604 S Western Ave

Bloomington, IL 61701

$125,000C-

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 708 sqft · Built 1925 · Other · Active · 6 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,326/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$656
• Tax + insurance: −$197
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$279
• Net cashflow: $195/mo
• Annual: $2,345/yr
• Cap rate: 8.17%
• Cash-on-cash: 6.70%
• DSCR: 1.30
• 1% rule: 1.06%
• Cash to close: $35,000

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $125k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $195 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $125k).
• Only 6 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $864 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 77/100 on livability (#161 in IL, #2,987 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: amenities C-, commute F.
• Bloomington SD 87 (urban): math 14% / reading 19% proficiency, ranked #476 of 620 in IL (top 77%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Irving Elementary School (math 2% / reading 12%, grade F, #1,673 of 2,056 statewide, top 84%, 342 students, 0% FRL); Bloomington Jr High School (math 12% / reading 19%, grade F, #493 of 665 statewide, top 75%, 1,006 students, 0% FRL); Bloomington High School (math 27% / reading 33%, grade F, #179 of 693 statewide, top 27%, 1,503 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 51% district-wide (51 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1925 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.6%/yr); 88 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 247 units permitted in McLean County in 2024 (54 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 2 sale attempts since 10y 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.
• Current owner paid $19k; list at $125k implies a 554% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.6% rent growth), your $35k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 8.2% vs local median 5.4% in Bloomington — 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

• Built in 1925 — 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.
• 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.