3 bd · 1.0 ba ·
990 sqft ·
Built 1910
· SingleFamily
· Pending
· 45 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,849/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$970
Tax + insurance
−$280
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$388
Net cashflow
$211/mo
Annual
$2,530/yr
Cap rate
7.66%
Cash-on-cash
4.89%
DSCR
1.22
1% rule
1.00%
Cash to close
$51,772
Investor read
This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $185k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $211 ($3k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $185k (0.0% below list).
It's been on market 45 days — a 3% lower offer ($179k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $179k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 81/100 on livability (#171 in PA, #1,440 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: schools D+, employment D.
Allentown City SD (urban): math 10% / reading 20% proficiency, ranked #513 of 539 in PA (top 95%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 73% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
Watch-outs: built in 1910 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.6%/yr); 58 active listings in the ZIP; 12 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 3d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 765 units permitted in Lehigh County in 2024 (286 in 5+ unit buildings).
Lehigh County population projected at +21% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
5 sale attempts since 24y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $15k (8%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
Current owner paid $55k; list at $185k implies a 236% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.6% rent growth), your $52k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 7.7% vs local median 5.3% in Allentown — 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.
This rent runs 38% of the median local income ($58k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 45 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1910 — 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.
Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-01MCMS2WDXGGHM
· Data 6 days agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29