601 Elm St · Van Buren, MO 63965

$94,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 742 sqft · Other · 42 Days on market

Built 1935 10,454 sqft lot $127/sqft · 32% below area Est $138k · 32% under ↓ 5% since listing

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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 +18.4/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• Appreciation +9.8/10.0
• DSCR +5.8/10.0
• 1% rule +3.7/10.0
• Schools +3.3/10.0
• Livability +3.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks

This adorable and affordable home built in 1935 is a charming 2-bedroom, 1-bath property is the perfect opportunity for a first-time buyer, downsizer, or savvy investor. Cute and quaint with tons of character, this home offers a warm and inviting atmosphere from the moment you arrive. Step outside to enjoy the large yard--ideal for entertaining, pets, gardening, or simply relaxing on the front porch. This home also has a new roof installed May 2026. With its cozy appeal and convenient location, this property also has great potential as a nightly rental. Super charming, budget-friendly, and full of possibilities!

Key facts

• Front porch
• Large yard
• 0.24 acre lot

Tags

• LARGE YARD
• FRONT PORCH

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Directions: Take Elsie from Main Street to Elm, house on corner lot.
• Financial info: Tax amount information provided ($336) — financial details otherwise excluded
• HOA & community: HOA information not provided

Exterior

• Parking: Parking details not provided
• Security: Not specified
• Utilities: Public water
• Home design: Single family residence; One story
• Construction: Construction details not provided; Year built not provided
• Exterior features: Corner lot; Lot approx. 0.24 acres; Subdivision: Carter-Not in List

Interior

• Kitchen: Appliances not specified
• Bedrooms: One level (single-story)
• Flooring: Not specified
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Electric central heating; Central air conditioning; Ceiling fan(s)
• Interior features: Ceiling fan(s); Central air
• Laundry & utility: Washer/dryer information not provided

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $94k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $87 ($1k/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 $82k (12.8% below list).
• Recommended offer: $82k (12.8% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 7.4% vs local median 1.9% in Van Buren — 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 59/100 on livability (#516 in MO) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, crime A-; Watch: housing C-, health & safety C-, amenities F.
• Van Buren R-I (rural): math 37% / reading 42% proficiency, ranked #169 of 324 in MO (top 52%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Van Buren Elem. (math 47% / reading 42%, grade F, #413 of 1,115 statewide, top 42%, 291 students, 70% FRL); Van Buren High (math 22% / reading 37%, grade F, #382 of 521 statewide, top 78%, 225 students, 57% FRL).
• Market conditions: 108 active listings in the ZIP; 2 units permitted in Carter County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $10k of equity ($650 loan paydown + $9k appreciation (9.5% local appreciation)).
• Carter County population projected to shrink 10% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (9.5% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $26k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 4, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$34k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 42 days — a 3% lower offer ($91k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1935 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $81,952 (12.8% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 42 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 13% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1935 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
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: 0.87% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.41%
• Cash-on-cash: 3.98%
• DSCR: 1.18
• GRM: 9.6

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $138,480
• List price: $94,000
• Delta: -32.12%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 6 within 1.0 mi

Projected returns pro-forma

9.54% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 26.2%
• Equity multiple: 3.04×
• Total profit: $53,752
• Equity at exit: $81,537

10-year hold

• IRR: 23.1%
• Equity multiple: 6.82×
• Total profit: $153,118
• Equity at exit: $172,594

Cash invested: $26,320 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 81 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Missouri: 81 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+10
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Generally landlord-friendly; St Louis has some habitability requirements.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 63965

• Home prices YoY: 6.2%
• Active inventory: 108
• Price-to-rent: 9.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $820 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$493
• Tax from tax record: −$28 /mo · $337/yr
• Insurance: −$39
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$172
• Net cashflow: $87

Break-even live

Break-even rent $709

Max offer price $94,000

Occupancy floor 84%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $140	-5% $114	+0% $87	+5% $61	+10% $34
Rent	-10% $22	-5% $55	+0% $87	+5% $120	+10% $152
Rate	-1.0pp $135	-0.5pp $111	base $87	+0.5pp $63	+1.0pp $38

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: $23,500
• Closing costs: $2,820
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 8 events

1. 2026-06-07
   statusdays on market $94,000 Pending 42 DOM
2. 2026-06-04
   days on market $94,000 Active 41 DOM
3. 2026-06-02
   days on market $94,000 Active 40 DOM
4. 2026-06-01
   days on market $94,000 Active 39 DOM
5. 2026-05-31
   days on market $94,000 Active 38 DOM
6. 2026-05-19
   price $94,000 619-char remark
7. 2026-04-23
   listed $99,000 Active 619-char remark
8. 2024-06-28
   soldstatus

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

Tax reassessment forecast MO · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $337 · $28/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $912 · $76/mo
• Expected delta: +$575/yr (+$48/mo · 170.7%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $9,834
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,265
• − Property taxes: −$337
• − Insurance: −$470
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$787
• − Management: −$787
• − Depreciation: −$2,735
• Taxable loss: −$546
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$131
• After-tax cash flow: $1,178/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: Van Buren R-I
• NCES district ID: 2930750
• Math proficiency: 37% ▼ -7.00%
• Reading proficiency: 42% ▼ -5.00%
• Median HH income: $36,880
• Composite: 32.81/100
• National rank: #5624
• State rank: #169 of 324 in MO

Livability — Van Buren

• Score: 59/100
• State rank: #516
• US rank: #19632

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Van Buren, MO
• Population (ZIP): 2,433

Population outlook (Carter County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 6,169 people
• By 2030: 6,050 · -1.9%
• By 2040: 5,824 · -5.6%
• By 2050: 5,583 · -9.5%
• By 2075: 4,900 · -20.6%
• By 2100: 4,002 · -35.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (97%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 97% Two or more races 3%
• Common ancestry: Italian 3% Serbian 2% Romanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 0%

Political lean MEDSL · Carter

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+74.2) · D 12.7% · R 86.9%
• 2008→2024 swing: -44.7pp toward R · 2008: -29.5pp · 2024: -74.2pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+74.2 2020: R+70.2 2016: R+66.4 2012: R+43.7 2008: R+29.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 9.54%
• Current HPI: 162.5634
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.84%
• F500 in state: 20

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MO)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	1	$163B
▸Insurance	1	$21B
▸Industrial Technology	1	$17B
▸Retail	1	$16B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$10B
▸Utilities	1	$9B

Price history

-5.1% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-04 Pending — SOMO
• 2026-05-19 Price Changed $94,000 SOMO
• 2026-04-23 Listed $99,000 SOMO
• 2024-06-28 Sold (Public Records) — Public Records

Property tax history

+0.6%/yr

Latest (2025): $337 · -0.1% YoY. Source: county tax records.