103 W Main St · Vandalia, IL 62471

$79,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,216 sqft · Other public records · 44 Days on market

Built 1895 3,998 sqft lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the C+ grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +28.8/30.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +8.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +3.6/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.8/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Charming two-story home on a desirable corner lot, featuring a welcoming front porch perfect for relaxing. Inside, you’ll find a beautifully updated kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. Enjoy a fully fenced backyard ideal for pets, play, or entertaining. With a brand-new roof installed in 2025, this move-in ready home is waiting for its next family to make it their own.

Key facts

• Brand new roof
• Front porch
• Updated kitchen

Tags

• CORNER LOT
• FRONT PORCH
• UPDATED KITCHEN
• FULLY FENCED BACKYARD
• BRAND NEW ROOF

Property features AI

Exterior

• Utilities: Community water; Public sewer; Electricity (single phase); Natural gas connected; Water connected; Sewer connected; Electricity connected
• Home design: Single family residence; Two levels; Residential property
• Construction: Vinyl siding; Architectural shingle roof
• Exterior features: Back yard fencing; City lot on a corner parcel; Level lot

Interior

• Kitchen: Free-standing electric range; Free-standing refrigerator; Kitchen approximately 16x11
• Bedrooms: 3 bedrooms (all on the upper level); Bedroom sizes roughly 15x15, 11x9, and 15x9
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom (main level)
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating; Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Basement with block construction
• Laundry & utility: Laundry room (about 8x8)

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $79k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $266 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $79k).
• Recommended offer: $77k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 10.3% vs local median 4.9% in Vandalia — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 71/100 on livability (#348 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A-; Watch: employment D, amenities F, commute F.
• Vandalia CUSD 203 (town): math 17% / reading 25% proficiency, ranked #414 of 620 in IL (top 67%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Vandalia Community High School (math 17% / reading 22%, grade F, #397 of 693 statewide, top 61%, 408 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 51% district-wide (51 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Market conditions: 44 active listings in the ZIP.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $546 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Fayette County population projected to shrink 9% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $22k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 44 days — a 3% lower offer ($77k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1895 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $76,630 (3.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 44 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1895 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.30% ✓
• Cap rate: 10.34%
• Cash-on-cash: 14.44%
• DSCR: 1.64
• GRM: 6.4

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 4.9%
• Equity multiple: 1.19×
• Total profit: $4,163
• Equity at exit: $11,779

10-year hold

• IRR: 14.3%
• Equity multiple: 2.15×
• Total profit: $25,516
• Equity at exit: $6,830

Cash invested: $22,120 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 43 Moderately Tenant-Leaning
• State Illinois: 43 Moderately Tenant-Leaning · D+7
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Chicago RTLO is among the strongest tenant ordinances in the Midwest; downstate is more landlord-friendly.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 62471

• Active inventory: 44
• Price-to-rent: 6.4×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,030 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$414
• Tax from tax record: −$100 /mo · $1,201/yr
• Insurance: −$33
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$216
• Net cashflow: $266

Break-even live

Break-even rent $693

Max offer price $79,000

Occupancy floor 69%

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $19,750
• Closing costs: $2,370
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 8 events

1. 2026-06-01
   status $79,000 Pending 44 DOM
2. 2026-06-01
   days on market $79,000 Active Under Contract 44 DOM
3. 2026-05-31
   days on market $79,000 Active Under Contract 43 DOM
4. 2026-05-31
   days on market $79,000 Active Under Contract 42 DOM
5. 2026-04-20
   historical Active Under Contract
6. 2026-04-18
   listed $79,000 Active
7. 2016-12-09
   historical
8. 2016-05-28
   price $49,900

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast IL · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,201 · $100/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,497 · $125/mo
• Expected delta: +$296/yr (+$25/mo · 24.6%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥105°F today · 19 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 2% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $12,356
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,425
• − Property taxes: −$1,201
• − Insurance: −$395
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$988
• − Management: −$988
• − Depreciation: −$2,298
• Taxable income: $2,059
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$494
• After-tax cash flow: $2,699/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Vandalia CUSD 203
• NCES district ID: 1740140
• Math proficiency: 17% ▼ -4.00%
• Reading proficiency: 25% ▼ -7.00%
• Median HH income: $45,995
• Composite: 18.33/100
• National rank: #8948
• State rank: #414 of 620 in IL

Livability — Vandalia

• Score: 71/100
• State rank: #348
• US rank: #7078

Category grades

Amenities F Commute F Cost of living A+ Crime A+ Employment D Housing A- Health & safety F User ratings A+

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Vandalia, IL
• City population: 10,309
• Population (ZIP): 10,309

Population outlook (Fayette County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 21,667 people
• By 2030: 21,362 · -1.4%
• By 2040: 20,602 · -4.9%
• By 2050: 19,669 · -9.2%
• By 2075: 16,870 · -22.1%
• By 2100: 12,861 · -40.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (86%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 86% Black 7% Two or more races 5% Hispanic / Latino 4%
• Common ancestry: Lithuanian 2% Slovak 1% Romanian 1%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 92% English-only · Spanish 4% German/W. Germanic 3%

Political lean MEDSL · Fayette

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+64.7) · D 17.0% · R 81.7% · Other 1.3%
• 2008→2024 swing: -48.9pp toward R · 2008: -15.8pp · 2024: -64.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+64.7 2020: R+61.8 2016: R+58.3 2012: R+34.6 2008: R+15.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -73.05%
• Current HPI: 133.4945
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.59%
• F500 in state: 60

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Insurance	4	$201B
▸Consumer Goods	4	$87B
▸Industrial Machinery	3	$64B
▸Healthcare	2	$55B
▸Retail / Pharmacy	1	$148B
▸Agriculture / Food	1	$86B

Price history

+58.3% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-20 Contingent — MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-04-18 Listed $79,000 MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2016-12-09 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2016-05-28 Price Changed $49,900 MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+7.3%/yr

Latest (2024): $1,201 · +1.8% YoY. Source: county tax records.