522 Adams St

Quincy, IL 62301

$159,900C+

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,181 sqft · Built 1862 · SingleFamily · Active · 52 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,177/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$839
• Tax + insurance: −$192
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$457
• Net cashflow: $690/mo
• Annual: $8,276/yr
• Cap rate: 11.47%
• Cash-on-cash: 18.48%
• DSCR: 1.82
• 1% rule: 1.36%
• Cash to close: $44,772

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $160k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $690 ($8k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $160k).
• It's been on market 52 days — a 3% lower offer ($155k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $155k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 67/100 on livability (#506 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime D, employment D, amenities D-.
• Quincy SD 172 (town): math 24% / reading 27% proficiency, ranked #328 of 620 in IL (top 53%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Lincoln-Douglas Elementary School (math 30% / reading 25%, grade F, #742 of 2,056 statewide, top 36%, 588 students, 0% FRL); Quincy Sr High School (math 21% / reading 28%, grade F, #256 of 693 statewide, top 44%, 1,924 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 48% district-wide (48 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1862 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+10.8%/yr); 180 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 68 units permitted in Adams County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Adams County population projected at -14% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 5 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $10k (6%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $20k; list at $160k implies a 700% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $45k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 11.5% vs local median 4.3% in Quincy — 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.
• At $2,177/mo this rent would consume 50% of the median local household income ($52k/yr) (locally 1238% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 52 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1862 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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?
• Crime grade is D 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?
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.