309 W Center St · Bellflower, IL 61724

$99,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 2,079 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 1 Days on market

Built 1899 0.33 ac lot Est $152k · 35% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the B+ 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 +28.3/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +7.9/10.0
• Appreciation +5.0/10.0
• Livability +3.1/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.0/10.0

Key facts

• 0.33 acre lot
• 2 parking spots
• Built 1899

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $99k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $318 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $99k).

Location & tenants

• Location reads 61/100 on livability (#915 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, crime D+, amenities F.
• Blue Ridge CUSD 18 (rural): math 20% / reading 24% proficiency, ranked #370 of 620 in IL (top 60%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Blue Ridge Intermediate-Jr Hs (math 12% / reading 22%, grade F, #460 of 665 statewide, top 72%, 210 students, 0% FRL); Blue Ridge High School (math 24% / reading 24%, grade F, #256 of 693 statewide, top 44%, 188 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 39% district-wide (39 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Market conditions: 1 active listings in the ZIP; 247 units permitted in McLean County in 2024 (54 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $647 of equity ($684 loan paydown + $-37 appreciation (-0.0% local appreciation)).
• At projected returns (-0.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $28k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 1 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1899 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $99,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1899 — 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 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?
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: 1.29% ✓
• Cap rate: 10.15%
• Cash-on-cash: 13.79%
• DSCR: 1.61
• GRM: 6.5

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $151,767
• Comps found: 2

Show comp detail 2 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
205 W Melvin St	0.12mi	3/1.0	2,145 (+3%)	2mo	$105,000	$49	88
109 N Main St	0.34mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,976 (-5%)	19mo	$143,900	$73	51

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-0.04% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 13.0%
• Equity multiple: 1.62×
• Total profit: $17,236
• Equity at exit: $28,564

10-year hold

• IRR: 17.7%
• Equity multiple: 2.95×
• Total profit: $54,008
• Equity at exit: $34,189

Cash invested: $27,720 (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 61724

• Home prices YoY: -0.0%
• Active inventory: 1
• Price-to-rent: 6.5×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,275 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$519
• Tax from tax record: −$128 /mo · $1,537/yr
• Insurance: −$41
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$268
• Net cashflow: $318

Break-even live

Break-even rent $872

Max offer price $99,000

Occupancy floor 70%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $374	-5% $346	+0% $318	+5% $290	+10% $262
Rent	-10% $218	-5% $268	+0% $318	+5% $369	+10% $419
Rate	-1.0pp $368	-0.5pp $344	base $318	+0.5pp $293	+1.0pp $267

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: $24,750
• Closing costs: $2,970
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 3 events

1. 2026-05-31
   statusdays on market $99,000 Pending 1 DOM
2. 2026-05-30
   days on market $99,000 Active (Private) 324 DOM
3. 2026-04-09
   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: $1,537 · $128/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,892 · $158/mo
• Expected delta: +$355/yr (+$30/mo · 23.1%)

ⓘ 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 ≥103°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 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $15,295
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,546
• − Property taxes: −$1,537
• − Insurance: −$495
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,224
• − Management: −$1,224
• − Depreciation: −$2,880
• Taxable income: $2,391
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$574
• After-tax cash flow: $3,248/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: Blue Ridge CUSD 18
• NCES district ID: 1700003
• Math proficiency: 20% ▼ -3.00%
• Reading proficiency: 24% ▼ -12.00%
• Median HH income: $56,020
• Composite: 20.14/100
• National rank: #8640
• State rank: #370 of 620 in IL

Livability — Bellflower

• Score: 61/100
• State rank: #915
• US rank: #17745

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Bellflower, IL
• Population (ZIP): 493

Population outlook (McLean County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 176,468 people
• By 2030: 178,002 · +0.9%
• By 2040: 178,592 · +1.2%
• By 2050: 177,090 · +0.4%
• By 2075: 173,224 · -1.8%
• By 2100: 158,425 · -10.2%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (95%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 95% Two or more races 2%
• Common ancestry: Italian 13% Slovak 3% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 0%

Political lean MEDSL · McLean

• 2024 margin: Toss-up / Even · D 51.6% · R 46.8% · Other 1.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: +3.7pp toward D · 2008: 1.2pp · 2024: 4.9pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+4.9 2020: D+3.9 2016: R+1.5 2012: R+11.1 2008: D+1.2

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▬ -0.04%
• Current HPI: 115.3513
• 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

Property tax history

+0.2%/yr

Latest (2023): $1,537 · -25.9% YoY. Source: county tax records.