3101 Lorna Rd #1714

Hoover, AL 35216

$108,000D-

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 640 sqft · Built 1969 · Condo · Active · 45 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,087/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$566
• Tax + insurance: −$175
• HOA: −$275
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$228
• Net cashflow: $-158/mo
• Annual: $-1,893/yr
• Cap rate: 4.54%
• Cash-on-cash: -6.26%
• DSCR: 0.72
• 1% rule: 1.01%
• Cash to close: $30,240

Investor read

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $108k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-158 ($-2k/yr) — negative.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $108k).
• It's been on market 45 days — a 3% lower offer ($105k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $105k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $747 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 84/100 on livability (#1 in AL, #630 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, employment A+, housing A+.
• Hoover City (urban): math 45% / reading 66% proficiency, ranked #8 of 129 in AL (top 6%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease; only 19% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Zoned schools: Green Valley Elementary School (math 37% / reading 57%, grade D-, #142 of 627 statewide, top 25%, 476 students, 55% FRL); Hoover High School (math 46% / reading 47%, grade D-, #17 of 305 statewide, top 5%, 2,841 students, 32% FRL) — zoned schools average 44% FRL vs 19% district-wide (25 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 25% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+2.6%/yr); 135 active listings in the ZIP; 12 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 24d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 42% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 2,114 units permitted in Jefferson County in 2024 (556 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Jefferson County population projected to shrink 4% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 2 sale attempts since 3y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• Current owner paid $83k; 30% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Cap rate 4.5% vs local median 2.4% in Hoover — 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 is only 18% of the median local income ($75k/yr) — well below the 30% rent-burden line; pricing power to push rent on renewal without tenant pushback.

Questions for listing agent

• 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?
• 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 1969 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
• 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?