2884 Tick Ridge Rd

New Grand Chain, IL 62941

$159,900D

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,200 sqft · Built 1971 · SingleFamily · Active · 10 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,528/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$839
• Tax + insurance: −$266
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$321
• Net cashflow: $102/mo
• Annual: $1,228/yr
• Cap rate: 7.06%
• Cash-on-cash: 2.74%
• DSCR: 1.12
• 1% rule: 0.96%
• Cash to close: $44,772

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $160k. Condition is rated good.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $102 ($1k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $153k (4.4% below list).
• Only 10 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Recommended offer: $153k (4.4% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $2k of equity ($1k loan paydown + $927 appreciation (0.6% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 52/100 on livability (#1,317 in IL) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+; Watch: housing D+, crime F, amenities F.
• Century CUSD 100 (rural): math 6% / reading 10% proficiency, ranked #836 of 919 in IL (top 91%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 68% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Century Jr/Sr High School (math 2% / reading 12%, grade F, #599 of 693 statewide, top 87%, 168 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 68% district-wide (68 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Market conditions: 3 active listings in the ZIP.
• Pulaski County population projected at -38% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 3 sale attempts 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.
• At projected returns (0.6% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $45k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→21/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1971 — 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 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?
• 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?
• 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?
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Minor: deck — slight wear
• Minor: fence — slight wear