Crawford (IL) Investor Pulse Report (2026-Q1)

In Crawford County, IL, investors own 849 Single-Family Residential (SFR) properties, which constitutes 13.1% of the 6,464 total SFRs in the market. This reveals a significant, yet not dominant, investor presence in the local housing landscape.

The ownership structure is overwhelmingly skewed towards individuals over corporations. Individual investors own 793 properties, or 93.4% of the investor-owned portfolio, compared to just 59 properties (6.9%) owned by companies. This highlights a market driven by local, small-scale participants rather than large corporate entities.

A defining characteristic of this market is the preference for cash ownership. A total of 752 investor properties are owned outright, dwarfing the 97 properties that are financed. This suggests that investors in Crawford County operate with high liquidity and low leverage.

The entity count further reinforces the individual-driven nature of the market. There are 837 individual landlords compared to only 63 company landlords, a ratio of more than 13 to 1. This composition underscores the 'mom-and-pop' character of the local real estate investing scene.

The portfolio's primary purpose is clear, with 807 of the 849 properties identified as rentals. This high rental concentration indicates that the vast majority of investor-owned homes directly serve the local rental market demand.

Investor acquisition pricing in Crawford County shows a pattern of securing properties well below typical homeowner prices, though the magnitude of this discount varies dramatically. In Q3 2025, landlords paid an average of just $45,167, a staggering 71.0% less than the $155,500 average paid by traditional homeowners.

This pricing advantage has been inconsistent across recent quarters, suggesting a market with low transaction volume where individual deals can heavily skew averages. The discount was a more moderate 35.3% ($51,297) in Q1 2025 and narrowed significantly to only 4.9% ($7,360) in Q2 2025.

Historical pricing data reveals a notable appreciation from the 2020-2023 period, when the average landlord acquisition price was $77,090. Prices in 2025 have fluctuated, with a quarterly average of $109,156 for the year so far, indicating a substantial increase in property values since the pandemic era.

However, recent purchasing activity has halted. Data shows zero properties were acquired by landlords in Q4 2025, Q4 2024, or Q1 2026. This lack of activity makes it impossible to analyze current price trends or year-over-year changes.

The extreme volatility in the landlord discount highlights the opportunistic nature of investing in a smaller market. The data suggests investors are not consistently buying, but rather executing on deals with deep discounts when they become available.

In Q4 2025, investor activity in Crawford County came to a complete standstill. Of the 10 total SFR properties sold in the market during the quarter, none were purchased by landlords, resulting in a 0% market share for investors.

This lack of activity was universal across all investor sizes. Mom-and-pop landlords, who typically dominate the local market, made no purchases in the quarter. This includes a complete absence of new, first-time investors (Tier 01) entering the market.

Similarly, institutional investors (Tier 09), who have no existing holdings in the county, also recorded zero purchases. The data reflects a quiet quarter for the entire investor community, from the smallest to the largest players.

The pause in purchasing contrasts with previous periods of activity and may signal a shift in local market conditions, a lack of desirable inventory, or investors waiting for more favorable pricing. This halt in acquisitions is a significant finding for a group that holds 13.1% of the housing stock.

Ultimately, the fourth quarter was characterized by traditional homebuyers driving all recorded market activity, with the entire investor segment remaining on the sidelines.

The investor landscape in Crawford County is defined by the absolute dominance of small-scale landlords. Mom-and-pop investors (Tiers 01-04, holding 1-10 properties) own a combined 98.3% of all investor-held SFRs, demonstrating a highly decentralized ownership structure.

First-time or single-property investors (Tier 01) form the bedrock of this market. This tier alone accounts for 575 properties, representing 64.2% of the entire investor-owned housing stock. This concentration highlights the importance of individual household investors to the local rental supply.

Mid-size landlords are a rarity. Investors with 11-20 properties hold just 12 homes (1.3%), and the 21-50 property tier accounts for only 3 homes (0.3%). This steep drop-off after the 10-property mark reinforces the small-scale nature of local real estate investment.

There is absolutely no institutional investor (Tier 09, 1000+ properties) footprint in Crawford County. Their market share is 0.0%, a stark contrast to narratives of corporate landlord takeovers in other markets. This absence underscores the county's appeal to local, rather than national, capital.

The ownership distribution is heavily weighted at the bottom, with two-property landlords (12.2%) and those owning 3-5 properties (18.1%) making up the next largest segments. Collectively, investors with five or fewer properties control 94.5% of the market.

In Crawford County, individual investors maintain majority ownership across every single investor tier, with no crossover point where companies become dominant. This pattern confirms that the market is controlled by private individuals, regardless of portfolio size.

In the foundational single-property tier, individuals own 535 of the properties (92.6%), while companies own just 43 (7.4%). This shows that even the entry point into the market is overwhelmingly driven by personal investment.

This individual dominance persists as portfolios grow. In the two-property tier, individuals hold 92.7% of homes, and in the 3-5 property tier, they hold 97.5%. The trend culminates in the 6-10 property tier, where individuals account for 100% of the 34 properties owned.

The largest active tier, consisting of investors with 11-20 properties, shows a similar split, with individuals owning 11 of the 12 properties (91.7%). The lack of a corporate presence in larger tiers suggests a limited appetite for scaling operations in this specific market.

The data clearly illustrates that forming an LLC or other corporate entity is not the standard practice for landlords in this region. The market structure is fundamentally based on personal ownership from entry-level investors to the largest local players.

Geographic analysis reveals that investor ownership in Crawford County is heavily concentrated in specific communities. The 62454 zip code, corresponding to Robinson, is the clear hub of activity, with 497 investor-owned properties, representing 13.5% of its local housing stock.

Other areas with significant investor holdings include Oblong (62449), with 130 properties (12.6% rate), and Palestine (62451), with 115 properties (14.2% rate). These three zip codes collectively account for the majority of investor activity in the county.

While Robinson leads by sheer volume, some smaller zip codes exhibit higher penetration rates. The 61938 zip code stands out with a 100.0% investor ownership rate, a statistical anomaly likely indicating a very small area with few total properties. More conventional high-penetration areas include 62464 (17.5%) and 62478 (16.7%).

This data illustrates a pattern where investor focus is not evenly distributed. Instead, capital is clustered in the county's primary population center and a few other key towns, where rental demand is likely strongest.

The contrast between leadership in raw count (Robinson) and ownership percentage (smaller, outlying zips) is a common pattern in rural markets. It highlights the difference between the primary investment hub and smaller niche areas with high rental concentrations.

Historical transaction data shows that landlords in Crawford County have been consistently expanding their portfolios. In 2025, they have been strong net buyers, with 16 acquisitions against only 7 dispositions, resulting in a net gain of 9 properties for the year so far.

This pattern of accumulation was even more pronounced in the prior year. Throughout 2024, landlords purchased 45 SFR properties while selling just 19, for a net increase of 26 properties. This multi-year trend signals sustained confidence in the local rental market.

The pace of acquisitions in 2025 has been steady, with a peak of 8 purchases in Q2, followed by 3 in Q3. This consistent buying pressure contributes to the overall stability and growth of the investor-owned housing stock.

Given the complete absence of institutional investors (1000+ tier) in the county, all transaction activity is driven by small and mid-size landlords. This means the net-buyer status reflects the collective behavior of local, mom-and-pop operators.

The data paints a picture of a market where local investors are actively acquiring properties to hold, rather than engaging in high-volume flipping. The buy-to-sell ratio of over 2-to-1 in both 2024 and 2025 indicates a long-term investment strategy is the prevailing norm.

The final quarter of 2025 was marked by a total cessation of investor transaction activity in Crawford County. Landlords were not on either side of the 10 SFR transactions that occurred, bringing their market share for the quarter to 0%.

This inactivity was consistent across all investor sizes. Mom-and-pop landlords (Tiers 01-04), who constitute 98.3% of all owners, did not record a single purchase or sale. This halt is significant as this group typically drives the market.

There was no recorded trading between landlords. The percentage of properties bought from other investors was 0%, indicating a lack of portfolio churning or consolidation within the investor community during this period.

Because there were no transactions, analysis of purchase prices by tier is not possible for Q4. The market provided no new data points on whether smaller investors paid more or less than larger ones during this time.

The absence of landlord transactions in Q4 stands in contrast to the net-buying activity seen in previous quarters of 2025. This sudden pause could be a response to seasonal factors, rising interest rates, or a lack of available properties meeting investor criteria.