1819 Hartrey Ave

Evanston, IL 60201

$369,000C+

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,745 sqft · Built 1945 · SingleFamily · Pending · 50 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,951/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,935
• Tax + insurance: −$652
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$830
• Net cashflow: $534/mo
• Annual: $6,410/yr
• Cap rate: 8.03%
• Cash-on-cash: 6.20%
• DSCR: 1.28
• 1% rule: 1.07%
• Cash to close: $103,320

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $369k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $534 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($4k rent vs $369k).
• It's been on market 50 days — a 3% lower offer ($358k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $358k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $3k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $11k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 85/100 on livability (#26 in IL, #464 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: cost of living F.
• Evanston Twp Hsd 202 (urban): math 47% / reading 52% proficiency, ranked #54 of 620 in IL (top 9%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Evanston Twp High School (math 47% / reading 52%, grade D, #44 of 693 statewide, top 7%, 3,691 students, 0% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1945 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.9%/yr); 107 active listings in the ZIP; 21 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 9d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 6,272 units permitted in Cook County in 2024 (4,658 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Current owner paid $148k; list at $369k implies a 149% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Cap rate 8.0% vs local median 3.0% in Evanston — 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 $3,951/mo this rent would consume 52% of the median local household income ($91k/yr) (locally 2996% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 50 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1945 — 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 A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
• 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.