Scott (IL) Investor Pulse Report (2025-Q4)

Investors hold a significant stake in Scott County's housing market, owning 409 single-family residential properties, which constitutes 32.7% of the total 1,251 SFRs.

The market is overwhelmingly dominated by individual "mom-and-pop" investors, who own 377 properties, or 92.2% of the investor-owned portfolio. In contrast, company-owned holdings are minimal at just 35 properties (8.6%).

A striking financial characteristic of this market is the complete absence of financing; 100% of the 409 investor-owned properties are held in cash. This indicates a low-leverage environment, possibly driven by low acquisition costs or a fiscally conservative investor base.

The portfolio is almost exclusively dedicated to rentals, with 401 out of 409 properties (98.0%) classified as non-owner-occupied. This high concentration underscores that investment in Scott County is primarily for generating rental income rather than speculation.

The ownership structure is highly fragmented, with 529 individual landlords compared to only 26 company landlords. This 20-to-1 ratio of individual to company entities further cements the market's character as being driven by small-scale, local investment.

Investor purchasing activity in Scott County was nonexistent in the last quarter of 2025, with zero properties acquired by landlords. This lack of activity prevents any price comparison for the most recent period.

Based on the most recent transactional data from Q1 2025, landlords demonstrated a powerful purchasing advantage, acquiring properties at an average price of $76,700. This represents a substantial 30.5% discount compared to the $110,357 paid by traditional homeowners, a savings of $33,657 per property.

Analysis of historical data reveals price volatility rather than consistent appreciation for landlord acquisitions. The average price fell from $72,313 during the 2020-2023 period to $66,146 in 2024, before rebounding to $76,700 in early 2025.

The significant discount achieved by investors suggests they may be targeting distressed properties, off-market deals, or properties requiring renovation, which are typically priced lower than market-ready homes sought by traditional buyers.

The absence of Q4 2025 data highlights the low-transaction-volume nature of this rural market, where investment activity can be highly variable from one quarter to the next.

The fourth quarter of 2025 was marked by a complete halt in real estate transactions in Scott County, with a total of zero SFR properties purchased by any buyer type, including investors.

Consequently, landlords' share of the market was 0.0%, reflecting a period of inactivity for both new and existing investors.

No new landlords entered the market, as purchases in the single-property tier (Tier 01) were zero. This indicates a lack of new capital flowing into the local rental market during this period.

Both mom-and-pop (Tiers 01-04) and institutional (Tier 09) investors were completely inactive, with zero acquisitions recorded for the quarter.

This inactivity could be attributed to seasonal slowdowns, limited inventory, or broader economic factors affecting this specific rural market, leading to a temporary freeze in transaction flow.

The investor landscape in Scott County is exclusively composed of small-scale operators, with mom-and-pop landlords (1-10 properties) controlling 100% of the investor-owned SFRs.

Ownership is highly concentrated at the lowest end of the scale, as single-property landlords (Tier 01) alone hold 352 properties, accounting for a remarkable 83.2% of the entire investor portfolio.

The next largest tiers are minuscule in comparison: two-property landlords own 8.7% of properties, and those with 3-5 properties hold just 6.4%.

Institutional investors (1,000+ properties) have absolutely no presence in Scott County, holding 0.0% of the market. This underscores the purely local, small-investor nature of the area's rental market.

This ownership structure indicates a market with low barriers to entry but also one that has not attracted, or is not suitable for, large-scale capital deployment.

Individual investors overwhelmingly dominate ownership across all active portfolio tiers in Scott County, maintaining a majority stake at every level.

In the single-property tier, individuals own 94.4% of properties (334) compared to just 5.6% for companies (20). This ratio remains nearly identical for two-property portfolios (94.6% individual).

While still the minority, company ownership shows a slight increase in larger portfolios. In the 3-5 property tier, companies own 22.2% of properties, the highest concentration observed in the market.

There is no crossover point where companies become the majority owners; the market structure is firmly controlled by private individuals, even among multi-property landlords.

The data suggests that while some investors choose to incorporate as they expand, the path to large-scale, corporate-dominated ownership is not a feature of this market.

Investor ownership in Scott County is highly concentrated in a few key zip codes. The top three areas by property count are 62694 (120 properties), 62663 (111 properties), and 62621 (88 properties).

Analysis of ownership rates reveals pockets of extremely high investor penetration. The zip code 62663 stands out with 95.7% of its SFR properties owned by investors, making it almost entirely a rental market.

Similarly, zip code 62610 shows an 87.7% investor ownership rate, further highlighting specific neighborhoods where traditional homeownership is the exception rather than the rule.

There is a distinction between the areas with the highest raw counts of investor properties and those with the highest percentage. For instance, 62694 leads in total count but has a more moderate ownership rate of 17.3%.

This geographic distribution points to a dual market within the county: some areas with moderate investor presence mixed with homeowners, and others that function almost exclusively as investment rental zones.

A comprehensive analysis of historical transaction trends in Scott County is not possible due to the absence of available data.

Consequently, key metrics such as the long-term buy-to-sell ratio for landlords cannot be calculated to determine their net position as buyers or sellers over time.

The percentage of transactions that occur between landlords, a key indicator of market liquidity and investor sentiment, is also unknown.

Similarly, it is not possible to analyze the historical difference between average purchase prices and average sale prices to infer potential profit margins for investors.

The lack of historical data, combined with zero recent activity, paints a picture of a market that is either extremely stable with very low turnover or one with data reporting limitations.

The Q4 2025 transaction market in Scott County was dormant, with zero total transactions recorded. This resulted in a 0.0% market share for landlords.

Activity was nonexistent across all investor tiers; mom-and-pop and institutional investors alike recorded zero transactions for the quarter.

The lack of sales prevents any analysis of Q4 pricing strategies, including comparisons of average purchase prices across different portfolio sizes.

No inter-landlord trading occurred, as there were no purchases from any source. This reflects a complete lack of liquidity in the investor market during this period.

The standstill in Q4 transactions is the most significant market dynamic, suggesting either extreme inventory constraints or a pause in both buyer and seller motivation.