Sox playoff tickets are still available, but it’ll cost you — unless you go to Houston

Tickets are still available for the Chicago White Sox’ first home playoff game in over a decade Sunday — but they will cost you nearly several times face value or more, according to a local broker.

“Demand has been huge, like really huge, and the tickets are commanding a big premium,” said Dave Roberts, vice president of AAA Tickets. “The best thing anyone can do is check a few sites and compare prices, but know you are still going to probably spend a lot.”

The Chicago-based ticket broker said seats are ranging from $300 to $700 depending on location. What’s more, he said, the demand has been on par with the team’s 2005 championship run.

“The only difference is how we are moving the tickets,” Roberts said. “Before we would need to hire extra staff to be in the office to field phone calls, but now all the traction is online. It may seem quiet in the office, but the traction online is just as busy as it was back then.”

In 2005, the Chicago Sun-Times reported tickets for home games against the Boston Red Sox in the first playoff series were going for $125 to $400. Another Sun-Times story reported people offering to trade their cars for the prospect of a ticket for the next series during the same pennant run.

And while news of people trading cars for a chance to sit in the bleachers in Guaranteed Rate Field hasn’t broken, yet, it is clear that getting a ticket will cost you a lot on any marketplace.

Over at SeatGeek on Tuesday evening, the average price for a ticket for Sunday’s game sits around $726 with the lowest price around $200 and the highest prices well over $1,100 — though the website notes that price is a high premium. Each of the 14 listings selling tickets for over $1,100 will have you sitting along the first or third base line and as close as the second row.

Those interested in a less costly ticket should look at Game 4 with tickets still being sold for just more than $100 in the 500 sections of the stadium on the website. That game, however, will only happen if the Best of Five series lasts more than three games.

At Vivid Seats you can still find tickets for Sunday’s game for under $120, but they are solo seats scattered throughout the stadium.

If you want to sit on the lower deck, StubHub was offering two seats in the lower left field corner for $210 each.

And the official site, Ticketmaster, is completely sold out for the games on Sunday and potentially Monday.

However, if you are willing to travel, more affordable tickets are still available for Game 1 at the Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park. Tickets there for Thursday games through StubHub are available for around $50, but the last-minute plane ticket could cost you over $300.

Keep in mind the websites all charge service fees that can add 20% to 40% of the original ticket price to your bottom line.

Where ever people decide to buy their tickets, Roberts warn buyers to be careful of unregulated online marketplaces.

“If the price is too good to believe, don’t believe it,” Roberts said.