18330 Cherry Creek Dr #5

Homewood, IL 60430

$115,000C

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,000 sqft · Built — · Condo · Active · 74 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,156/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$603
• Tax + insurance: −$323
• HOA: −$591
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$453
• Net cashflow: $186/mo
• Annual: $2,226/yr
• Cap rate: 8.23%
• Cash-on-cash: 6.91%
• DSCR: 1.31
• 1% rule: 1.87%
• Cash to close: $32,200

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $115k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $186 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $115k).
• It's been on market 74 days — a 6% lower offer ($108k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $108k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $795 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 81/100 on livability (#81 in IL, #1,314 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, employment A+, cost of living A+; Watch: amenities F.
• Homewood Flossmoor Chsd 233 (suburban): math 21% / reading 27% proficiency, ranked #272 of 620 in IL (top 44%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Western Avenue Elem School (math 32% / reading 37%, grade F, #517 of 2,056 statewide, top 28%, 491 students, 0% FRL); Parker Junior High School (math 16% / reading 21%, grade F, #438 of 665 statewide, top 67%, 858 students, 0% FRL); Homewood-Flossmoor High School (math 21% / reading 27%, grade F, #304 of 693 statewide, top 44%, 2,798 students, 0% FRL).
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.9% of price; HOA is 27% of rent.
• Market conditions: 101 active listings in the ZIP; 10 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 15d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 6,272 units permitted in Cook County in 2024 (4,658 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 3 sale attempts since 12y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $10k (8%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $45k; list at $115k implies a 156% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Cap rate 8.2% vs local median 6.1% in Homewood — 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 74 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• 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.