115 Stephenson St

Cedarville, IL 61013

$35,000B+

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 775 sqft · Built 1950 · SingleFamily · Active · 109 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $842/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$184
• Tax + insurance: −$58
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$177
• Net cashflow: $423/mo
• Annual: $5,078/yr
• Cap rate: 20.80%
• Cash-on-cash: 51.81%
• DSCR: 3.31
• 1% rule: 2.41%
• Cash to close: $9,800

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $35k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $423 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($842 rent vs $35k).
• It's been on market 109 days — a 9% lower offer ($32k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $32k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $1k of equity ($242 loan paydown + $1k appreciation (3.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 63/100 on livability (#798 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A, employment B; Watch: crime D+, schools D-, amenities F.
• Freeport SD 145 (town): math 11% / reading 12% proficiency, ranked #565 of 620 in IL (top 91%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 65% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Watch-outs: built in 1950 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 3 active listings in the ZIP; 7 units permitted in Stephenson County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Stephenson County population projected at -29% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $10k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 109 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1950 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• Crime grade is D in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
• What's the average days-on-market for RENTAL listings here right now (not sales)? A rising rental-DOM trend means longer vacancies and softer asking-rent achievability than the comps imply.
• What's the recent tenant-quality profile in this submarket — average credit score on applications, eviction rate, late-payment / NSF rate, and stable-employment percentage? A property-management company in the area should have these aggregated.