225 Lakeside Ave

East Alton, IL 62024

$19,999B-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 672 sqft · Built 1962 · SingleFamily · Active · 554 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $831/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$105
• Tax + insurance: −$33
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$174
• Net cashflow: $518/mo
• Annual: $6,217/yr
• Cap rate: 37.38%
• Cash-on-cash: 111.02%
• DSCR: 5.94
• 1% rule: 4.15%
• Cash to close: $5,600

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $20k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $518 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($831 rent vs $20k).
• It's been on market 554 days — a 12% lower offer ($18k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $18k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $138 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $600 of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#418 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: commute D+, crime D, amenities F.
• East Alton-Wood River Chsd 14 (suburban): math 10% / reading 20% proficiency, ranked #793 of 919 in IL (top 86%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Eastwood Elem School (math 12% / reading 17%, grade F, #1,278 of 2,056 statewide, top 65%, 408 students, 0% FRL); East Alton Middle School (math 15% / reading 19%, grade F, #460 of 665 statewide, top 72%, 191 students, 0% FRL); East Alton-Wood River High Sch (math 8% / reading 12%, grade F, #567 of 693 statewide, top 83%, 537 students, 0% FRL).
• Market conditions: 39 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 336 units permitted in Madison County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Madison County population projected at -18% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 2 sale attempts since 2y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $5k (20%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $6k cash investment doubles in ~1 year — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 37.4% vs local median 6.7% in East Alton — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 554 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1962 — 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 F-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.