131 S 7th St · DeKalb, IL 60115

$325,000

6 bd · 4.0 ba · — sqft · Other · 8 Days on market

Built 1905 6,240 sqft lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the F grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Cash flow +5.3/30.0
• Rent growth +4.3/5.0
• Livability +3.9/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• 1% rule +1.4/10.0
• Schools +1.2/10.0
• DSCR +0.0/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY-SOLID TWO-UNIT MASONRY BUILDING. Well Maintained solid masonry two-story, two unit property offering strong rental income potential in a desirable location. The first floor unit features a spacious one-bedroom layout with a large living room, separate parlor, kitchen and full bath. Additional amenities include basement with washer / dryer, an attached one-car garage and a fenced backyard. This unit rents for $1,400 per month. The second-floor unit offers two generous bedrooms, a large living room, an oversized eat-in kitchen, a full bath and the convenience of an in-unit washer and dryer, and rents for $1,100 per month. Utilities are separate and tenants pay for gas a

Key facts

• 6,240 sq ft lot
• Garage
• Built 1905

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Property zoned SINGL; Parcel number 0823334010
• Financial info: Gross income reported at $30,000; Water/sewer expense estimated at $900 (owner projection); Insurance expense estimated at $2,800
• HOA & community: Community features include curbs, sidewalks, street lights, paved streets

Exterior

• Parking: Attached garage with garage door opener (1 garage space total); Garage/space assigned to units
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electric and gas paid by tenants (both units)
• Home design: Two- to four-unit building (converted); Fee simple ownership; Over 100 years old
• Construction: Brick construction; Block foundation; Built before 1978
• Exterior features: Corner lot; Fenced yard; Curbs, sidewalks, street lights, paved streets; Lot dimensions approximately 65 x 96

Interior

• Kitchen: Stove; Refrigerator; Dishwasher; Microwave
• Bedrooms: 3 bedrooms total (unit breakdown: one 1-bedroom on first floor; one 2-bedroom on second floor)
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms total
• Heating & cooling: Natural gas heating; Central air conditioning (unit 1); Window air conditioner (unit 2)
• Interior features: 8 total rooms; Unfinished full basement with bath rough-in/stub
• Laundry & utility: Laundry hook-up (unit 1); Washer and Dryer (unit 2)

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 6-bed/4.0-bath other listed at $325k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-718 ($-9k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $198k (39.0% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $208k (36.1% below list).
• Recommended offer: $198k (39.0% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 77/100 on livability (#154 in IL, #2,835 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities D+, crime D-, employment F.
• Dekalb CUSD 428 (suburban): math 11% / reading 16% proficiency, ranked #541 of 620 in IL (top 87%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Founders Elementary School (math 8% / reading 8%, grade F, #1,627 of 2,056 statewide, top 81%, 556 students, 0% FRL); Huntley Middle School (math 12% / reading 16%, grade F, #529 of 665 statewide, top 80%, 934 students, 0% FRL); Dekalb High School (math 18% / reading 28%, grade F, #312 of 693 statewide, top 46%, 2,083 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 48% district-wide (48 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.3%/yr); 85 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 260 units permitted in DeKalb County in 2024 (73 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $2,077/mo this rent would consume 53% of the median local household income ($47k/yr) (locally 3794% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $10k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• DeKalb County population projected to shrink 5% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.

Negotiation context

• Only 8 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 2 sale attempts with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• Current owner paid $135k; list at $325k implies a 141% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1905 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $198,100 (39.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
2. Built in 1905 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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?
6. The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. How much new for-sale + rental construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply typically softens prices + rents 12–24 months out; constrained supply supports both.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 0.64% ✗
• Cap rate: 3.64%
• Cash-on-cash: -9.47%
• DSCR: 0.58
• GRM: 13.0

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 7.33% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -28.2%
• Equity multiple: 0.02×
• Total profit: $-88,874
• Equity at exit: $48,459

10-year hold

• IRR: -15.3%
• Equity multiple: -0.03×
• Total profit: $-93,526
• Equity at exit: $28,100

Cash invested: $91,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 43 Moderately Tenant-Leaning
• State Illinois: 43 Moderately Tenant-Leaning · D+7
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Chicago RTLO is among the strongest tenant ordinances in the Midwest; downstate is more landlord-friendly.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 60115

• Home prices YoY: -31.9%
• Rents YoY: 7.3%
• Active inventory: 85
• Price-to-rent: 13.0×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,077 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,704
• Tax from tax record: −$519 /mo · $6,229/yr
• Insurance: −$135
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$436
• Net cashflow: $-718

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,986

Max offer price $198,100

Occupancy floor —

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $-534	-5% $-626	+0% $-718	+5% $-810	+10% $-902
Rent	-10% $-882	-5% $-800	+0% $-718	+5% $-636	+10% $-554
Rate	-1.0pp $-555	-0.5pp $-636	base $-718	+0.5pp $-803	+1.0pp $-888

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $81,250
• Closing costs: $9,750
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 1 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
801 Lucinda Ave DeKalb, IL	2.0–8.0	1.0–2.5	—	$1,767	—	0d	37	1.23mi

Listing history 7 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $325,000 Active 8 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $325,000 Active 5 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $325,000 Active 4 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $325,000 Active 3 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $325,000 Active 2 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   remarks 699-char remark
7. 2026-06-13
   listed $325,000 Active 1 DOM

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast IL · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $6,229 · $519/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $6,803 · $567/mo
• Expected delta: +$574/yr (+$48/mo · 9.2%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥101°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $24,919
• − Mortgage interest: −$18,205
• − Property taxes: −$6,229
• − Insurance: −$1,625
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,994
• − Management: −$1,994
• − Depreciation: −$9,455
• Taxable loss: −$14,582
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$3,500
• After-tax cash flow: $-5,121/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Dekalb CUSD 428
• NCES district ID: 1712000
• Math proficiency: 11% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 16% ▼ -6.00%
• Median HH income: $42,007
• Composite: 11.74/100
• National rank: #9685
• State rank: #541 of 620 in IL

Livability — DeKalb

• Score: 77/100
• State rank: #154
• US rank: #2835

Category grades

Amenities D+ Commute A+ Cost of living A+ Crime D- Employment F Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings B-

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: DeKalb, IL
• County: DeKalb County · 64,760 people
• City population: 42,536
• Metro: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
• Population (ZIP): 42,536
• Household income: $47,043
• Rent vs Own: 57.0% rent · 43.0% own
• Severe rent burden: 3794.0

Population outlook (DeKalb County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 104,983 people
• By 2030: 104,428 · -0.5%
• By 2040: 102,199 · -2.7%
• By 2050: 99,303 · -5.4%
• By 2075: 93,978 · -10.5%
• By 2100: 88,527 · -15.7%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.61)
• Race & ethnicity: White 58% Hispanic / Latino 18% Black 15% Two or more races 12% Asian 4%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 14% Puerto Rican 2%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 5% Portuguese 3% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 9% · Canada, China
• Languages at home: 82% English-only · Spanish 10% Arabic 2% Other Indo-European 2%

Political lean MEDSL · DeKalb

• 2024 margin: Toss-up / Even · D 50.1% · R 48.1% · Other 1.7%
• 2008→2024 swing: -14.8pp toward R · 2008: 16.8pp · 2024: 2.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+2.0 2020: D+5.7 2016: D+3.0 2012: D+5.5 2008: D+16.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -89.56%
• Current HPI: 191.1189
• Rent YoY: ▲ 7.33%
• Metro: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.59%
• F500 in state: 60

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Insurance	4	$201B
▸Consumer Goods	4	$87B
▸Industrial Machinery	3	$64B
▸Healthcare	2	$55B
▸Retail / Pharmacy	1	$148B
▸Agriculture / Food	1	$86B

Price history

+140.7% since first listed

5 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-13 Listed $325,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-07-12 Rental Removed $1,100 MRED
• 2025-07-11 Listed for Rent $1,100 MRED
• 2023-07-07 Rental Removed — MRED
• 2012-01-12 Sold (Public Records) $135,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+2.0%/yr

Latest (2025): $6,229 · +8.6% YoY. Source: county tax records.