1 bd · 1.0 ba ·
684 sqft ·
Built 1950
· SingleFamily
· Active
· 59 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$799/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$393
Tax + insurance
−$125
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$168
Net cashflow
$113/mo
Annual
$1,355/yr
Cap rate
8.10%
Cash-on-cash
6.45%
DSCR
1.29
1% rule
1.07%
Cash to close
$21,000
Investor read
This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $75k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $113 ($1k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($799 rent vs $75k).
It's been on market 59 days — a 3% lower offer ($73k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $73k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $518 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 58/100 on livability (#1,090 in IL) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, crime B+; Watch: employment C-, amenities F, commute F.
Sparta CUSD 140 (town): math 13% / reading 14% proficiency, ranked #535 of 620 in IL (top 86%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
Zoned schools: Sparta Lincoln School (math 14% / reading 14%, grade F, #1,346 of 2,056 statewide, top 66%, 732 students, 0% FRL); Sparta High School (math 12% / reading 8%, grade F, #567 of 693 statewide, top 83%, 327 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 49% district-wide (49 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
Watch-outs: built in 1950 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: 30 active listings in the ZIP; 3 units permitted in Randolph County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
Randolph County population projected at -14% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
2 sale attempts since 6y 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.
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.
Cap rate 8.1% vs local median 6.7% in Sparta — meaningfully above typical; check what's discounted (condition, days-on-market, listing class) to confirm the premium yield is real.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 59 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1950 — 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?
This sits on a lake — are riparian / water-frontage rights deeded with the parcel? Any dock permits, shoreline easements, or HOA water-use restrictions?
What's the documented flood / surge / shoreline-erosion history here (FEMA AND non-FEMA — e.g., storm surge, creek backup, septic-field saturation)?
Any water-quality or seasonal algae-bloom issues that affect tenant satisfaction or short-term-rental demand?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-K953ZR6TBTH0M8
· Data 57 min agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29