31 Sickles Dr · Decatur, IL 62521

$147,897

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 864 sqft · Other public records · 22 Days on market

Built 1957 5,500 sqft lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the F 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 +8.7/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +3.0/5.0
• 1% rule +2.5/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• DSCR +2.4/10.0
• Schools +0.4/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Bigger than it looks-hardwood floors, basement is partially finished. Eat-in kitchen. Seller will help w/closing costs.

Key facts

• Attached garage
• Full basement
• Vinyl plank flooring

Tags

• VINYL PLANK FLOORING
• FULL BASEMENT
• ATTACHED GARAGE
• MINUTES FROM SHOPPING

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached 2-car garage
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; One level / 1 story
• Construction: Vinyl siding; Finished area above grade and below grade; Built with full finished basement
• Exterior features: Asphalt road access; Metal roof

Interior

• Kitchen: Range
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Natural gas forced-air heating; Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Finished full basement; Gas water heater; Range

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $148k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-124 ($-1k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $126k (14.8% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $111k (24.7% below list).
• Recommended offer: $111k (24.7% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 5.3% vs local median 7.0% in Decatur — below-typical yield; the buyer is paying a premium for something (appreciation thesis, condition, location) that the cap rate doesn't capture.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 59/100 on livability (#1,076 in IL) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: schools F, crime F, amenities F.
• Decatur SD 61 (urban): math 3% / reading 6% proficiency, ranked #605 of 620 in IL (top 98%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 73% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: 193 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 63 units permitted in Macon County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Macon County population projected at -24% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 22 days — a 2% lower offer ($146k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 4 sale attempts since 17y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• Current owner paid $50k; list at $148k implies a 196% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1957 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $111,314 (24.7% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
2. Built in 1957 — 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 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?
5. 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?
6. The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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: 0.75% ✗
• Cap rate: 5.29%
• Cash-on-cash: -3.58%
• DSCR: 0.84
• GRM: 11.1

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: -22.3%
• Equity multiple: 0.23×
• Total profit: $-31,838
• Equity at exit: $22,052

10-year hold

• IRR: -16.4%
• Equity multiple: 0.09×
• Total profit: $-37,846
• Equity at exit: $12,787

Cash invested: $41,411 (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 62521

• Home prices YoY: -9.0%
• Active inventory: 193
• Price-to-rent: 11.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,113 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$776
• Tax from tax record: −$166 /mo · $1,990/yr
• Insurance: −$62
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$234
• Net cashflow: $-124

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,270

Max offer price $126,049

Occupancy floor —

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $-40	-5% $-82	+0% $-124	+5% $-166	+10% $-207
Rent	-10% $-212	-5% $-168	+0% $-124	+5% $-80	+10% $-36
Rate	-1.0pp $-49	-0.5pp $-86	base $-124	+0.5pp $-162	+1.0pp $-201

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: $36,974
• Closing costs: $4,437
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 1 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
1035 S Main St Decatur, IL	2.0	1.0	847	$880	$1.04	14d	7	1.13mi

Listing history 25 events

1. 2026-06-19
   days on market $147,897 Active 22 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $147,897 Active 21 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $147,897 Active 20 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $147,897 Active 19 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $147,897 Active 18 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   days on market $147,897 Active 16 DOM
7. 2026-06-13
   days on market $147,897 Active 15 DOM
8. 2026-06-10
   days on market $147,897 Active 13 DOM
9. 2026-06-09
   days on market $147,897 Active 12 DOM
10. 2026-06-08
    days on market $147,897 Active 11 DOM
11. 2026-06-07
    days on market $147,897 Active 10 DOM
12. 2026-06-05
    days on market $147,897 Active 7 DOM
13. 2026-06-02
    days on market $147,897 Active 5 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    days on market $147,897 Active 4 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $147,897 Active 3 DOM
16. 2026-05-30
    days on market $147,897 Active 2 DOM
17. 2026-05-28
    listed $147,897 Active
18. 2025-11-08
    historical $1,100
19. 2025-09-14
    listed $1,100
20. 2025-09-14
    historical $1,100
21. 2025-09-03
    listed $1,100
22. 2009-12-31
    soldstatus $50,000
23. 2009-05-15
    soldstatus $50,000 121-char remark

    Show marketing remark (121 chars)

    Bigger than it looks-hardwood floors, basement is partially finished. Eat-in kitchen. Seller will help w/closing costs.

24. 2009-01-06
    listed $64,900 121-char remark

    Show marketing remark (121 chars)

    Bigger than it looks-hardwood floors, basement is partially finished. Eat-in kitchen. Seller will help w/closing costs.

25. 2008-12-31
    historical

ⓘ 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: $1,990 · $166/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,674 · $223/mo
• Expected delta: +$684/yr (+$57/mo · 34.3%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 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 100% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $13,358
• − Mortgage interest: −$8,285
• − Property taxes: −$1,990
• − Insurance: −$739
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,069
• − Management: −$1,069
• − Depreciation: −$4,302
• Taxable loss: −$4,096
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$983
• After-tax cash flow: $-501/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: Decatur SD 61
• NCES district ID: 1711850
• Math proficiency: 3% ▼ -4.00%
• Reading proficiency: 6% ▼ -6.00%
• Median HH income: $38,864
• Composite: 3.99/100
• National rank: #10059
• State rank: #605 of 620 in IL

Livability — Decatur

• Score: 59/100
• State rank: #1076
• US rank: #20533

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Decatur, IL
• County: Macon County · 78,333 people
• City population: 78,333
• Metro: Decatur, IL
• Population (ZIP): 32,665
• Household income: $66,337
• Rent vs Own: 25.5% rent · 74.5% own
• Severe rent burden: 640.0

Population outlook (Macon County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 99,568 people
• By 2030: 94,973 · -4.6%
• By 2040: 85,250 · -14.4%
• By 2050: 75,920 · -23.8%
• By 2075: 55,962 · -43.8%
• By 2100: 36,468 · -63.4%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (75%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 75% Black 17% Two or more races 5% Hispanic / Latino 3%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 3% Romanian 2% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada
• Languages at home: 96% English-only · Spanish 2% Russian/Polish/Slavic 1% Other Indo-European 0%

Political lean MEDSL · Macon

• 2024 margin: R (+18.9) · D 39.8% · R 58.7% · Other 1.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: -20.0pp toward R · 2008: 1.1pp · 2024: -18.9pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+18.9 2020: R+17.7 2016: R+18.1 2012: R+5.2 2008: D+1.1

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -17.96%
• Current HPI: 180.9274
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: Decatur, IL
• 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

+127.9% since first listed

9 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-28 Listed $147,897 CIBR
• 2025-11-08 Rental Removed $1,100 RentEngineListings
• 2025-09-14 Listed for Rent $1,100 RentEngineListings
• 2025-09-14 Rental Removed $1,100 TENANTTURNER2
• 2025-09-03 Listed for Rent $1,100 TENANTTURNER2
• 2009-12-31 Sold (Public Records) $50,000 Public Records
• 2009-05-15 Sold (MLS) $50,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2009-01-06 Listed $64,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2008-12-31 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+3.0%/yr

Latest (2024): $1,990 · +44.6% YoY. Source: county tax records.