1304 W Benton St · McLeansboro, IL 62859

$89,900

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 779 sqft · SingleFamily · 15 Days on market

Built 1927 7,405 sqft lot Est $84k · 7% over

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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 +27.0/30.0
• DSCR +9.3/10.0
• 1% rule +6.3/10.0
• ARV discount +4.4/15.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.4/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Step into this inviting 2-bedroom, 1-bath bungalow that blends classic charm with major modern upgrades! This home is move-in ready with peace of mind built right in-featuring updated windows and HVAC (2017), a brand new metal roof (November 2025), and new gutters (March 2026). Enjoy the convenience of a carport plus a storage shed-perfect for tools, hobbies, or extra space-and all appliances can stay with the right offer, making your move even easier! Need reliable, high-speed internet? You're already set with fiber optic lines installed, ideal for remote work, streaming, or gaming without interruption. The home also includes a partial unfinished basement, offering great potential for sto

Key facts

• 7,405 sq ft lot
• Built 1927
• Listed 15 days

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $90k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $251 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $90k).
• Recommended offer: $89k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 70/100 on livability (#381 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, health & safety F.
• Hamilton County CUSD 10 (town): math 23% / reading 33% proficiency, ranked #285 of 620 in IL (top 46%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Hamilton County Preschool Center (91 students, 0% FRL); Hamilton County Jr/Sr High School (math 17% / reading 30%, grade F, #309 of 693 statewide, top 45%, 512 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 42% district-wide (42 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Market conditions: 26 active listings in the ZIP.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $622 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Hamilton County population projected at -19% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $25k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 15 days — a 2% lower offer ($89k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1927 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $88,551 (1.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1927 — 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 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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 1.13% ✓
• Cap rate: 9.65%
• Cash-on-cash: 11.98%
• DSCR: 1.53
• GRM: 7.4

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $84,132
• Comps found: 1

Show comp detail 1 sale within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1304 W Benton St	0.00mi	2/1.0	779 (0%)	0mo	$84,000	$108	100

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

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 1.5%
• Equity multiple: 1.06×
• Total profit: $1,412
• Equity at exit: $13,404

10-year hold

• IRR: 11.1%
• Equity multiple: 1.86×
• Total profit: $21,725
• Equity at exit: $7,773

Cash invested: $25,172 (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 62859

• Home prices YoY: -19.6%
• Active inventory: 26
• Price-to-rent: 7.4×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,013 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$471
• Tax from tax record: −$40 /mo · $481/yr
• Insurance: −$37
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$213
• Net cashflow: $251

Break-even live

Break-even rent $695

Max offer price $89,900

Occupancy floor 70%

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: $22,475
• Closing costs: $2,697
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 3 events

1. 2026-04-27
   status Pending
2. 2026-04-27
   historical Contingent - Continue to Show
3. 2026-04-12
   listed $89,900 Active

ⓘ 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: $481 · $40/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,261 · $105/mo
• Expected delta: +$780/yr (+$65/mo · 162.1%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥107°F today · 20 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 3% 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: $12,157
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,036
• − Property taxes: −$481
• − Insurance: −$450
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$973
• − Management: −$973
• − Depreciation: −$2,615
• Taxable income: $1,630
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$391
• After-tax cash flow: $2,625/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: Hamilton County CUSD 10
• NCES district ID: 1710790
• Math proficiency: 23% ▼ -11.00%
• Reading proficiency: 33% ▼ -14.00%
• Median HH income: $42,383
• Composite: 23.78/100
• National rank: #7812
• State rank: #285 of 620 in IL

Livability — McLeansboro

• Score: 70/100
• State rank: #381
• US rank: #7967

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: McLeansboro, IL
• Population (ZIP): 5,199

Population outlook (Hamilton County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 7,718 people
• By 2030: 7,433 · -3.7%
• By 2040: 6,852 · -11.2%
• By 2050: 6,254 · -19.0%
• By 2075: 4,777 · -38.1%
• By 2100: 3,465 · -55.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (94%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 94% Two or more races 2% Hispanic / Latino 2% Asian 1%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 2% Romanian 2% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 1%
• Languages at home: 98% English-only · Spanish 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Hamilton

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+63.3) · D 17.7% · R 81.0% · Other 1.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: -50.2pp toward R · 2008: -13.1pp · 2024: -63.3pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+63.3 2020: R+60.3 2016: R+58.0 2012: R+33.0 2008: R+13.1

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -24.86%
• Current HPI: 101.7665
• 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

Price history

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-27 Pending — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-04-27 Contingent — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-04-12 Listed $89,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+1.4%/yr

Latest (2023): $481 · -1.1% YoY. Source: county tax records.