Illinois Investor Programs and Guides

Program and regulatory figures verified September 15, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.

By Mike Certo, Cornerstone First Mortgage · NMLS #260555 · Updated September 15, 2026

Everything on this site in one place. The loan structure first, then the two Illinois inputs that decide whether a deal clears, then the markets.

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The loan

• DSCR loans in Illinois, the whole structure
• Taking title in an LLC
• Cash-out refinance on a rental

The two inputs that decide the file

• The tax line, and why the published rate is not yours
• What each Illinois market actually yields
• Cook County assessment classes

The two legal facts a lender cares about

• Redemption: six months on a rental, not seven
• Rent control preempted, including against Chicago

Markets

• Chicago
• Peoria
• Springfield
• Rockford
• Champaign
• Bloomington and Normal
• Downstate cash-flow markets

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Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content, not a loan commitment and not legal or tax advice. Assessment levels, the state equalization factor, county tax rates and city rental ordinances change, and the figures here carry the date we verified them. Confirm current requirements with the county assessor, the county clerk, your CPA, or an Illinois real estate attorney before you buy. Loans are subject to buyer and property qualification.