125 Willows Edge Ct Unit C

Willow Springs, IL 60480

$229,000C+

2 bd · 1.5 ba · 968 sqft · Built 1989 · Townhouse · Active · 15 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,784/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,201
• Tax + insurance: −$402
• HOA: −$325
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$795
• Net cashflow: $1,061/mo
• Annual: $12,732/yr
• Cap rate: 11.85%
• Cash-on-cash: 19.86%
• DSCR: 1.88
• 1% rule: 1.65%
• Cash to close: $64,120

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.5-bath townhouse listed at $229k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $1k ($13k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($4k rent vs $229k).
• It's been on market 15 days — a 2% lower offer ($226k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $226k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 70/100 on livability (#371 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, employment A+, housing A+; Watch: cost of living D+, amenities F, health & safety F.
• Cons Hsd 230 (suburban): math 35% / reading 39% proficiency, ranked #146 of 620 in IL (top 24%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Willow Springs Elem School (math 17% / reading 22%, grade F, #1,054 of 2,056 statewide, top 54%, 399 students, 0% FRL); Amos Alonzo Stagg High School (math 30% / reading 35%, grade F, #152 of 693 statewide, top 22%, 2,538 students, 0% FRL).
• Market conditions: 17 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 6,272 units permitted in Cook County in 2024 (4,658 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 9 sale attempts since 20y 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 $177k; 29% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $64k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 11.9% vs local median 5.2% in Willow Springs — 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

• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• 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?
• 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.