Markham's $100 stamp needs 21 business days
Every deed in Markham needs a city transfer stamp on it when it records, and you can't get one on short notice. Under Ordinance 23-O-2374, the application goes in at least 21 business days before closing, and the city won't issue a stamp the same day you apply. Close without it and the city writes a $500 ticket.
The current stamp form, revised October 21, 2024, charges a flat $100 per property index number, and personal checks aren't accepted. The city's FAQ page still lists $50, so confirm the fee when you apply. Before the stamp is sold, you need a final water reading with the bill paid, plus every tax, lien, charge or fine owed the city. That final read is only good for 30 days. The packet also says no DocuSign documents are accepted, so the new deed gets signed and notarized on paper. It doesn't say which side pays for the stamp, so settle that in the contract.
The $125 inspection, the as-is affidavit and the rental cap
A pre-sale inspection is required on every property sold in Markham, and the city's FAQ puts the fee at $125. The house has to pass to get a certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in. You can still sell as-is. The buyer signs a notarized affidavit agreeing to fix the city's listed violations within 60 days after purchase, and the house stays empty until the certificate issues.
On September 17, 2025, the city extended its rental moratorium and adopted Ordinance 25-O-2416, which caps and cuts the number of rentals. New licenses aren't approved unless the property already has one and is occupied, licenses don't carry over from the prior owner, and a licensed rental that goes vacant for any reason after October 1, 2026 loses its rental privileges. If you're a landlord thinking about selling, that date matters. It also likely means fewer buyers can plan on renting the house out.
A 1950s build-out
Most of Markham's housing went up in the postwar years. The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 survey counts 1,099 of the city's 3,954 housing units built in the 1950s alone, with about 40.5 percent built before 1960. Roughly four in five were built before 1980. About 75 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied. For a house built before 1978, the federal lead-paint pamphlet and the buyer's 10-day inspection window apply.
A 21.19 percent tax rate across Bremen and Thornton
Markham straddles two townships, Bremen and Thornton. The Cook County Clerk put the city's average composite tax rate at about 21.19 percent for tax year 2024, up from about 19.78 percent a year earlier. Both townships are on the Assessor's 2026 reassessment calendar. Bremen notices went out August 12, 2026, with appeals open until September 24, 2026.
Under code section 150.005, a vacant building has to be registered within 30 days, at a non-refundable $500 every six months, plus a 10 percent late fee. If you're behind on the mortgage and the lender files, the Circuit Court of Cook County's free foreclosure mediation program starts at (855) 452-2637. You can redeem until the later of seven months from service or three months from the judgment, before the sale. The Cook County page walks through the countywide steps.
Running both routes on $139,000
Redfin put Markham's median sale price at $139,000 in May 2026, on only nine sales, with a median 85 days on market. On a $139,000 listing, rough costs look like this:
- Commission at about 4.9 percent (Clever's Illinois average, updated September 2026): roughly $6,800
- Other closing costs at about 1.2 percent: about $1,700
- State and county stamps, which the Cook County Clerk lists as the seller's: about $210
- City stamp and pre-sale inspection: $225
- Taxes over about 85 days on a bill near $6,800 a year, using the Clerk's sample-bill formula with the $10,000 homeowner exemption: around $1,600
That's roughly $10,500 before repairs or your payoff.
A cash sale still needs the inspection, the city stamp and a zero water balance. What can change is the commission and who takes on the violation list through the as-is affidavit. If the property is a fit, a cash buyer may make an offer, and you pick the closing date, as long as the stamp is in hand. Listing is a fine choice too, especially for a house that passes inspection clean. Run both numbers first.
Sources: City of Markham, Transfer Stamp Packet; City of Markham, FAQ; City of Markham, Vacant Building Registration; Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 housing profile for Markham; U.S. EPA, lead disclosure; Cook County Clerk, 2024 Tax Rate Report; Cook County Assessor, reassessment calendar; Circuit Court of Cook County, foreclosure mediation; Illinois Code of Civil Procedure, including 15-1603 redemption; Cook County Clerk, transfer fees; Redfin Data Center; Clever commission survey
