616 W 144th St

East Chicago, IN 46312

$232,000D+

4 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,400 sqft · Built 1927 · MultiFamily · Pending · 26 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,881/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,217
• Tax + insurance: −$188
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$395
• Net cashflow: $82/mo
• Annual: $978/yr
• Cap rate: 6.71%
• Cash-on-cash: 1.51%
• DSCR: 1.07
• 1% rule: 0.81%
• Cash to close: $64,960

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $232k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $82 ($978/yr) — positive. Per door: $41/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $188k (18.9% below list).
• It's been on market 26 days — a 2% lower offer ($229k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $188k (18.9% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $900 of equity ($2k loan paydown + $-704 appreciation (-0.3% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 64/100 on livability (#371 in IN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A; Watch: health & safety D+, schools F, crime F.
• School City Of East Chicago (suburban): math 7% / reading 15% proficiency, ranked #293 of 301 in IN (top 97%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 89% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Watch-outs: built in 1927 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+8.1%/yr); 79 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 4d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 1,642 units permitted in Lake County in 2024 (14 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Lake County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 4 sale attempts since 8y 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 $35k; list at $232k implies a 563% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-0.3% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $65k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• At $1,881/mo this rent would consume 54% of the median local household income ($42k/yr) (locally 1227% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1927 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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 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?
• The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
• 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.