306 W Cherry St

Carbondale, IL 62901

$34,000B-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 616 sqft · Built 1933 · Other · Pending

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $730/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$178
• Tax + insurance: −$117
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$153
• Net cashflow: $281/mo
• Annual: $3,368/yr
• Cap rate: 16.20%
• Cash-on-cash: 35.37%
• DSCR: 2.57
• 1% rule: 2.15%
• Cash to close: $9,520

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $34k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $281 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($730 rent vs $34k).
• Only 0 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $235 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 70/100 on livability (#375 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: housing C-, crime F, employment F.
• Carbondale Chsd 165 (urban): math 26% / reading 35% proficiency, ranked #279 of 620 in IL (top 45%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Parrish Elem School (495 students, 0% FRL); Carbondale Middle School (math 5% / reading 14%, grade F, #597 of 665 statewide, top 91%, 446 students, 0% FRL); Carbondale Comm H S (math 26% / reading 35%, grade F, #175 of 693 statewide, top 26%, 997 students, 0% FRL).
• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.6% of price; built in 1933 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.5%/yr); 202 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 5 units permitted in Jackson County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.5% rent growth), your $10k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk; extreme-heat days projected 7→22/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 16.2% vs local median 4.8% in Carbondale — 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

• Built in 1933 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• 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 F 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.
• 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.