1221 E Chestnut St

Kankakee, IL 60901

$79,585C+

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,950 sqft · Built 1972 · Other · Pending · 52 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,596/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$417
• Tax + insurance: −$133
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$335
• Net cashflow: $711/mo
• Annual: $8,527/yr
• Cap rate: 17.01%
• Cash-on-cash: 38.26%
• DSCR: 2.70
• 1% rule: 2.00%
• Cash to close: $22,284

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath other listed at $80k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $711 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $80k).
• It's been on market 52 days — a 3% lower offer ($77k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $77k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $550 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 62/100 on livability (#832 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A; Watch: schools F, crime F, amenities F.
• Kankakee SD 111 (urban): math 6% / reading 13% proficiency, ranked #584 of 620 in IL (top 94%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 78% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.4%/yr); 115 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 145 units permitted in Kankakee County in 2024 (5 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Kankakee County population projected at -19% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 3 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $10k (11%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.4% rent growth), your $22k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 17.0% vs local median 5.8% in Kankakee — 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.
• This rent runs 33% of the median local income ($58k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 52 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1972 — 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?
• 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.