier math, including Houzeo, MLStown, and Circle One Realty.

July 3, 2026
Commission

How Much of Your Equity Does a Realtor Commission Really Take? (Chicago, 2026)

A realtor commission is a percentage of your whole house, but it is paid out of your equity. On a $600,000 Chicago home with $150,000 of equity, an example 2.5% listing fee is 10% of the money that was actually yours. Here is the math, and the flat-fee alternative.

June 28, 2026
Owner's Desk

Every Seller Who Calls Me Thinks They Have Two Options

When sellers call me, almost all of them think their only choice is a full-commission agent or doing it themselves. Here is the third way I walk them through, and why it is usually the one they want.

June 25, 2026
Commission

Do You Still Pay a Realtor Commission in Illinois After the NAR Settlement? (2026)

Do Illinois sellers still pay a 6% commission after the NAR settlement? No. What changed in 2026, who pays the buyer's agent now, and the real cost to sell a house in Chicago.

June 18, 2026
Neighborhood Market Report

Lake View Condo Market 2026: Prices, How Fast They Sell, and What It Costs to List

The 2026 Lake View condo market in real MLS numbers: median price, days to contract, sale-to-list ratio, months of supply, and what it costs to sell at a flat fee versus a traditional commission.

June 17, 2026
Cost to Sell

What It Costs to Sell a 2-Bed Condo in Lincoln Park (2026)

What it actually costs to sell a 2-bed condo in Lincoln Park in 2026: real MLS market data, every closing cost, and what you keep at a flat fee versus a traditional 2.5% commission.

June 15, 2026