525 E Marion St · Princeton, IL 61356

$60,900

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,248 sqft · SingleFamily · 85 Days on market

Built 1896 ↓ 28% since listing

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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 +30.0/30.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +4.1/5.0
• Schools +2.9/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Lots of new Improvements in this 2-bedroom, 1 bath Cape Cod style house with a 2 car detached garage. Brand new Roof, Windows, Boiler & Radiators, Floor treatments plus updates to the electric & plumbing. House needs interior decorating and paint As of January 2025 a total of $85,513 has been spent in repairs and upgrades. ------ This home is subject to FMFL(FreddieMac First Look)(Owner Occupant) Until July 11, 2025.

Key facts

• Updates to plumbing
• New boiler
• Updates to electric

Tags

• NEW ROOF
• NEW WINDOWS
• NEW BOILER
• NEW RADIATORS
• UPDATES TO ELECTRIC
• UPDATES TO PLUMBING

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $61k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $444 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $61k).
• Recommended offer: $57k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 15.0% vs local median 2.1% in Princeton — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 82/100 on livability (#62 in IL, #1,086 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F.
• Princeton Hsd 500 (town): math 25% / reading 35% proficiency, ranked #488 of 919 in IL (top 53%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Princeton High School (math 27% / reading 32%, grade F, #187 of 693 statewide, top 30%, 473 students, 0% FRL).
• Market conditions: 43 active listings in the ZIP; 17 units permitted in Bureau County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $421 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Bureau County population projected at -25% 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 $17k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 85 days — a 6% lower offer ($57k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1896 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $57,246 (6.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 85 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1896 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. 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?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 1.80% ✓
• Cap rate: 15.05%
• Cash-on-cash: 31.27%
• DSCR: 2.39
• GRM: 4.6

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $144,768
• Comps found: 11

Show comp detail 11 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
454 E Lincoln St	0.15mi	3/2.5 (+1)	1,210 (-3%)	0mo	$167,000	$138	77
545 S 5th St	0.14mi	3/2.0 (+1)	1,271 (+2%)	13mo	$138,500	$109	70
305 S Chestnut St	0.27mi	3/1.5 (+1)	1,200 (-4%)	8mo	$105,000	$88	68
9 S Randolph St	0.68mi	2/1.0	1,202 (-4%)	7mo	$122,000	$101	56
804 S Euclid Ave	0.34mi	3/2.0 (+1)	1,428 (+14%)	1mo	$103,000	$72	50
503 Billings St	0.37mi	2/1.5	1,100 (-12%)	13mo	$150,600	$137	50
698 Downey Dr	0.29mi	3/2.0 (+1)	1,410 (+13%)	9mo	$167,500	$119	48
116 N 1st St	0.71mi	2/2.0	1,320 (+6%)	9mo	$174,000	$132	46
446 E Thompson St	0.47mi	2/2.0	1,080 (-14%)	9mo	$250,000	$231	44
311 S Randolph St	0.62mi	2/1.0	1,077 (-14%)	10mo	$125,000	$116	40
225 E Oak St	0.56mi	3/1.5 (+1)	1,373 (+10%)	18mo	$130,000	$95	34

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: 26.1%
• Equity multiple: 2.08×
• Total profit: $18,444
• Equity at exit: $9,080

10-year hold

• IRR: 33.8%
• Equity multiple: 4.08×
• Total profit: $52,564
• Equity at exit: $5,266

Cash invested: $17,052 (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 61356

• Home prices YoY: -26.4%
• Active inventory: 43
• Price-to-rent: 4.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,095 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$319
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$76 /mo · $914/yr
• Insurance: −$25
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$230
• Net cashflow: $444

Break-even live

Break-even rent $533

Max offer price $60,900

Occupancy floor 54%

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: $15,225
• Closing costs: $1,827
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 25 events

1. 2026-06-18
   status $60,900 Active 85 DOM
2. 2026-03-27
   status Pending
3. 2026-03-20
   price $60,900
4. 2026-03-16
   price $61,900
5. 2026-03-13
   price $64,900
6. 2026-02-24
   price $74,900
7. 2026-01-17
   status Active
8. 2026-01-17
   price $79,900
9. 2026-01-14
   historical
10. 2026-01-08
    status Active
11. 2026-01-07
    historical
12. 2026-01-06
    status Active
13. 2026-01-06
    historical
14. 2025-12-25
    historical
15. 2025-12-23
    price $84,900
16. 2025-11-20
    price
17. 2025-11-03
    price
18. 2025-11-03
    price
19. 2025-10-24
    price
20. 2025-09-29
    price
21. 2025-09-03
    price
22. 2025-07-29
    price
23. 2025-06-20
    listed Active
24. 2024-03-05
    historical
25. 2024-01-23
    listed Active

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

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 · 17 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 100% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 4 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $13,141
• − Mortgage interest: −$3,411
• − Property taxes: −$914
• − Insurance: −$304
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,051
• − Management: −$1,051
• − Depreciation: −$1,772
• Taxable income: $4,638
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,113
• After-tax cash flow: $4,218/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: Princeton Hsd 500
• NCES district ID: 1732700
• Math proficiency: 25% ▲ 5.00%
• Reading proficiency: 35% ▼ -5.00%
• Median HH income: $49,303
• Composite: 28.95/100
• National rank: #11941
• State rank: #488 of 919 in IL

Livability — Princeton

• Score: 82/100
• State rank: #62
• US rank: #1086

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Princeton, IL
• Population (ZIP): 10,739

Population outlook (Bureau County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 30,938 people
• By 2030: 29,461 · -4.8%
• By 2040: 26,296 · -15.0%
• By 2050: 23,271 · -24.8%
• By 2075: 17,749 · -42.6%
• By 2100: 13,107 · -57.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (89%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 89% Two or more races 6% Hispanic / Latino 4% Asian 2%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 3% Lithuanian 3% Slovak 2%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 96% English-only · Spanish 1% Tagalog/Filipino 1% Other Asian/Pacific 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Bureau

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+24.3) · D 36.9% · R 61.2% · Other 1.9%
• 2008→2024 swing: -30.0pp toward R · 2008: 5.7pp · 2024: -24.3pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+24.3 2020: R+21.5 2016: R+20.0 2012: R+0.2 2008: D+5.7

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -64.13%
• Current HPI: 178.9361
• 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

-28.3% since first listed

24 events — show timeline

• 2026-03-27 Pending — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-03-20 Price Changed $60,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-03-16 Price Changed $61,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-03-13 Price Changed $64,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-02-24 Price Changed $74,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-17 Relisted — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-17 Price Changed $79,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-14 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-08 Relisted — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-07 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-06 Relisted — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-06 Listing Removed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-12-25 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-12-23 Price Changed $84,900 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-11-20 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-11-03 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-11-03 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-10-24 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-09-29 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-09-03 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-07-29 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-06-20 Listed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-03-05 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-01-23 Listed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+5.0%/yr

Latest (2024): $3,062 · +6.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.