994 Catherine Dr · Opelika, AL 36801

$369,914

4 bd · 2.5 ba · 2,699 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 130 Days on market

Built 2024 0.37 ac lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the D- 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 +10.3/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Rent growth +4.1/5.0
• Livability +3.2/5.0
• DSCR +2.9/10.0
• Schools +2.9/10.0
• 1% rule +2.6/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

The OVERTON PLAN features entry foyer leading to beautiful Dining Room featuring detailed trim-work accent. Open Family Room w/ woodburning fireplace featuring brick or stone surround. The over-sized Kitchen features shaker styled cabinets, granite or quartz counters, designer selected tile backsplash, and Stainless Electric Range/Oven, Dishwasher, and Microhood. Upstairs, you'll find the Large Owner's Suite w/ sitting area and a luxurious tiled bathroom with double vanity boasting quartz or granite counters, garden tub, and separate tiled shower. The owner's closet is HUGE! Three guest rooms w/ vaulted ceilings and a shared bathroom. Mohawk Redwood flooring in much of the main level common

Key facts

• Large owner's suite
• Rear covered patio
• Foam insulated attic

Tags

• LARGE OWNER'S SUITE
• MOHAWK REDWOOD FLOORING
• FOAM INSULATED ATTIC
• REAR COVERED PATIO

🏗️ New construction. The $369,914 list price is a builder figure, so every metric below is computed on the value from comparable previous sales — $394,054.

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/2.5-bath single-family listed at $370k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-219 ($-3k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $355k (3.9% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $301k (18.7% below list).
• Recommended offer: $301k (18.7% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 5.6% vs local median 3.8% in Opelika — 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 63/100 on livability (#188 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: schools C-, employment C-, crime F.
• Opelika City (urban): math 27% / reading 43% proficiency, ranked #45 of 129 in AL (top 35%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 62% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.2%/yr); 532 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 44d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 75% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,858 units permitted in Lee County in 2024 (113 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $3,006/mo this rent would consume 58% of the median local household income ($62k/yr) (locally 1025% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $3k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $12k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Lee County population projected at +54% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 130 days — a 12% lower offer ($326k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Recommended offer $300,578 (18.7% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
2. It's been on market 130 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 19% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
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. Crime grade is F in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
6. The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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: 0.76% ✗
• Cap rate: 5.63%
• Cash-on-cash: -2.38%
• DSCR: 0.89
• GRM: 10.9

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $394,054
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1029 Finn Ct	0.12mi	4/3.0	2,697 (-0%)	6mo	$399,900	$148	88
1109 Catherine Dr	0.16mi	4/2.5	2,655 (-2%)	10mo	$372,900	$140	81
1006 Catherine Dr	0.03mi	5/3.0 (+1)	2,600 (-4%)	13mo	$379,900	$146	75
1178 Palmer Lee Dr	0.16mi	4/3.5	2,805 (+4%)	13mo	$384,900	$137	71
1005 Catherine Dr	0.03mi	4/2.0	2,330 (-14%)	4mo	$382,914	$164	70
1025 Sawyer Dr	0.08mi	4/2.0	2,321 (-14%)	1mo	$374,900	$162	70
676 High Field Ct	0.47mi	4/3.0	2,730 (+1%)	7mo	$399,900	$146	68
1209 Covington Ave	0.23mi	4/2.5	2,498 (-7%)	12mo	$320,000	$128	67
1314 Lizlin St	0.42mi	4/2.5	2,509 (-7%)	4mo	$325,000	$130	65
682 High Field Ct	0.46mi	4/2.5	2,632 (-2%)	13mo	$409,000	$155	64
533 Towne Lake Pkwy	0.71mi	4/3.0	2,705 (+0%)	3mo	$418,000	$155	62
672 Towne Lake Pkwy	0.56mi	4/3.0	2,761 (+2%)	13mo	$388,500	$141	58

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 · 6.25% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -16.9%
• Equity multiple: 0.39×
• Total profit: $-67,697
• Equity at exit: $58,755

10-year hold

• IRR: -3.9%
• Equity multiple: 0.71×
• Total profit: $-32,536
• Equity at exit: $34,071

Cash invested: $110,335 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Alabama: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+15
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Right-to-evict in 7 days for non-payment; no rent control; preempted statewide; courts move quickly.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 36801

• Home prices YoY: -30.9%
• Rents YoY: 6.2%
• Active inventory: 532
• Price-to-rent: 10.3×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $3,006 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,066
• Tax from tax record: −$363 /mo · $4,357/yr
• Insurance: −$164
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$631
• Net cashflow: $-219

Break-even live

Break-even rent $3,283

Max offer price $355,341

Occupancy floor —

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: $98,514
• Closing costs: $11,822
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 4 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
1729 Hanson St Opelika, AL	3.0	2.5	2012	$2,750	$1.37	44d	1	1.03mi
1743 Hanson St Opelika, AL	3.0	2.5	2235	$3,050	$1.36	44d	1	1.04mi
1771 Hanson St Opelika, AL	4.0	3.5	2637	$3,500	$1.33	44d	1	1.06mi
1785 Hanson St Opelika, AL	4.0	3.5	2561	$3,500	$1.37	13d	1	1.06mi

Listing history 2 events

1. 2024-10-11
   status Pending
2. 2024-06-03
   listed $369,914 Active

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

Tax reassessment forecast AL · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $4,357 · $363/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $4,357 · $363/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $36,069
• − Mortgage interest: −$22,073
• − Property taxes: −$4,357
• − Insurance: −$1,970
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,886
• − Management: −$2,886
• − Depreciation: −$11,463
• Taxable loss: −$9,565
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$2,296
• After-tax cash flow: $-334/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: Opelika City
• NCES district ID: 0102580
• Math proficiency: 27% ▼ -25.00%
• Reading proficiency: 43% ▼ -1.00%
• Median HH income: $40,081
• Composite: 29.34/100
• National rank: #6541
• State rank: #45 of 129 in AL

Livability — Opelika

• Score: 63/100
• State rank: #188
• US rank: #15556

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Opelika, AL
• County: Lee County · 144,175 people
• City population: 45,973
• Metro: Auburn-Opelika, AL
• Population (ZIP): 25,438
• Household income: $62,414
• Rent vs Own: 35.8% rent · 64.2% own
• Severe rent burden: 1025.0

Population outlook (Lee County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 196,440 people
• By 2030: 217,417 · +10.7%
• By 2040: 259,467 · +32.1%
• By 2050: 301,557 · +53.5%
• By 2075: 402,186 · +104.7%
• By 2100: 474,503 · +141.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.58)
• Race & ethnicity: White 53% Black 37% Hispanic / Latino 8% Two or more races 3% Asian 1%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 2% Cuban 1%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 3% Italian 2% Serbian 2%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada, Vietnam
• Languages at home: 94% English-only · Spanish 4% Chinese 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Lee

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+27.8) · D 35.5% · R 63.3% · Other 1.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -8.1pp toward R · 2008: -19.8pp · 2024: -27.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+27.8 2020: R+20.1 2016: R+23.1 2012: R+19.9 2008: R+19.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -116.80%
• Current HPI: 261.6632
• Rent YoY: ▲ 6.25%
• Metro: Auburn-Opelika, AL
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.94%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in AL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$8B
▸Healthcare	1	$5B

Price history

2 events — show timeline

• 2024-10-11 Pending — LCMLS
• 2024-06-03 Listed $369,914 LCMLS

Property tax history

+128.5%/yr

Latest (2025): $4,357 · +1093.5% YoY. Source: county tax records.