3 bd · 2.5 ba ·
1,901 sqft ·
Built 2017
· Townhouse
· Pending
· 9 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$2,215/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$1,474
Tax + insurance
−$206
HOA
−$24
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$465
Net cashflow
$47/mo
Annual
$559/yr
Cap rate
6.49%
Cash-on-cash
0.71%
DSCR
1.03
1% rule
0.79%
Cash to close
$78,680
Investor read
This is a 3-bed/2.5-bath townhouse listed at $281k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $47 ($559/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 $222k (21.2% below list).
Only 9 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
Recommended offer: $222k (21.2% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $8k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 64/100 on livability (#47 in DE) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: housing A+, employment A, cost of living A-; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
Caesar Rodney School District (suburban): math 26% / reading 49% proficiency, ranked #9 of 26 in DE (top 35%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
Zoned schools: J. Ralph Mcilvaine Early Childhood Center (523 students, 0% FRL); Fred Fifer Iii Middle School (math 25% / reading 51%, grade F, #8 of 36 statewide, top 20%, 679 students, 0% FRL); Caesar Rodney High School (math 31% / reading 61%, grade D-, #7 of 40 statewide, top 15%, 2,257 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 35% district-wide (35 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
Market conditions: 93 active listings in the ZIP; 5 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,201 units permitted in Kent County in 2024 (116 in 5+ unit buildings).
Kent County population projected at +22% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
3 sale attempts since 10y 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 $242k; 16% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 75% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 6.5% vs local median 3.5% in Camden — 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.
Questions for listing agent
What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
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?
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?
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-0BSC34BRGH209S
· Data 4 weeks agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29