301 Railroad Ave · Mount Sterling, IL 62353

$119,500

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,260 sqft · Other · 7 Days on market

7,200 sqft lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the D 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).

• Appreciation +10.0/10.0
• Cash flow +9.1/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• 1% rule +3.7/10.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• DSCR +2.5/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.3/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

A completely remodeled home! This property has been revamped from top to bottom. Walk in and find beautiful laminate hardwood flooring leading into the kitchen with tile floors and ample cabinet space. In the master bedroom, the cathedral ceiling with can lighting makes the room feel huge and the attached master bathroom has a custom feel that is sure to impress! On the opposite end of the home, there is a generous sized bedroom with a full bath located conveniently across the hall!

Key facts

• 7,200 sq ft lot
• Listed 6 days

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: No garage (parking listed as 'Other')
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; Living area about 1260
• Construction: Shingle roof; No year built provided
• Exterior features: Level lot; Lot dimensions approximately 60 x 120

Interior

• Kitchen: Kitchen on main level (approx. 12x16); Tile flooring in kitchen
• Bedrooms: 2 bedrooms (both on the main level; one ~16x16, the other ~16x10)
• Flooring: Carpet in bedrooms; Tile in kitchen
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating; Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Crawl space basement; No fireplaces reported

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath other listed at $120k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-93 ($-1k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $103k (13.7% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $104k (12.9% below list).
• Recommended offer: $103k (13.7% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 67/100 on livability (#521 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, crime A; Watch: employment C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Brown County CUSD 1 (town): math 24% / reading 28% proficiency, ranked #306 of 620 in IL (top 49%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Brown County Elementary School (math 22% / reading 32%, grade F, #749 of 2,056 statewide, top 40%, 262 students, 0% FRL); Brown County Middle School (math 23% / reading 23%, grade F, #377 of 665 statewide, top 58%, 206 students, 0% FRL); Brown County High School (math 34% / reading 34%, grade F, #126 of 693 statewide, top 21%, 212 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.
• Market conditions: 55 active listings in the ZIP; 1 units permitted in Brown County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $13k of equity ($826 loan paydown + $12k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Brown County population projected at +8% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• By year 3, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$32k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• Only 7 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 10 sale attempts since 10y 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 $100k; 20% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.

Recommended offer $103,141 (13.7% 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. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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?
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: 0.87% ✗
• Cap rate: 5.36%
• Cash-on-cash: -3.32%
• DSCR: 0.85
• GRM: 9.6

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

10.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 21.9%
• Equity multiple: 2.77×
• Total profit: $59,255
• Equity at exit: $107,655

10-year hold

• IRR: 19.7%
• Equity multiple: 6.36×
• Total profit: $179,275
• Equity at exit: $232,162

Cash invested: $33,460 (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 62353

• Home prices YoY: 8.6%
• Active inventory: 55
• Price-to-rent: 9.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,041 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$627
• Tax from tax record: −$239 /mo · $2,863/yr
• Insurance: −$50
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$219
• Net cashflow: $-93

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,158

Max offer price $103,141

Occupancy floor —

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $-25	-5% $-59	+0% $-93	+5% $-126	+10% $-160
Rent	-10% $-175	-5% $-134	+0% $-93	+5% $-51	+10% $-10
Rate	-1.0pp $-32	-0.5pp $-62	base $-93	+0.5pp $-124	+1.0pp $-155

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: $29,875
• Closing costs: $3,585
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 7 events

1. 2026-06-22
   days on market $119,500 Active 7 DOM
2. 2026-06-21
   days on market $119,500 Active 6 DOM
3. 2026-06-21
   days on market $119,500 Active 5 DOM
4. 2026-06-18
   days on market $119,500 Active 3 DOM
5. 2026-06-17
   days on market $119,500 Active 2 DOM
6. 2026-06-16
   remarks 551-char remark
7. 2026-06-16
   listed $119,500 Active 1 DOM

ⓘ 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: $2,863 · $239/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,863 · $239/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ 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 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥106°F today · 18 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 100% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $12,493
• − Mortgage interest: −$6,694
• − Property taxes: −$2,863
• − Insurance: −$598
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$999
• − Management: −$999
• − Depreciation: −$3,476
• Taxable loss: −$3,137
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$753
• After-tax cash flow: $-358/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: Brown County CUSD 1
• NCES district ID: 1727300
• Math proficiency: 24% ▲ 4.00%
• Reading proficiency: 28% ▼ -4.00%
• Median HH income: $46,421
• Composite: 22.54/100
• National rank: #8086
• State rank: #306 of 620 in IL

Livability — Mount Sterling

• Score: 67/100
• State rank: #521
• US rank: #10759

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Mount Sterling, IL
• Population (ZIP): 5,012

Population outlook (Brown County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 6,790 people
• By 2030: 6,900 · +1.6%
• By 2040: 7,195 · +6.0%
• By 2050: 7,299 · +7.5%
• By 2075: 6,469 · -4.7%
• By 2100: 5,194 · -23.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (71%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 71% Black 22% Hispanic / Latino 6% Two or more races 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 4% Puerto Rican 1%
• Common ancestry: Italian 2% Lithuanian 1% Romanian 1%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 93% English-only · Spanish 6% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Brown

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+59.9) · D 19.0% · R 78.9% · Other 2.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -38.2pp toward R · 2008: -21.7pp · 2024: -59.9pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+59.9 2020: R+57.2 2016: R+55.7 2012: R+30.6 2008: R+21.7

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 13.18%
• Current HPI: 166.29
• 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

+32.9% since first listed

20 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-15 Listed $119,500 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-06-08 Sold (MLS) $99,500 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-06-08 Sold (MLS) $99,500 Quincy AOR
• 2022-06-08 Sold (MLS) $99,500 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-03-01 Listed $102,500 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-03-01 Listed $102,500 Quincy AOR
• 2022-03-01 Listed $102,500 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2021-01-25 Sold (Public Records) $90,000 Public Records
• 2021-01-14 Sold (MLS) $90,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2021-01-14 Sold (MLS) $90,000 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2021-01-14 Sold (MLS) $90,000 Quincy AOR
• 2020-08-07 Listed $92,500 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2020-08-07 Listed $92,500 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2020-08-07 Listed $92,500 Quincy AOR
• 2017-06-16 Sold (MLS) $84,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2017-06-16 Sold (MLS) $84,000 Quincy AOR
• 2017-06-16 Sold (MLS) $84,000 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2016-12-28 Listed $89,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2016-12-28 Listed $89,900 Quincy AOR
• 2016-12-28 Listed $89,900 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+14.7%/yr

Latest (2024): $2,863 · +3.1% YoY. Source: county tax records.