2104 Fairview Ave

Fairmont, IL 60441

$225,000C+

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,160 sqft · Built 1949 · Other · Contingent - Continue to Show · 31 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,616/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,180
• Tax + insurance: −$333
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$549
• Net cashflow: $554/mo
• Annual: $6,648/yr
• Cap rate: 9.25%
• Cash-on-cash: 10.55%
• DSCR: 1.47
• 1% rule: 1.16%
• Cash to close: $63,000

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath other listed at $225k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $554 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $225k).
• It's been on market 31 days — a 3% lower offer ($218k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $218k (3.0% 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 $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 68/100 on livability (#455 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, health & safety F.
• Lockport Twp Hsd 205 (suburban): math 35% / reading 38% proficiency, ranked #153 of 620 in IL (top 25%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Fairmont School (math 8% / reading 12%, grade F, #1,517 of 2,056 statewide, top 78%, 312 students, 0% FRL); Lockport Township High Sch East (math 35% / reading 38%, grade F, #117 of 693 statewide, top 17%, 3,872 students, 0% FRL).
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 23% at this address vs 36% district-wide (-13 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Lockport Twp Hsd 205 average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Watch-outs: built in 1949 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.9%/yr); 132 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; solid renter incomes; 2,028 units permitted in Will County in 2024 (530 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Will County population projected to shrink 4% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 4 sale attempts since 4y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $25k (10%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.9% rent growth), your $63k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• This rent runs 30% of the median local income ($103k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 31 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1949 — 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?
• 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.