1314 Cherry Garden Rd · Essex, MD 21221

$225,000

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,088 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 8 Days on market

Built 1955 0.73 ac lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the C- 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 +22.2/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• DSCR +7.1/10.0
• 1% rule +6.1/10.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.8/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.3/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Welcome home to this tucked away residence in Essex. This is a great opportunity for primary residents who don't mind some repairs or for an investor who is seeking an investment opportunity. The exterior offers a large flat yard with over 1/2 an acre and lots of parking space. The property is located on a peaceful and quiet dead end road yet close to all amenities such as restaurants, beaches, shopping, community boat ramp and major roads. The 1st house features a living room, dining area, 2 bedrooms and a full bath. The 2nd home, which has its own entrance, is equally as big and also offers 2 bedrooms and a full. This home offers great privacy for those seeking a peaceful setting.

Key facts

• Community boat ramp
• Large flat yard
• Close to amenities

Tags

• LARGE FLAT YARD
• PEACEFUL DEAD END ROAD
• CLOSE TO AMENITIES
• COMMUNITY BOAT RAMP
• GREAT PRIVACY

Property features AI

Finance

• Financial info: Fee simple ownership

Exterior

• Parking: Other parking
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Detached structure; Frame construction
• Construction: Permanent foundation; Above-grade and below-grade other structures; 2,088 finished above-grade square feet (assessor)
• Exterior features: Lot dimensions listed as 2.00 x; No tidal water

Interior

• Bedrooms: Four bedrooms on the main level
• Bathrooms: Two full bathrooms (both on main level)
• Heating & cooling: Other heating; Other cooling; Other hot water
• Interior features: No basement; Living area per assessor

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $225k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $368 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $225k).
• Cap rate 8.3% vs local median 4.8% in Essex — 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 79/100 on livability (#60 in MD, #2,277 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, housing A+, health & safety A; Watch: amenities D+, schools D, crime F.
• Baltimore County Public Schools (suburban): math 15% / reading 34% proficiency, ranked #11 of 24 in MD (top 46%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.1%/yr); 138 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 25d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,511 units permitted in Baltimore County in 2024 (643 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 45% of the median local income ($67k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Baltimore County population projected at +12% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.

Negotiation context

• Only 8 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1955 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $225,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1955 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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: 1.11% ✓
• Cap rate: 8.25%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.00%
• DSCR: 1.31
• GRM: 7.5

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 1.08% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -7.8%
• Equity multiple: 0.72×
• Total profit: $-17,720
• Equity at exit: $33,548

10-year hold

• IRR: -0.9%
• Equity multiple: 0.94×
• Total profit: $-3,731
• Equity at exit: $19,454

Cash invested: $63,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 27 Tenant-Leaning
• State Maryland: 27 Tenant-Leaning · D+14
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Failure-to-pay is dismissed if cured before judgment; Baltimore has just-cause; strict deposit rules.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 21221

• Rents YoY: 1.1%
• Active inventory: 138
• Price-to-rent: 7.5×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,504 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,180
• Tax from tax record: −$337 /mo · $4,046/yr
• Insurance: −$94
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$526
• Net cashflow: $368

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,039

Max offer price $225,000

Occupancy floor 80%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $495	-5% $431	+0% $368	+5% $304	+10% $240
Rent	-10% $170	-5% $269	+0% $368	+5% $467	+10% $565
Rate	-1.0pp $481	-0.5pp $425	base $368	+0.5pp $309	+1.0pp $250

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: $56,250
• Closing costs: $6,750
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 4 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
1417 Waterford Rd Essex, MD	4.0	1.0	2514	$2,400	$0.95	24d	1	0.60mi
953 Walnut Grove Rd Essex, MD	3.0	2.0–2.5	1600	$2,115	$1.32	2d	18	1.08mi
1112 Tace Dr Essex, MD	3.0	1.0	1728	$1,781	$1.03	3d	14	1.16mi
1913 Newhaven Dr Essex, MD	4.0	2.5	1700	$3,400	$2.00	44d	1	1.26mi

Listing history 6 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $225,000 Active 8 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $225,000 Active 7 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $225,000 Active 6 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $225,000 Active 5 DOM
5. 2026-06-13
   remarks 692-char remark
6. 2026-06-13
   listed $225,000 Active 3 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast MD · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $4,046 · $337/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $4,046 · $337/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: $30,053
• − Mortgage interest: −$12,603
• − Property taxes: −$4,046
• − Insurance: −$1,125
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,404
• − Management: −$2,404
• − Depreciation: −$6,545
• Taxable income: $924
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$222
• After-tax cash flow: $4,190/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: Baltimore County Public Schools
• NCES district ID: 2400120
• Math proficiency: 15% ▼ -16.00%
• Reading proficiency: 34% ▼ -5.00%
• Median HH income: $66,746
• Composite: 23.17/100
• National rank: #7948
• State rank: #11 of 24 in MD

Livability — Essex

• Score: 79/100
• State rank: #60
• US rank: #2277

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Essex, MD
• County: Baltimore County · 769,527 people
• City population: 43,487
• Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
• Population (ZIP): 43,487
• Household income: $67,340
• Rent vs Own: 37.5% rent · 62.5% own
• Severe rent burden: 1757.0

Population outlook (Baltimore County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 885,518 people
• By 2030: 909,272 · +2.7%
• By 2040: 951,547 · +7.5%
• By 2050: 990,955 · +11.9%
• By 2075: 1,086,411 · +22.7%
• By 2100: 1,135,078 · +28.2%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.60)
• Race & ethnicity: White 54% Black 32% Two or more races 7% Hispanic / Latino 7% Asian 1%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 2% Puerto Rican 1% Dominican 1%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 5% Lithuanian 1% Slovak 1%
• Foreign-born: 8% · Canada, China
• Languages at home: 89% English-only · Spanish 6% French/Haitian/Cajun 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Baltimore

• 2024 margin: Strong D (+24.5) · D 61.0% · R 36.5% · Other 2.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: +9.9pp toward D · 2008: 14.6pp · 2024: 24.5pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+24.5 2020: D+27.0 2016: D+17.4 2012: D+16.4 2008: D+14.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -232.14%
• Current HPI: 237.1069
• Rent YoY: ▲ 1.08%
• Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.97%
• F500 in state: 12

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MD)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Aerospace / Defense	1	$71B
▸Utilities	1	$25B
▸Hotels	1	$24B
▸Consumer Goods	1	$7B
▸Real Estate	1	$6B
▸Chemicals	1	$2B

Price history

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-06-10 Listed $225,000 BRIGHT MLS

Property tax history

+0.9%/yr

Latest (2025): $4,046 · +3.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.