200 1st Ave

Sherrard, IL 61281

$60,000A-

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 883 sqft · Built 1903 · SingleFamily · Active · 52 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $844/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$315
• Tax + insurance: −$140
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$177
• Net cashflow: $212/mo
• Annual: $2,546/yr
• Cap rate: 10.54%
• Cash-on-cash: 15.15%
• DSCR: 1.67
• 1% rule: 1.41%
• Cash to close: $16,800

Investor read

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $60k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $212 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($844 rent vs $60k).
• It's been on market 52 days — a 3% lower offer ($58k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $58k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $4k of equity ($415 loan paydown + $3k appreciation (5.2% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 65/100 on livability (#604 in IL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, employment A-; Watch: crime C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Sherrard CUSD 200 (rural): math 29% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #240 of 620 in IL (top 39%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Sherrard Elementary School (math 37% / reading 42%, grade F, #392 of 2,056 statewide, top 21%, 237 students, 0% FRL); Sherrard Jr High School (math 37% / reading 39%, grade F, #159 of 665 statewide, top 25%, 220 students, 0% FRL); Sherrard High School (math 27% / reading 27%, grade F, #218 of 693 statewide, top 35%, 451 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 25% district-wide (25 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1903 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 31 active listings in the ZIP; 15 units permitted in Mercer County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Mercer County population projected at -25% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 4 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 (5.2% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $17k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 9, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$31k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 52 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1903 — 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.
• 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.