1198 Rozelle Ave

East Cleveland, OH 44112

$75,000B-

4 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,470 sqft · Built 1909 · SingleFamily · Active · 78 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,576/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$393
• Tax + insurance: −$132
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$331
• Net cashflow: $719/mo
• Annual: $8,632/yr
• Cap rate: 17.80%
• Cash-on-cash: 41.10%
• DSCR: 2.83
• 1% rule: 2.10%
• Cash to close: $21,000

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $75k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $719 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $75k).
• It's been on market 78 days — a 6% lower offer ($70k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $70k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $519 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 66/100 on livability (#650 in OH) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime F, employment F.
• East Cleveland City School District (suburban): math 4% / reading 17% proficiency, ranked #652 of 656 in OH (top 99%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 92% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Caledonia Elementary School (246 students, 0% FRL); W.H. Kirk Middle School (math 6% / reading 15%, grade F, #642 of 654 statewide, top 98%, 291 students, 0% FRL); Shaw High School (math 2% / reading 27%, grade F, #706 of 781 statewide, top 92%, 541 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 92% district-wide (92 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1909 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.2%/yr); 100 active listings in the ZIP; 29 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 1,441 units permitted in Cuyahoga County in 2024 (700 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Cuyahoga County population projected to shrink 8% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 3 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $15k (17%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $20k; list at $75k implies a 275% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.2% rent growth), your $21k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• At $1,576/mo this rent would consume 66% of the median local household income ($29k/yr) (locally 1702% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 78 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1909 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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 F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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?
• 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.