1901 W Grand Ave · Decatur, IL 62522

$78,500

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 616 sqft · Other public records · 11 Days on market

Built 1925 7,500 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 +23.8/30.0
• DSCR +7.7/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• 1% rule +5.8/10.0
• Livability +3.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +0.4/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Sometimes the best move you make is the one that builds your future. This clean, move-in ready brick home is the opportunity first-time buyers and savvy investors have been waiting for. Everything that matters has been done — brand new 2025 central air, updated furnace and ductwork, Pex plumbing, all new windows, and new interior and exterior doors throughout. Clean kitchen with electric stove that stays. Full bathroom connects both bedrooms with a stand-up shower — fresh and functional. The 1.5-car detached garage with power adds value that's hard to find at this price. Large lot. Brick exterior built to last. FHA, VA, and conventional financing all welcome. $78,500. Move in, b

Key facts

• All new windows
• Pex plumbing
• Brick home

Tags

• BRICK HOME
• BRAND NEW CENTRAL AIR
• UPDATED FURNACE
• PEX PLUMBING
• ALL NEW WINDOWS
• NEW INTERIOR DOORS

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached garage
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; One and one-half level (1 story listed)
• Construction: Brick and vinyl siding construction
• Exterior features: Shingle roof; Concrete road access; Lot ~0.17 acres; Zoned residential

Interior

• Kitchen: Oven; Range
• Bedrooms: 5 total rooms (includes bedrooms and living spaces)
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Natural gas heating with forced air; Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Gas water heater; Oven; Range; Unfinished full basement
• Laundry & utility: Gas water heater

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $78k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $150 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($850 rent vs $78k).
• Cap rate 8.6% vs local median 7.0% in Decatur — meaningfully above typical; check what's discounted (condition, days-on-market, listing class) to confirm the premium yield is real.

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: 75 active listings in the ZIP; 2 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 $543 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k 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

• Only 11 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1925 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $78,500

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1925 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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?
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: 1.08% ✓
• Cap rate: 8.59%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.21%
• DSCR: 1.37
• GRM: 7.7

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: -3.8%
• Equity multiple: 0.86×
• Total profit: $-3,147
• Equity at exit: $11,705

10-year hold

• IRR: 5.9%
• Equity multiple: 1.44×
• Total profit: $9,587
• Equity at exit: $6,787

Cash invested: $21,980 (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 62522

• Home prices YoY: -16.9%
• Active inventory: 75
• Price-to-rent: 7.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $850 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$412
• Tax from tax record: −$77 /mo · $921/yr
• Insurance: −$33
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$178
• Net cashflow: $150

Break-even live

Break-even rent $660

Max offer price $78,500

Occupancy floor 77%

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: $19,625
• Closing costs: $2,355
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 2 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
1700 W Grand Ave Unit NA Decatur, IL	1.0	1.0	418	$575	$1.38	43d	1	0.11mi
1091 N Oakcrest Ave Decatur, IL	2.0	1.0	672	$950	$1.41	43d	1	0.18mi

Listing history 11 events

1. 2026-06-19
   days on market $78,500 Active 11 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $78,500 Active 10 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $78,500 Active 9 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $78,500 Active 8 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $78,500 Active 7 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   days on market $78,500 Active 5 DOM
7. 2026-06-13
   days on market $78,500 Active 4 DOM
8. 2026-06-10
   remarks 687-char remark
9. 2026-06-10
   days on market $78,500 Active 2 DOM
10. 2026-06-09
    remarks 681-char remark
11. 2026-06-09
    listed $78,500 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: $921 · $77/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,352 · $113/mo
• Expected delta: +$430/yr (+$36/mo · 46.7%)

ⓘ 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 ≥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 · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $10,200
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,397
• − Property taxes: −$921
• − Insurance: −$392
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$816
• − Management: −$816
• − Depreciation: −$2,284
• Taxable income: $573
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$138
• After-tax cash flow: $1,666/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): 15,185
• Household income: $50,669
• Rent vs Own: 38.5% rent · 61.5% own
• Severe rent burden: 321.0

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: Majority White (62%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 62% Black 28% Two or more races 7% Hispanic / Latino 2% Asian 1%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 1% Italian 1% Slovak 1%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada, China, Jamaica
• Languages at home: 97% English-only · Spanish 2%

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: ▼ -36.64%
• Current HPI: 180.7847
• 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

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-06-08 Listed $78,500 CIBR

Property tax history

-2.8%/yr

Latest (2024): $921 · +0.8% YoY. Source: county tax records.