Essex Realty Group, LLC has been exclusively engaged to market for sale the Berkeley Portfolio, an 18-unit, three-building multifamily portfolio located in Berkeley, IL. The portfolio comprises three brick buildings, 5607 Berkeley Ave, 5611 Berkeley Ave, and 1400 N Hillside Ave. The unit mix consists of one (1) studio, two (2) one-bedroom/one-bath units, and fifteen (15) two-bedroom/one-bath units. The portfolio benefits from a highly desirable unit mix that consistently drives strong tenant demand and retention in the western suburbs.

Current in-place rents have not been adjusted to reflect prevailing market conditions, creating significant value-add potential for an incoming owner. Two-bedroom rents average ~$1,450 per month versus market rents of $1,600, representing approximately 12% in rental upside across fifteen units. At stabilization, the portfolio is forecasted to generate a 7.26% cap rate and a 1.60x debt service coverage ratio, reflecting exceptional operational upside and strong financing flexibility.

The portfolio is ideally situated along St. Charles Road, less than half a mile from the Berkeley Metra station on the Union Pacific West Line, offering a 29-minute commute to Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago. Residents benefit from immediate access to both I-294 and I-290, as well as proximity to Triton College, Loyola Medicine at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, and major national retailers along the North Avenue and St. Charles Road corridors. The Village of Berkeley has invested in the revitalization of the St. Charles Road corridor through an updated Corridor Plan and an active Tax Increment Financing district, signaling continued public investment in the area’s commercial and residential appeal.

Berkeley is a densely populated village in Cook County, situated at the intersection of Interstates 290 and 294 approximately 12 miles west of downtown Chicago. Its premier location at one of the region’s most critical highway crossroads places residents within minutes of the I-88 Technology Corridor, O’Hare International Airport, and the employment centers of Oak Brook, Elmhurst, and Schaumburg — making it one of the most transit-accessible inner-ring suburbs in the Chicago metro. The village is also served by its own Metra station on the Union Pacific West Line, providing direct commuter rail service to Ogilvie Transportation Center in the Loop. With a cost of living near the national average and a median gross rent of $1,296, Berkeley offers a compelling affordability profile relative to its immediate proximity to Chicago.

Berkeley’s resident base reflects a diverse, working-class community with steady income fundamentals. The median household income stands at $83,224 — above the Illinois statewide median — with an average annual household income of $93,966, up 3% year-over-year. The village’s population of approximately 5,200 skews younger, with a median age of 33.6 and over 26% of residents in the prime 25–44 renter cohort. With 70.7% of the workforce employed in professional or administrative positions and a median home value of $228,594 that keeps homeownership out of reach for many households, Berkeley’s renter demand is structurally supported — underpinning stable occupancy and consistent rent performance for multifamily assets in the submarket

• 7.26% Forecasted Cap Rate and 7.43 GRM at Stabilized Rents
• 18-Unit Portfolio Across Three Adjacent Buildings Offering Immediate Scale
• Favorable Unit Mix - 84% Two-Bedroom Units
• Prime Transit Access - Less Than Half a Mile to the Berkeley Metra Station (UP-W Line), 29 Minutes to Downtown Chicago
• Active TIF District and Village Corridor Plan Supporting Continued Investment Along St. Charles Road