6522 Mccook Ave

Hammond, IN 46323

$68,000B

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 768 sqft · Built 1943 · Townhouse · Pending · 45 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,415/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$357
• Tax + insurance: −$197
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$297
• Net cashflow: $565/mo
• Annual: $6,779/yr
• Cap rate: 16.26%
• Cash-on-cash: 35.60%
• DSCR: 2.58
• 1% rule: 2.08%
• Cash to close: $19,040

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $68k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $565 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $68k).
• It's been on market 45 days — a 3% lower offer ($66k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $66k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $470 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 70/100 on livability (#143 in IN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, commute A; Watch: health & safety D+, employment D, crime F.
• School City Of Hammond (suburban): math 8% / reading 18% proficiency, ranked #289 of 301 in IN (top 96%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 74% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Morton Elementary School (math 7% / reading 8%, grade F, #949 of 994 statewide, top 97%, 476 students, 68% FRL); Charles N Scott Middle School (math 5% / reading 15%, grade F, #314 of 330 statewide, top 95%, 738 students, 75% FRL); Morton Senior High School (math 12% / reading 54%, grade F, #290 of 369 statewide, top 79%, 1,609 students, 69% FRL) — zoned schools at 71% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.0% of price; built in 1943 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 59 active listings in the ZIP; 8 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 11d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,642 units permitted in Lake County in 2024 (14 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Lake County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $19k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 16.3% vs local median 5.8% in Hammond — 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 45 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1943 — 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?
• 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.