36 Hillcrest Ave · Fox Lake, IL 60020

$300,000

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,424 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 7 Days on market

Built 1940 0.43 ac lot Est $279k · 7% over

---

Why this score? — see what drove the B- 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).

• Cash flow +30.0/30.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +4.1/15.0
• Livability +3.7/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.3/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

This AS IS home is perfect for anyone starting out or Investment opportunity. It has so much potential just needs someone with a vision that can add that special touch to make it their own. Walk in to large living area that proceeds to 3 stairs up to dining room and 2 bedrooms, all which have nice laminate floors and many windows to let the sunshine in. Master bedroom is very large and with a little TLC has the potential to be a peaceful oasis. The home has a large fenced in yard, perfect to entertain in the summer. This home is priced to sell, don't miss out!

Key facts

• 0.43 acre lot
• 3 garage spots
• Built 1940

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Parcel number 05103090380000; Lot approximately 0.25–0.49 acre
• HOA & community: No master association fee required

Exterior

• Parking: Detached garage (garage owned) with garage door opener; Asphalt parking; Three garage/total parking spaces
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Detached single-family home; One-story; Approximately 1,300 finished square feet; Estimated living area; Built approximately 81–90 years ago; Owned as fee simple
• Construction: Cedar exterior; Asphalt roof; Concrete perimeter foundation; Built before 1978
• Exterior features: Porch; Fenced yard

Interior

• Kitchen: Range; Eating area / table space
• Bedrooms: Master bedroom on the main level (approx. 20 x 12); Bedroom on the main level (approx. 15 x 8); Bedroom on the main level (approx. 11 x 7); Bedroom on the main level (approx. 8 x 16)
• Flooring: Laminate flooring; Carpet
• Bathrooms: Two full bathrooms
• Heating & cooling: Natural gas heating; Wall unit cooling
• Interior features: First-floor bedroom; First-floor full bathroom; Ceiling fan(s); CO detectors; Seven total rooms
• Laundry & utility: Main-level laundry

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $300k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($28k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($6k rent vs $300k).
• Cap rate 15.8% vs local median 6.0% in Fox Lake — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 74/100 on livability (#247 in IL, #4,462 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, commute A; Watch: amenities D+, health & safety F.
• Grant Chsd 124 (suburban): math 23% / reading 27% proficiency, ranked #296 of 620 in IL (top 48%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Grant Community High School (math 23% / reading 27%, grade F, #247 of 693 statewide, top 36%, 1,837 students, 0% FRL).
• Market conditions: 78 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 7d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 948 units permitted in Lake County in 2024 (424 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $9k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Lake County population projected to shrink 8% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $84k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 7 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Current owner paid $165k; list at $300k implies a 82% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1940 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $300,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1940 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 1.93% ✓
• Cap rate: 15.78%
• Cash-on-cash: 33.88%
• DSCR: 2.51
• GRM: 4.3

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $279,104
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
10 S Hickory Ave	0.23mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,472 (+3%)	9mo	$185,000	$126	67
31 Lakeside Ln	0.43mi	3/2.0 (-1)	1,500 (+5%)	2mo	$705,000	$470	64
416 N Lincoln Ave	0.20mi	3/2.0 (-1)	1,320 (-7%)	14mo	$271,000	$205	62
19 Arlington Ln	0.62mi	3/1.5 (-1)	1,420 (-0%)	4mo	$256,500	$181	61
9 Arlington Rd	0.68mi	3/2.0 (-1)	1,392 (-2%)	11mo	$225,000	$162	51
302 Park Ln	0.73mi	3/2.0 (-1)	1,425 (+0%)	15mo	$279,000	$196	48
34 Hawthorne Ln	0.42mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,319 (-7%)	13mo	$285,000	$216	48
39 Lippincott Rd	0.62mi	3/2.5 (-1)	1,612 (+13%)	1mo	$375,000	$233	41
43 Lippincott Rd	0.63mi	4/3.0	1,608 (+13%)	6mo	$275,000	$171	40
23 Arlington Ln	0.61mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,512 (+6%)	17mo	$259,000	$171	38
99 Hilldale Rd	0.65mi	3/2.0 (-1)	1,276 (-10%)	12mo	$331,760	$260	37
85 Bay Rd	0.70mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,212 (-15%)	12mo	$231,000	$191	24

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 29.2%
• Equity multiple: 2.22×
• Total profit: $102,603
• Equity at exit: $44,731

10-year hold

• IRR: 36.6%
• Equity multiple: 4.39×
• Total profit: $284,541
• Equity at exit: $25,939

Cash invested: $84,000 (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 60020

• Home prices YoY: -30.7%
• Active inventory: 78
• Price-to-rent: 4.3×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $5,803 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,573
• Tax from tax record: −$514 /mo · $6,173/yr
• Insurance: −$125
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,219
• Net cashflow: $2,372

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,801

Max offer price $300,000

Occupancy floor 54%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $2,541	-5% $2,456	+0% $2,372	+5% $2,287	+10% $2,202
Rent	-10% $1,913	-5% $2,142	+0% $2,372	+5% $2,601	+10% $2,830
Rate	-1.0pp $2,523	-0.5pp $2,448	base $2,372	+0.5pp $2,294	+1.0pp $2,215

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: $75,000
• Closing costs: $9,000
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 3 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
184 E Grand Ave Unit 1374785P Fox Lake, IL	4.0	3.0	1593	$7,875	$4.94	7d	1	0.32mi
28 Glen Ave Fox Lake, IL	3.0	1.0	1212	$2,300	$1.90	8d	1	0.64mi
525 Circle Dr Unit 1374784P Fox Lake, IL	3.0	2.0	1140	$4,830	$4.24	0d	1	0.69mi

Listing history 6 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $300,000 Active 7 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $300,000 Active 6 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $300,000 Active 5 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   remarks 699-char remark
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $300,000 Active 4 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   listed $300,000 Active 2 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: $6,173 · $514/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $6,491 · $541/mo
• Expected delta: +$319/yr (+$27/mo · 5.2%)

ⓘ 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 ≥100°F today · 14 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $69,633
• − Mortgage interest: −$16,805
• − Property taxes: −$6,173
• − Insurance: −$1,500
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$5,571
• − Management: −$5,571
• − Depreciation: −$8,727
• Taxable income: $25,287
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$6,069
• After-tax cash flow: $22,389/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: Grant Chsd 124
• NCES district ID: 1717340
• Math proficiency: 23% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 27% ▼ -7.00%
• Median HH income: $59,450
• Composite: 22.95/100
• National rank: #7989
• State rank: #296 of 620 in IL

Livability — Fox Lake

• Score: 74/100
• State rank: #247
• US rank: #4462

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Fox Lake, IL
• City population: 10,846
• Population (ZIP): 10,846

Population outlook (Lake County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 700,217 people
• By 2030: 693,290 · -1.0%
• By 2040: 673,588 · -3.8%
• By 2050: 643,556 · -8.1%
• By 2075: 562,792 · -19.6%
• By 2100: 457,715 · -34.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (80%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 80% Hispanic / Latino 12% Two or more races 10% Black 3%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 10% Puerto Rican 1%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 15% Portuguese 2% Italian 2%
• Foreign-born: 10% · Canada, South Korea
• Languages at home: 87% English-only · Spanish 6% Russian/Polish/Slavic 3% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Lake

• 2024 margin: Strong D (+20.8) · D 59.7% · R 38.9% · Other 1.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: +1.1pp toward D · 2008: 19.6pp · 2024: 20.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+20.8 2020: D+24.1 2016: D+20.3 2012: D+8.1 2008: D+19.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -97.19%
• Current HPI: 219.6301
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• 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

+34.1% since first listed

5 events — show timeline

• 2022-05-06 Sold (Public Records) $165,000 Public Records
• 2022-04-25 Sold (MLS) $165,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-03-15 Contingent — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-03-09 Listed $165,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2003-06-19 Sold (Public Records) $123,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+2.2%/yr

Latest (2024): $6,173 · +5.2% YoY. Source: county tax records.