909 E Elm St

Macomb, IL 61455

$39,500B-

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 594 sqft · Built 1935 · Other · Active · 18 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $699/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$207
• Tax + insurance: −$107
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$147
• Net cashflow: $238/mo
• Annual: $2,854/yr
• Cap rate: 13.52%
• Cash-on-cash: 25.81%
• DSCR: 2.15
• 1% rule: 1.77%
• Cash to close: $11,060

Investor read

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $40k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $238 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($699 rent vs $40k).
• It's been on market 18 days — a 2% lower offer ($39k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $39k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $273 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 70/100 on livability (#379 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+, housing B; Watch: crime D, amenities D, commute F.
• Macomb CUSD 185 (town): math 19% / reading 26% proficiency, ranked #410 of 620 in IL (top 66%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Lincoln Elem School (math 17% / reading 12%, grade F, #1,278 of 2,056 statewide, top 65%, 548 students, 0% FRL); Macomb Junior High School (math 21% / reading 32%, grade F, #312 of 665 statewide, top 48%, 308 students, 0% FRL); Macomb Senior High School (math 27% / reading 37%, grade F, #157 of 693 statewide, top 25%, 622 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 40% district-wide (40 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.8% of price; built in 1935 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 140 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $11k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 13.5% vs local median 6.1% in Macomb — 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.
• This rent is only 17% of the median local income ($49k/yr) — well below the 30% rent-burden line; pricing power to push rent on renewal without tenant pushback.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1935 — 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 D-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.