356 W Cypress St

Kankakee, IL 60901

$59,900B-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 832 sqft · Built 1918 · Other · Pending · 257 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,224/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$314
• Tax + insurance: −$100
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$257
• Net cashflow: $553/mo
• Annual: $6,635/yr
• Cap rate: 17.37%
• Cash-on-cash: 39.56%
• DSCR: 2.76
• 1% rule: 2.04%
• Cash to close: $16,772

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $60k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $553 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $60k).
• It's been on market 257 days — a 12% lower offer ($53k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $53k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $414 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 62/100 on livability (#832 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A; Watch: crime F, amenities F, employment D-.
• Kankakee SD 111 (urban): math 6% / reading 13% proficiency, ranked #584 of 620 in IL (top 94%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 78% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: John Kennedy Middle Grade School (math 7% / reading 19%, grade F, #1,362 of 2,056 statewide, top 66%, 543 students, 0% FRL); Kankakee Junior High School (math 4% / reading 15%, grade F, #597 of 665 statewide, top 91%, 560 students, 0% FRL); Kankakee High School (math 6% / reading 10%, grade F, #587 of 693 statewide, top 85%, 1,513 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 78% district-wide (78 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1918 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.4%/yr); 115 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 145 units permitted in Kankakee County in 2024 (5 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Kankakee County population projected at -19% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• Current owner paid $46k; 30% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.4% rent growth), your $17k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 17.4% vs local median 5.7% in Kankakee — 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 257 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1918 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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?
• 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.