2 bd · 1.0 ba ·
710 sqft ·
Built 1988
· Condo
· Active
· 220 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,261/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$865
Tax + insurance
−$121
HOA
−$164
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$265
Net cashflow
$-154/mo
Annual
$-1,853/yr
Cap rate
5.17%
Cash-on-cash
-4.01%
DSCR
0.82
1% rule
0.76%
Cash to close
$46,200
Investor read
This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $165k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $-154 ($-2k/yr) — negative.
To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $138k (16.5% below list).
To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $126k (23.6% below list).
It's been on market 220 days — a 12% lower offer ($145k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $126k (23.6% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
In year one you build about $18k of equity ($1k loan paydown + $16k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
Location reads 76/100 on livability (#12 in AL, #3,280 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: employment A+, housing A+, crime B+; Watch: amenities F, commute F.
Madison City (suburban): math 51% / reading 71% proficiency, ranked #4 of 129 in AL (top 3%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease; only 17% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
Zoned schools: Midtown Elementary School (math 49% / reading 78%, grade B, #46 of 627 statewide, top 8%, 999 students, 26% FRL); Discovery Middle School (math 46% / reading 69%, grade B, #13 of 257 statewide, top 5%, 1,334 students, 25% FRL); Bob Jones High School (math 53% / reading 51%, grade D+, #11 of 305 statewide, top 4%, 1,920 students, 24% FRL).
Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.6%/yr); 390 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 16d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); high-income renter base; 4,709 units permitted in Madison County in 2024 (1,186 in 5+ unit buildings).
Madison County population projected at +18% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
Current owner paid $137k; 20% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
By year 3, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$45k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 5.2% vs local median 2.6% in Madison — 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 13% of the median local income ($117k/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 220 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 24% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
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?
Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
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?
CashFlowRE · CFR-0BBJTJCS0Z2EZ5
· Data 12 h agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29