7710 Helen Ln

Huntsville, AL 35806

$224,850F

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,175 sqft · Built 2026 · Townhouse · Active · 18 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,661/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,179
• Tax + insurance: −$375
• HOA: −$75
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$349
• Net cashflow: $-317/mo
• Annual: $-3,799/yr
• Cap rate: 4.60%
• Cash-on-cash: -6.03%
• DSCR: 0.73
• 1% rule: 0.74%
• Cash to close: $62,958

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath townhouse listed at $225k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-317 ($-4k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $179k (20.4% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $166k (26.1% below list).
• It's been on market 18 days — a 2% lower offer ($221k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $166k (26.1% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $24k of equity ($2k loan paydown + $22k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 82/100 on livability (#3 in AL, #1,082 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F.
• Huntsville City (urban): math 21% / reading 46% proficiency, ranked #48 of 129 in AL (top 37%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Providence Elementary (math 14% / reading 42%, grade F, #385 of 627 statewide, top 62%, 848 students, 52% FRL); Williams Middle School (math 16% / reading 50%, grade F, #101 of 257 statewide, top 40%, 548 students, 58% FRL); Columbia High School (math 12% / reading 17%, grade F, #220 of 305 statewide, top 77%, 954 students, 50% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+2.6%/yr); 216 active listings in the ZIP; 9 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 26d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 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.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$39k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Cap rate 4.6% vs local median 3.8% in Huntsville — meaningfully above typical; check what's discounted (condition, days-on-market, listing class) to confirm the premium yield is real.

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?
• 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.