3231 S 53rd Ct

Cicero, IL 60804

$325,000D

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,934 sqft · Built 1925 · MultiFamily · Active · 78 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,272/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,704
• Tax + insurance: −$897
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$687
• Net cashflow: $-16/mo
• Annual: $-192/yr
• Cap rate: 6.23%
• Cash-on-cash: -0.21%
• DSCR: 0.99
• 1% rule: 1.01%
• Cash to close: $91,000

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath multifamily listed at $325k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-16 ($-192/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $322k (0.9% below list).
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $325k).
• It's been on market 78 days — a 6% lower offer ($306k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $306k (6.0% 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 $10k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 82/100 on livability (#77 in IL, #1,276 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: schools F.
• J S Morton Hsd 201 (suburban): math 9% / reading 14% proficiency, ranked #557 of 620 in IL (top 90%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.8% of price; built in 1925 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+2.4%/yr); 103 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 21d 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 4y 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.
• Cap rate 6.2% vs local median 4.6% in Cicero — 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.
• At $3,272/mo this rent would consume 55% of the median local household income ($71k/yr) (locally 2178% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• 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?
• It's been on market 78 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1925 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• 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 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?
• 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?