4330 Olcott Ave · East Chicago, IN 46312

$179,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,492 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 125 Days on market

Built 1913 3,550 sqft lot Est $178k · at est. ↓ 13% since listing

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Why this score? — see what drove the D 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 +12.2/30.0
• ARV discount +7.1/15.0
• Appreciation +4.8/10.0
• Rent growth +4.5/5.0
• DSCR +3.6/10.0
• Livability +3.2/5.0
• 1% rule +2.9/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +0.8/10.0

Listing remarks

This charming 4-bed, 2-bath home offers a functional layout along with major updates that matter, including newer windows, furnace, central air, and water heater. Enter through the front door into a generous mudroom that leads into an open and welcoming main level. The living room flows naturally into a separate dining space with convenient access to a full bathroom & bedroom. Also note the abundance of recessed lighting throughout the home. Before you enter the kitchen, you're greeted by a striking black brick accent wall that adds character and charm. The kitchen comes complete with all appliances, including a new stainless-steel refrigerator, and the main-level laundry adds conveni

Key facts

• 3,550 sq ft lot
• Built 1913
• Listed 125 days

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Alley access; On-street parking
• Security: Carbon monoxide detectors; Smoke detectors
• Utilities: Electricity connected (100 Amp service); Public water; Public sewer; Natural gas connected
• Home design: Two-story property; Built in 1913; Has basement with interior entry, walk-out access, unfinished space and storage
• Construction: Aluminum siding; Shingle roof; Basement present
• Exterior features: Covered rear porch; Rain gutters; Neighborhood view; Storm windows; Aluminum window frames

Interior

• Kitchen: Gas range; Refrigerator; Microwave; Granite counters
• Bedrooms: Primary bedroom; Bedroom 2; Bedroom 3; Bedroom 4; Bonus room
• Flooring: Tile; Vinyl
• Bathrooms: Two 3/4 bathrooms
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating; Central air conditioning; Ceiling fans
• Interior features: Ceiling fans; Recessed lighting; Open floor plan; High ceilings; Granite counters; Entrance foyer
• Laundry & utility: Washer; Dryer; Gas dryer hookup on main level; Gas water heater

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $179k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-36 ($-436/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $173k (3.6% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $141k (21.3% below list).
• Recommended offer: $141k (21.3% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 6.0% vs local median 8.2% in East Chicago — below-typical yield; the buyer is paying a premium for something (appreciation thesis, condition, location) that the cap rate doesn't capture.

Location & tenants

• 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.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+8.1%/yr); 79 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 1,642 units permitted in Lake County in 2024 (14 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 40% of the median local income ($42k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $695 of equity ($1k loan paydown + $-543 appreciation (-0.3% local appreciation)).
• Lake County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-0.3% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $50k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 125 days — a 12% lower offer ($158k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 9 sale attempts since 2y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $21k (10%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1913 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $140,839 (21.3% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
2. It's been on market 125 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 21% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
3. Built in 1913 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
4. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
5. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
6. 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?
7. 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?
8. 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?
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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: 0.79% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.05%
• Cash-on-cash: -0.87%
• DSCR: 0.96
• GRM: 10.6

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $177,548
• Comps found: 10

Show comp detail 10 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
4330 Olcott Ave	0.00mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,500 (+0%)	0mo	$179,000	$119	90
4230 Tod Ave	0.14mi	2/1.0 (-1)	1,336 (-10%)	1mo	$144,000	$108	70
1221 W 142nd St	0.44mi	3/1.5	1,566 (+5%)	2mo	$208,000	$133	68
4402 Northcote Ave	0.29mi	3/1.5	1,580 (+6%)	11mo	$165,000	$104	66
4206 Indianapolis Blvd	0.19mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,479 (-1%)	22mo	$202,000	$137	62
4213 Baring Ave	0.25mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,581 (+6%)	20mo	$139,000	$88	53
4131 Baring Ave	0.31mi	3/2.0	1,694 (+14%)	14mo	$224,000	$132	47
4220 Homerlee Ave	0.39mi	3/1.0	1,706 (+14%)	13mo	$135,000	$79	47
4805 Baring Ave	0.56mi	3/1.5	1,657 (+11%)	10mo	$250,000	$151	46
4855 Indianapolis Blvd	0.64mi	3/1.0	1,689 (+13%)	3mo	$198,000	$117	45

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

Projected returns pro-forma

-0.3% appreciation · 8.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -1.1%
• Equity multiple: 0.95×
• Total profit: $-2,677
• Equity at exit: $49,276

10-year hold

• IRR: 8.2%
• Equity multiple: 1.98×
• Total profit: $49,089
• Equity at exit: $57,119

Cash invested: $50,120 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Indiana: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+11
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day pay-or-quit; landlord-favorable; preempted.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 46312

• Home prices YoY: -0.1%
• Rents YoY: 8.1%
• Active inventory: 79
• Price-to-rent: 10.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,408 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$939
• Tax from tax record: −$136 /mo · $1,628/yr
• Insurance: −$75
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$296
• Net cashflow: $-36

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,454

Max offer price $172,584

Occupancy floor 98%

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: $44,750
• Closing costs: $5,370
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 2 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
4001 McCook Ave Unit 2 East Chicago, IN	3.0	1.0	960	$1,650	$1.72	3d	1	0.88mi
1311 E # E Unit Columbus Dr unit 1 East Chicago, IN	3.0	1.5	1056	$1,350	$1.28	7d	1	1.32mi

Listing history 28 events

1. 2026-05-07
   status Pending
2. 2026-04-18
   price $179,000
3. 2026-03-31
   price $184,995
4. 2026-03-10
   price $189,999
5. 2026-02-20
   price $194,999
6. 2026-01-15
   price $197,000
7. 2026-01-02
   listed $199,995 Active
8. 2025-12-12
   historical
9. 2025-11-21
   price $187,000
10. 2025-10-20
    price $189,000
11. 2025-10-03
    listed $192,000 Active
12. 2025-10-03
    historical
13. 2025-09-08
    price $197,000
14. 2025-07-21
    price $199,000
15. 2025-07-02
    listed $204,900 Active
16. 2025-06-18
    historical
17. 2025-05-20
    status Active
18. 2025-05-12
    historical Active Under Contract
19. 2025-04-09
    status Active
20. 2025-04-05
    status Pending
21. 2025-04-03
    status Active
22. 2025-04-02
    status Pending
23. 2025-03-26
    listed $199,900 Active
24. 2025-03-24
    historical
25. 2025-03-08
    listed $209,900 Active
26. 2025-02-10
    historical
27. 2024-11-15
    price $209,900
28. 2024-11-13
    listed $204,900 Active

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast IN · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,628 · $136/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,628 · $136/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 4/10 Moderate FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 22% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥101°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 100% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 4/10 Moderate 5 unhealthy d/yr today · 6 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $16,901
• − Mortgage interest: −$10,027
• − Property taxes: −$1,628
• − Insurance: −$895
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,352
• − Management: −$1,352
• − Depreciation: −$5,207
• Taxable loss: −$3,560
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$855
• After-tax cash flow: $419/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: School City Of East Chicago
• NCES district ID: 1802880
• Math proficiency: 7% ▼ -10.00%
• Reading proficiency: 15% ▼ -7.00%
• Median HH income: $28,423
• Composite: 8.36/100
• National rank: #9909
• State rank: #293 of 301 in IN

Livability — East Chicago

• Score: 64/100
• State rank: #371
• US rank: #13869

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: East Chicago, IN
• County: Lake County · 422,878 people
• City population: 26,022
• Metro: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
• Population (ZIP): 26,022
• Household income: $42,125
• Rent vs Own: 57.1% rent · 42.9% own
• Severe rent burden: 1227.0

Population outlook (Lake County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 484,026 people
• By 2030: 478,091 · -1.2%
• By 2040: 462,974 · -4.3%
• By 2050: 449,894 · -7.1%
• By 2075: 436,169 · -9.9%
• By 2100: 426,607 · -11.9%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Majority Hispanic (56%)
• Race & ethnicity: Hispanic / Latino 56% Black 36% Two or more races 11% White 7%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 45% Puerto Rican 6%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 16% · Canada
• Languages at home: 59% English-only · Spanish 40%

Political lean MEDSL · Lake

• 2024 margin: Lean D (+5.6) · D 52.1% · R 46.5% · Other 1.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -28.6pp toward R · 2008: 34.3pp · 2024: 5.6pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+5.6 2020: D+15.1 2016: D+20.6 2012: D+31.0 2008: D+34.3

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -0.30%
• Current HPI: 267.9232
• Rent YoY: ▲ 8.06%
• Metro: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.90%
• F500 in state: 18

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IN)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Industrial Machinery	2	$37B
▸Healthcare	1	$177B
▸Pharmaceuticals	1	$45B
▸Metals / Steel	1	$18B
▸Agriculture	1	$17B
▸Packaging	1	$12B

Price history

-12.6% since first listed

28 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-07 Pending — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-04-18 Price Changed $179,000 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-03-31 Price Changed $184,995 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-03-10 Price Changed $189,999 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-02-20 Price Changed $194,999 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-15 Price Changed $197,000 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-02 Listed $199,995 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-12-12 Listing Removed — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-11-21 Price Changed $187,000 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-10-20 Price Changed $189,000 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-10-03 Listing Removed — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-10-03 Listed $192,000 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-09-08 Price Changed $197,000 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-07-21 Price Changed $199,000 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-07-02 Listed $204,900 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-06-18 Listing Removed — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-05-20 Relisted — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-05-12 Contingent — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-04-09 Relisted — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-04-05 Pending — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-04-03 Relisted — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-04-02 Pending — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-03-26 Listed $199,900 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-03-24 Listing Removed — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-03-08 Listed $209,900 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-02-10 Listing Removed — NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-11-15 Price Changed $209,900 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-11-13 Listed $204,900 NIRA MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+15.3%/yr

Latest (2024): $1,628 · +129.8% YoY. Source: county tax records.