1202 20th Ave · Viola, IL 61486

$129,900

4 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,908 sqft · Other · 20 Days on market

Built 1903 0.42 ac 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).

• Cash flow +11.8/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Appreciation +7.0/10.0
• 1% rule +4.4/10.0
• DSCR +3.5/10.0
• Livability +3.3/5.0
• Schools +2.7/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks MLS

LOADS OF ROOM in this affordable home with a large, fenced yard and a shed that could fit a small vehicle. This home has an enclosed porch right off of your paved parking pad. Then you enter into the kitchen with tall ceilings and white cabinets. The open space from the kitchen allows you to see past the dining, front entry and the living room area. Main floor laundry off the living room plus a space currently being used as a den that has a 1/2 bath and back yard access to deck. This could be a main floor master! Upstairs are 4 more bedrooms and a nice size, full bath plus an outside balcony. The walk up attic is great for storage or a kids play area. This one is ready to move in and priced to sell!

Key facts

• Walk up attic
• Lovely deck
• Front porch

Tags

• FENCED LOT
• LOVELY DECK
• FRONT PORCH
• WALK UP ATTIC
• MAIN FLOOR LAUNDRY

Property features AI

Finance

• HOA & community: No master association fee required

Exterior

• Parking: Detached garage (1-car) — total 1 parking space
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electric service
• Home design: Detached single-family home; 2 stories; Built over 100 years ago; Facing information not provided
• Construction: Wood siding frame construction; Asphalt roof; Brick/mortar foundation; Approximately 1,188 finished living area
• Exterior features: Deck; Porch (screened); Fenced yard; Corner, level lot (approx. 128 x 128)

Interior

• Kitchen: Kitchen on main level; Appliances included: Dishwasher, Microwave, Range, Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: 4 bedrooms; Master bedroom on second level; Second-level bedrooms (three) with carpeted floors
• Flooring: Hardwood in living areas and dining room; Vinyl in kitchen; Carpet in bedrooms
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom; 1 half bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Natural gas forced-air heating; Central air conditioning
• Interior features: 8 total rooms; Full basement with egress window
• Laundry & utility: Main-level laundry room; Electric water heater

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/1.5-bath other listed at $130k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-36 ($-427/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $124k (4.8% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $122k (6.2% below list).
• Recommended offer: $122k (6.2% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 66/100 on livability (#593 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, health & safety F.
• Sherrard CUSD 200 (rural): math 29% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #240 of 620 in IL (top 39%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Winola Elementary School (math 12% / reading 22%, grade F, #1,141 of 2,056 statewide, top 59%, 273 students, 0% FRL); Matherville Intermediate School (math 27% / reading 22%, grade F, #332 of 665 statewide, top 55%, 190 students, 0% FRL); Sherrard High School (math 27% / reading 27%, grade F, #218 of 693 statewide, top 35%, 451 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 25% district-wide (25 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Market conditions: 7 active listings in the ZIP; 15 units permitted in Mercer County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $6k of equity ($898 loan paydown + $5k appreciation (4.0% local appreciation)).
• Mercer County population projected at -25% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (4.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $36k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 6, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$32k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 20 days — a 2% lower offer ($128k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 9 sale attempts since 19y 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 $105k; 24% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1903 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $121,880 (6.2% 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 1903 — 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. 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?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 0.94% ✗
• Cap rate: 5.96%
• Cash-on-cash: -1.17%
• DSCR: 0.95
• GRM: 8.9

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

3.95% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 9.1%
• Equity multiple: 1.55×
• Total profit: $20,098
• Equity at exit: $65,467

10-year hold

• IRR: 11.2%
• Equity multiple: 2.84×
• Total profit: $66,976
• Equity at exit: $106,763

Cash invested: $36,372 (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 61486

• Home prices YoY: 2.5%
• Active inventory: 7
• Price-to-rent: 8.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,219 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$681
• Tax from tax record: −$263 /mo · $3,157/yr
• Insurance: −$54
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$256
• Net cashflow: $-36

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,264

Max offer price $123,616

Occupancy floor 98%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $38	-5% $1	+0% $-36	+5% $-72	+10% $-109
Rent	-10% $-132	-5% $-84	+0% $-36	+5% $13	+10% $61
Rate	-1.0pp $30	-0.5pp $-3	base $-36	+0.5pp $-69	+1.0pp $-103

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: $32,475
• Closing costs: $3,897
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 15 events

1. 2026-06-21
   statusdays on market $129,900 Pending 20 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $129,900 Active 18 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $129,900 Active 17 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $129,900 Active 16 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $129,900 Active 15 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $129,900 Active 13 DOM
7. 2026-06-12
   days on market $129,900 Active 12 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $129,900 Active 9 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $129,900 Active 8 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $129,900 Active 7 DOM
11. 2026-06-07
    days on market $129,900 Active 6 DOM
12. 2026-06-04
    days on market $129,900 Active 3 DOM
13. 2026-06-02
    days on market $129,900 Active 2 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    remarks 550-char remark
15. 2026-06-01
    listed $129,900 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: $3,157 · $263/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $3,157 · $263/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 ≥104°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $14,626
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,276
• − Property taxes: −$3,157
• − Insurance: −$650
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,170
• − Management: −$1,170
• − Depreciation: −$3,779
• Taxable loss: −$2,576
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$618
• After-tax cash flow: $191/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: Sherrard CUSD 200
• NCES district ID: 1736180
• Math proficiency: 29% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 30% ▼ -16.00%
• Median HH income: $60,194
• Composite: 26.77/100
• National rank: #7129
• State rank: #240 of 620 in IL

Livability — Viola

• Score: 66/100
• State rank: #593
• US rank: #12280

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Viola, IL
• Population (ZIP): 1,429

Population outlook (Mercer County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 14,595 people
• By 2030: 13,846 · -5.1%
• By 2040: 12,335 · -15.5%
• By 2050: 10,893 · -25.4%
• By 2075: 8,238 · -43.6%
• By 2100: 6,111 · -58.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (85%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 85% Two or more races 10% Hispanic / Latino 8%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 7%
• Common ancestry: English 3% Italian 2% Serbian 1%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada
• Languages at home: 93% English-only · Spanish 4% Russian/Polish/Slavic 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Mercer

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+27.1) · D 35.4% · R 62.5% · Other 2.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -39.0pp toward R · 2008: 11.9pp · 2024: -27.1pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+27.1 2020: R+24.0 2016: R+20.7 2012: D+7.4 2008: D+11.9

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 3.95%
• Current HPI: 161.0336
• 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

+41.2% since first listed

23 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-31 Listed $129,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-10-14 Sold (Public Records) $105,000 Public Records
• 2022-10-11 Sold (MLS) $105,000 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-10-11 Sold (MLS) $105,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-09-02 Pending — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-08-15 Listed $115,000 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-08-15 Listed $115,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2021-08-06 Listing Removed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2017-04-18 Sold (Public Records) $87,000 Public Records
• 2017-04-12 Sold (MLS) $87,000 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2017-04-12 Sold (MLS) $87,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2017-02-10 Listed $94,900 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2017-02-10 Listed $94,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2017-01-27 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2010-06-23 Sold (MLS) $88,500 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2010-06-23 Sold (MLS) $88,500 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2010-03-06 Listed $89,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2010-03-06 Listed $89,900 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2008-03-11 Sold (Public Records) $88,500 Public Records
• 2008-03-10 Sold (MLS) $88,500 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2008-03-10 Sold (MLS) $88,500 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2007-06-04 Listed $92,000 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2007-06-04 Listed $92,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+4.9%/yr

Latest (2024): $3,157 · +10.6% YoY. Source: county tax records.