FastExpert helps home buyers and sellers compare real estate agents in Illinois using available sales history, customer reviews, and local experience.
Our rankings consider information from agent profiles in the FastExpert network. Rankings reflect the data available to us and may change as new information becomes available.
How Agents Are Ranked
Agents are listed using the following criteria, applied in priority order:
1
Transaction History Availability
Agents who make their transaction history available on FastExpert are listed before agents without displayed sales history.
2
Customer Reviews
Agents with average customer ratings of 3 stars or higher are prioritized over agents with ratings of 1 or 2 stars.
3
Recent Local Sales Activity
We consider transactions recorded within the past three years, including local sales and transactions completed through FastExpert. Transactions completed through FastExpert receive additional weight.
4
Number of Transactions
When earlier criteria are equal, agents with more recorded transactions during the past three years rank higher.
5
Average Customer Rating
When other ranking factors are equal, agents with higher average customer ratings receive priority.
What You Should Know About Our Rankings
Rankings are based on available information and do not represent every licensed real estate agent in Illinois. Sales records, reviews, and other agent information may be incomplete or change over time.
Rankings are intended to help you compare agents, not guarantee an agent's qualifications, performance, or results. We encourage you to review agent profiles, confirm licensing information, and interview agents before making a decision.
About FastExpert: FastExpert receives compensation from agents when a transaction closes through our network. Our rankings are not paid advertising placements.
Our rankings use published criteria, including available transaction history, customer reviews, and other factors to help you compare agents. Rankings are not guarantees of performance.
Partnering with an agent that understands you is essential. If you are a native Spanish speaker, working with an agent who can communicate in Spanish could be beneficial. Check out our list of Spanish speaking real estate agents in Illinois here .
Frequently Asked Questions About Illinois's Top Real Estate Agents
Get answers to common questions from home buyers and sellers across Illinois. Learn from licensed agents and other homeowners in the community.
1
How do you rank your top 25 real estate agents in Illinois?
FastExpert ranks its agents based on their number of successful sales, real customer reviews, and years active. We collect each real estate agent’s transaction history to provide the most accurate data in our directory of top agents. We like to use the data of the last three years of closed sales as a reference point, as it shows how well the agent is doing now - not 10 years ago.
We only show true and accurate data, and our agents cannot buy their way into a higher ranking. At FastExpert, you’ll always see the most accurate and up-to-date rankings with our top real estate agents.
Total real estate agent fees (including seller and buyer’s agents) range from 4-6% of the total home sale price.
This is split between the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent. So if a home sells for $500,000 and the commission is 5%, the total fee is $25,000 with $12,500 for each agent.
The home seller usually pays for this fee, but that can vary depending on what both sides agree on.
4
How can I verify if a realtor is licensed in Illinois?
If you want to see if a real estate agent is licensed in Illinois you can visit the Illinois Department of Real Estate website and look them up by name. This will give you their license number, type, and the cities they are active.
5
Who pays realtor fees in Illinois?
The seller commonly pays the realtor fee.
You will usually see the fee included in the final closing costs for the property sale. On average, total commissions are about 4-6% of the total house sale price, with half going to the seller’s agent and half to the buyer’s agent. This is negotiable and is something you should discuss with your agent before you decide to work with them.
6
What questions should I ask when interviewing a Illinois real estate agent?
When looking to hire a real estate agent in Illinois, it’s essential to interview a few agents and choose the one that fits your needs best.
When interviewing, there are some questions to ask to ensure you get information that will help you with your decisions.
Be sure to ask about where they have worked in the past, what their average price point is, how they like to communicate, and how much they charge for commission. For a full list of recommended questions, see our blog post, Essential Interview Questions to Ask a Real Estate Agent.
7
What do real estate agents in Illinois do for their commission?
Illinois real estate agents do much more than just put a sign in front of your house. A good Realtor will work with you from the moment you decide to sell your home to after you hand over the key.
This includes things like working with appraisers to set the right listing price, staging, having pictures taken, preparing the listing, online marketing, open houses, working with individual showings, answering questions, negotiating, closing paperwork, and so much more!
If you don’t think hiring a real estate agent is worth the money, think about this - according to the National Association of Realtors, in 2021 the average home sold FSBO (for sale by owner) sold for 32% less than the average home sold with a Realtor.
8
What are the benefits of working with a top real estate agent in Illinois?
Hiring a top real estate agent for selling or buying a home in Illinois will save you time and money. Here are four reasons you should consider hiring a real estate agent
1. It’s their job and they have the time and resources you likely don’t have to do it well. 2. They know the market. The best real estate agents live and work in the same area for years, they know it well and can help address your questions and concerns. 3. They are good at negotiating. They work as the middleperson between you and the other party so you can stay behind the scenes. 4. They do the hard work for you. They market your home, make phone calls between interested parties, handle documents, and negotiate the best deal for you.
9
What should I look for when comparing top real estate agents in Illinois?
When browsing through the top Illinois real estate agents, you’ll need to know what makes a great real estate agent before making a decision. Here we’ve listed out the qualities that make a great agent to help you narrow it down!
Professionalism: A top real estate agent takes themselves seriously, and handles every situation with professionalism. Responsiveness: A top real estate agent is your go-to for any questions or concerns you may have when it comes to the purchase or sale of your home. Listens to you: A real estate agent is always personable with their clients. Knowledgeable: A professional real estate agent doesn’t live in the dark ages.
Home Buyers and Home Sellers need not worry about finding an agent in Illinois. At FastExpert, we take the time to separate the professionals from the agents you should avoid.
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Popular Cities in Illinois
Compare top real estate agents in cities across Illinois. View local agents, verified reviews, recent sales, experience, and market insights to help you choose the right agent.
The Illinois housing market had 22,584 active listings in September 2026, with a median listing price of $324,950. Homes spent a median of 39 days on the market, giving buyers more time to compare properties and negotiate. New listings decreased compared to last month (−2.4%), and the median price per square foot is $187. While these statewide trends provide a useful overview, market conditions can vary significantly by city and neighborhood.
Get practical answers from licensed real estate professionals and homeowners across Illinois on FastExpert Advice.
1
should I wait for the interest rate thaw before I list my house?
Everyone is talking about a housing market thaw in 2026 because rates are finally dipping into the five percent range. if i list now am i going to get beat by a wave of inventory in three months or should i try to be the first one out the door while buyers are still hungry?
Mark Taylor: Everyday is a good day to sell your home.
Donovan Cobb: Don't wait. If you wait for the "perfect" rate drop, you aren't just waiting for buyers—you’re waiting for your competition. Listing now (April) puts you in the "Golden Window" where inventory is still relatively tight, but buyer demand is spiking in anticipation of those summer rates.
If we list our home as a pocket listing, will it then now show on some websites? We've been reading about Zillow not showing homes that were privately listed. So, if I do a pocket listing will Zillow not show it? Are other companies doing this?
We wanted to test the waters on our house and start with a pocket listing. We know there's a range of values for our house and we want to start with the high end, so we thought a pocket listing would be a good test of interest. We prefer a pocket listing at a high price, rather than listing high and having to decrease the price.
Juan Moreno: Yes, a pocket listing will limit your home’s online exposure — and in most cases, that includes Zillow and other major real estate sites. • What a pocket listing is: It’s when your home is marketed privately (often just to an agent’s personal network or brokerage) rather than being entered into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). • Why Zillow may not show it: Zillow and most other consumer home search sites pull their listings from the MLS. If your home isn’t in the MLS, it usually won’t appear there — unless your agent manually creates a ‘coming soon’ or non-MLS listing on Zillow, which not all agents or brokerages will do. • Other sites: Realtor.com, Redfin, Trulia, etc., work the same way — no MLS entry means no automatic posting. • Pros of pocket listings: Privacy, exclusivity, and the ability to test a high price without a public price drop history. • Cons: You greatly reduce buyer exposure, which can mean fewer showings and potentially less leverage.
If your goal is to test the market at the high end without recording price reductions publicly, there are other strategies — like listing in the MLS with a “coming soon” status or doing an off-market marketing phase — that can give you more visibility than a pure pocket listing while still protecting your price history.
Johnny Sarkis: If your goal is to test a higher price point, a pocket listing can give you some insight. But keep in mind that maximum exposure through the MLS—and being syndicated to Zillow, Realtor.com, and hundreds of other sites—is usually the best way to create buyer competition and maximize your sale price.
We interviewed a few realtors before choosing one. We felt like she understood what we wanted and had a great background. We've been working with her for several weeks, and recently she said-- I've never been interviewed by clients before. She sounded offended. We think it's reasonable to talk to several people before making this monumental decision. I don't see why she'd be offended when we chose her and clearly have liked working with her over the past few weeks. But it was awkward.
Barrett Henry: You didn't do anything wrong. Interviewing agents before choosing one is smart, and frankly more people should do it. Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make, and hiring someone to guide you through it without talking to a few candidates first would be like hiring the first contractor who answers the phone.
If she sounded offended, that says more about her experience than your approach. In a lot of markets, agents are used to getting business through referrals or being the first person someone calls, not going through a competitive interview process. Some agents aren't comfortable with the idea of being evaluated side by side against other agents. That's their issue, not yours.
The fact that she mentioned it weeks into a working relationship is a little odd. You chose her. You've been working together. She won. Bringing it up at this point suggests it's been on her mind, which is worth noting but not worth losing sleep over.
If the working relationship is otherwise good and she's doing her job well, let the comment go and keep moving forward. One awkward moment doesn't undo weeks of solid work together. If it starts to affect how she communicates with you or how she handles your transaction, that's a different conversation.
For anyone else reading this, interview your agents. Two or three conversations before committing is completely reasonable. Any agent who is offended by that process probably isn't confident enough in what they bring to the table to earn your business on merit.
Tripp Butler: Monica, I’d say about 30% of the time I’m interviewed by sellers to make sure I’m the right fit to get their home sold. I’ve been in the real estate business for over 30 years, and most of my clients come from word of mouth.
If you’re unsure, I always recommend interviewing a few agents so you can compare what they offer, how they market homes, and whether they are full-time professionals.
My neighbor's messy yard is ruining my curb appeal
We work hard to have a nice yard and have regularly maintained the outside of our house. However, next door, it's a mess. Weeds are everywhere and they do the minimum to cut the grass. There's trailers and cars always parked around and general items that just sit around and looks like junk. I think this is going to hurt the sale of our house. What can we do? Can we offer to clean it up for them?
Phong Tran: A messy neighboring yard can affect buyer perception, but there are a few simple ways to handle it without escalating things:
Start with a friendly ask: let them know you’re listing and would appreciate a quick cleanup during that time Offer help or cover cost: mow, haul debris, or pay for a short-term yard service or dumpster Use small incentives: a gift card or offering convenience can go a long way Control your side: add screening (shrubs, fencing), and angle photos/showings to minimize the view Last resort: report clear code violations if necessary, but expect delays and possible tension
Luis Mendez: Sounds like you’re in a non-HOA area, and most buyers understand and are fine with that. You could call code enforcement, but often a messy home or yard is a cry for help—they just don’t know how to ask. Offer to help, be kind about it, and let them know what you plan to do. They may feel embarrassed, so just explain that you’re going to have a professional take a photo of your house because you plan to sell it.
I know it's silly, but I have nurtured my peony plants for years and years. They've grown beautifully and I want to take them to my next home. I don't want to offend the buyer, but is there a way to tactfully do this? Would it hurt the sale of my home?
Mary Wassef: I don't think it's silly at all! Many homeowners become attached to special plants they've spent years nurturing.
My recommendation would be to transplant the peonies into pots before you put your home on the market and replace them with similar landscaping. That way, buyers see the property exactly as it will be conveyed, and there are no surprises or disappointments later.
I generally advise against trying to negotiate keeping specific landscaping after you're under contract. Buyers often fall in love with the home as they first saw it, and removing established plants can create unnecessary friction during negotiations. It's much simpler to make the change before listing.
After more than 23 years as a Realtor, I've found that the smoothest transactions are the ones where sellers decide in advance what they're taking with them and prepare the home accordingly. It avoids misunderstandings and keeps everyone's focus on the sale itself.
Mary Wassef Founder | Broker Associate Circa Real Estate Top Producing Houston Realtor | Luxury & Historic Home Specialist Five Star Professional Award Recipient (15+ Years) | Luxury Home Marketing Guild Member | PRNEWS Award Winner Serving Houston Heights, Woodland Heights, Sunset Heights, Norhill, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & Spring Branch
Zoltan Peresztegi: Hi Mary, not silly at all. I have seen sellers negotiate harder over a rose bush than over the washer and dryer. Here is the piece most people miss: legally, a plant rooted in the ground is part of the real estate. It conveys with the house by default, just like a built-in cabinet. A plant sitting in a pot is personal property, and it goes with you like your sofa.
That gives you two clean options.
The tidiest one: dig and pot your peonies before the photos and showings begin. If buyers never see them in the ground, they were never part of what anyone fell in love with, and there is nothing to negotiate or feel awkward about. Fill the spots with inexpensive annuals so the bed still looks loved.
If they stay in the ground while you sell, have your agent list them as a written exclusion in the listing AND make sure the exclusion is carried into the purchase contract itself. The contract is what governs, not the listing remarks. A little goodwill gesture, like offering to leave a comparable new plant, keeps everyone smiling.
One gardener's note, since peonies are particular: they move best when they are dormant, ideally early fall. If your sale happens midsummer, pot them with generous root balls and keep them shaded and watered, or take good-sized divisions and let the parent plants stay as a gift to the buyer. They may sulk for a season either way. Peonies forgive, they just take their time.
I am a real estate professional in Los Angeles, in the South Bay, and fixture questions like this cause more closing-week drama than people expect, so you are smart to plan ahead. Happy to connect you with a great local agent near Downers Grove from my network if you need one.
What a Illinois seller typically pays at closing, and who pays recording or transfer fees.
Attorney, title, or escrow?
Closing practices vary by market in Illinois. Confirm whether you need an attorney, a title company, or an escrow officer.
Typical commission
What listing agents in Illinois charge, and what changed after the 2024 settlement.
Seller disclosure
What Illinois law requires you to disclose to a buyer.
Best time to list
How the Illinois market moves through the year.
Local market quirks
HOAs, inspections, and contingency norms buyers and sellers run into in Illinois.
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FastExpert directory for Illinois
Live directory metrics for Illinois.
44,529
Verified Agents
$48.6B
Transaction Volume (3 yr)
5.0 / 5
Average Rating
1,129
Cities Covered
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