214-216 N 7th St

Mount Vernon, IL 62864

$30,000B-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 868 sqft · Built 1920 · Other · Active · 48 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $951/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$157
• Tax + insurance: −$80
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$200
• Net cashflow: $514/mo
• Annual: $6,170/yr
• Cap rate: 26.86%
• Cash-on-cash: 73.45%
• DSCR: 4.27
• 1% rule: 3.17%
• Cash to close: $8,400

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $30k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $514 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($951 rent vs $30k).
• It's been on market 48 days — a 3% lower offer ($29k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $29k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $207 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $900 of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#413 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Mt Vernon Twp Hsd 201 (town): math 13% / reading 16% proficiency, ranked #532 of 620 in IL (top 86%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Dr Nick Osborne Primary Center (math 8% / reading 12%, grade F, #1,517 of 2,056 statewide, top 78%, 600 students, 0% FRL); Zadok Casey Middle School (math 6% / reading 10%, grade F, #608 of 665 statewide, top 92%, 419 students, 0% FRL); Mount Vernon High School (math 13% / reading 16%, grade F, #479 of 693 statewide, top 71%, 1,210 students, 0% FRL).
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.7% of price; built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 193 active listings in the ZIP; 6 units permitted in Jefferson County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Jefferson County population projected at -14% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 3 sale attempts since 10y ago 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 $5k; list at $30k implies a 456% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $8k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — 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 26.9% vs local median 5.2% in Mount Vernon — 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 48 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1920 — 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 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?
• 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.