1449 Gordon Ave

Calumet City, IL 60409

$116,500B+

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,547 sqft · Built 1958 · SingleFamily · Active · 19 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,183/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$611
• Tax + insurance: −$194
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$458
• Net cashflow: $919/mo
• Annual: $11,031/yr
• Cap rate: 15.76%
• Cash-on-cash: 33.82%
• DSCR: 2.50
• 1% rule: 1.87%
• Cash to close: $32,620

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $116k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $919 ($11k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $116k).
• It's been on market 19 days — a 2% lower offer ($115k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $115k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $805 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 71/100 on livability (#330 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, crime D-, amenities F.
• Thornton Fractional Twp Hsd 215 (suburban): math 9% / reading 13% proficiency, ranked #563 of 620 in IL (top 91%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Hoover Elem School (556 students, 0% FRL); Schrum Memorial School (math 24% / reading 24%, grade F, #332 of 665 statewide, top 55%, 277 students, 0% FRL); Thornton Fractnl No High School (math 6% / reading 10%, grade F, #587 of 693 statewide, top 85%, 1,383 students, 0% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1958 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.2%/yr); 196 active listings in the ZIP; 8 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 3d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 6,272 units permitted in Cook County in 2024 (4,658 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.2% rent growth), your $33k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 15.8% vs local median 8.3% in Calumet City — 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 $2,183/mo this rent would consume 47% of the median local household income ($55k/yr) (locally 2415% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1958 — 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?
• Crime grade is D 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.
• 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.