Selling a house in Highwood, IL: what the city requires
Lake County, Illinois · Last checked November 2026
Highwood requires a municipal inspection before it issues transfer stamps. $55 Inspection fee residential.
What Highwood requires
Village inspection before transfer stamps
- Who does it
- Village or city building department. The seller schedules it.
- Cost
- $55 for a single-family home, per the title-company list.
- Deadline
- The village will not issue transfer stamps or a compliance certificate until it is done, and the deed cannot be recorded without them.
- $55 Inspection fee residential.
- $120 Inspection fee commercial.
- Property Transfer Inspection Application available online. Survey required.
Who to call
Village of Highwood
(847) 432-1924
Official page
Housing in Highwood
- Median year homes were built
- 1969
- Median home value
- $405,400
- Owner-occupied homes
- 1,133 of 2,025 (56%)
- Total housing units
- 2,076
Homes here are typically from 1969 or later, so inspections tend to focus on safety items like smoke and CO alarms, GFCI outlets and handrails.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates for Highwood city, Illinois.
Need this done in Highwood?
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How the illinois transfer stamp and village inspection process works
Many Chicago-area villages will not sell you the municipal transfer stamp needed to record the deed until the seller pays final water bills and, in a long list of towns, passes a village inspection. Some inspect the whole house, others only the sewer, sump pump or sidewalk.
- Check the village website or call the clerk as soon as you list. Some villages want the inspection before you put up a sign or hold an open house.
- Pay the inspection fee and schedule it, often 2 to 4 weeks before closing.
- Fix the items on the report and pass a reinspection, or ask whether the buyer can sign an as-is or compliance agreement, sometimes with an escrow or bond.
- Order the final water reading, pay village debts, and buy the transfer stamp before closing.
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Village inspection fee | $0 to $350 |
| Municipal transfer tax | Up to $10 per $1,000 of price in some towns |
| Typical repair list | $200 to $5,000 |
Read the full illinois transfer stamp and village inspection guide
Other towns with the same requirement: Municipal transfer tax
If the house fails
You can repair before closing, use an escrow or extension where the city allows it, let the buyer assume the work for a credit, or sell as-is. Compare the options.
Frequently asked questions
What does Highwood require before I sell my house?
Highwood requires a municipal inspection before it issues transfer stamps. $55 Inspection fee residential.
How much does the village inspection before transfer stamps cost in Highwood?
$55 for a single-family home, per the title-company list. Typical related costs: village inspection fee $0 to $350; municipal transfer tax Up to $10 per $1,000 of price in some towns; typical repair list $200 to $5,000.
What if my house fails?
You can make the repairs before closing, negotiate a credit with the buyer, or sell as-is to a buyer who will handle the work. Ask the municipality whether it allows a buyer to assume the work or an escrow.
Who pays, the buyer or the seller?
The ordinance usually makes the seller responsible for ordering it, but who pays for repairs is negotiable in the purchase agreement.
How old are the homes in Highwood?
The median home in Highwood was built in 1969, and the median home value is $405,400, according to the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey.
Nearby: Chicago area
- Fox Lake No point-of-sale rule
- Grayslake No point-of-sale rule
- Green Oaks No point-of-sale rule
- Gurnee No point-of-sale rule
- Hainesville No point-of-sale rule
- Highland Park No point-of-sale rule
- Island Lake No point-of-sale rule
- Lake Bluff No point-of-sale rule
- Lake Forest Required at sale
- Lake Villa No point-of-sale rule
- Lake Zurich No point-of-sale rule
- Lakemoor No point-of-sale rule
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Sources
- First American / Saturn Title, Illinois transfer stamp requirement listing (rev. Nov. 25, 2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates (tables B25035, B25077, B25003, B25001)
Last checked November 2026. Rules and fees change by ordinance and resolution. Confirm with the municipality before you list. See something out of date? Report a change.