214 E Branch Dr · Charleston, SC
Flood risk 1/10 · Minimal
- FEMA flood zone
- X (unshaded)
- Chance of flooding over 30 yrs
- 0.0%
- Est. flood insurance / yr
- $507 – $1,088
Fire risk 7/10 · Major
- Est. fire insurance / yr
- $783 – $1,453
Heat risk 9/10 · Severe
- Hot days now (above 106°F)
- 7 days/yr
- Hot days in 30 yrs
- 18 days/yr
Wind risk 8/10 · Major
- Chance of severe wind over 30 yrs
- 98.0%
Air-quality risk 3/10 · Minor
- Unhealthy air days now
- 2 days/yr
- Unhealthy air days in 30 yrs
- 2 days/yr
Risk factors via First Street. Map © Google.
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 +26.1/30.0
- DSCR +8.8/10.0
- 1% rule +7.1/10.0
- Appreciation +4.4/10.0
- ARV discount +4.2/15.0
- Livability +3.8/5.0
- Schools +3.6/10.0
- Rent growth +2.5/5.0
- Condition / age +2.5/5.0
$453,765
🖨 Deal sheet 📄 Offer letter ✓ Due diligence
Key facts
- 8,712 sq ft lot
- 2 garage spots
- Built 2026
Neighborhood map
What this means for you Summary
Snapshot
- This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $454k.
Deal economics
- At list price, monthly cash flow is $1k ($14k/yr) — positive.
- The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
- Meets the 1% rule at list price ($6k rent vs $454k).
- Cap rate 9.3% vs local median 2.4% in Charleston — 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 76/100 on livability (#22 in SC, #3,336 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime D+, commute F, cost of living D-.
- Berkeley 01 (suburban): math 35% / reading 48% proficiency, ranked #30 of 80 in SC (top 38%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
- Zoned schools: Cainhoy Elementary (math 2% / reading 12%, grade F, #594 of 597 statewide, top 100%, 154 students, 100% FRL); Philip Simmons Middle (math 31% / reading 48%, grade F, #82 of 229 statewide, top 37%, 428 students, 35% FRL); Philip Simmons High (math 42% / reading 92%, grade B, #73 of 196 statewide, top 41%, 771 students, 21% FRL) — zoned schools at 52% FRL track the district average.
- Market conditions: 69 active listings in the ZIP; 3,183 units permitted in Berkeley County in 2024 (580 in 5+ unit buildings).
Forward outlook
- Local home prices are declining (-1.1%/yr); year-one equity from $3k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
- Berkeley County population projected at +48% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
- At projected returns (-1.1% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $127k cash investment doubles in ~8 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Negotiation context
- Only 0 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
Risks & watch-outs
- Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 98% chance of damaging wind over 30y; major wildfire risk; extreme-heat days projected 7→18/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Questions for the 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.
- Schools are A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
- Crime grade is D 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.
- 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
- 1.21% ✓
- Cap rate
- 9.30%
- Cash-on-cash
- 10.74%
- DSCR
- 1.48
- GRM
- 6.9
CMA / ARV
- ARV (on-the-fly)
- $422,664
- Comps found
- 12
Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi
| Address | Dist | Beds/Ba | Sqft | Sold | Price | $/sf | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 117 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.42mi | 3/2.0 | 1,702 (+6%) | 3mo | $502,500 | $295 | 67 |
| 116 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.39mi | 3/2.0 | 1,702 (+6%) | 9mo | $419,740 | $247 | 64 |
| 152 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.42mi | 3/2.0 | 1,702 (+6%) | 8mo | $399,090 | $234 | 63 |
| 158 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.39mi | 3/2.0 | 1,702 (+6%) | 11mo | $473,940 | $278 | 62 |
| 155 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.43mi | 3/2.0 | 1,702 (+6%) | 10mo | $497,990 | $293 | 61 |
| 112 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.38mi | 3/2.0 | 1,702 (+6%) | 15mo | $444,840 | $261 | 59 |
| 111 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.42mi | 3/2.0 | 1,702 (+6%) | 15mo | $449,940 | $264 | 58 |
| 1070 French Quarter Creek Rd | 0.65mi | 3/2.0 | 1,632 (+2%) | 12mo | $275,000 | $169 | 57 |
| 122 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.40mi | 4/3.0 (+1) | 1,702 (+6%) | 7mo | $398,740 | $234 | 56 |
| 143 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.48mi | 3/2.0 | 1,702 (+6%) | 15mo | $468,740 | $275 | 54 |
| 135 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.48mi | 4/3.0 (+1) | 1,702 (+6%) | 7mo | $439,140 | $258 | 52 |
| 126 Royal Cainhoy Way | 0.41mi | 4/3.0 (+1) | 1,702 (+6%) | 15mo | $464,140 | $273 | 49 |
Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.
Projected returns pro-forma
-1.12% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon
- IRR
- 6.4%
- Equity multiple
- 1.28×
- Total profit
- $36,024
- Equity at exit
- $107,007
- IRR
- 12.9%
- Equity multiple
- 2.26×
- Total profit
- $159,691
- Equity at exit
- $110,226
Cash invested: $127,054 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.
Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology
- Overall (STATE)
- 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
- State South Carolina
- 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
- County
- — inherits STATE
- City
- — inherits STATE
ZIP-level market 29450
- Home prices YoY
- -0.2%
- Active inventory
- 69
- Price-to-rent
- 6.9×
Monthly cashflow live
- Estimated rent
- $5,504 medium interval (Pro) →
- Mortgage (P&I)
- −$2,380
- Tax est. 1.5%
- −$567 /mo · $6,806/yr
- Insurance
- −$189
- HOA
- −$75
- Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt
- −$1,156
- Net cashflow
- $1,137
Break-even live
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
- $113,441
- Closing costs
- $13,613
- Reserves months
- —
- Total cash needed
- —
Loan-product check · same deal, 3 products live
Conventional
25% down · 7.5% · 30yr
- Down + closing
- —
- Monthly P&I
- —
- Monthly cashflow
- —
- DSCR
- —
- Eligible?
- —
Personal DTI + credit; lowest rate.
DSCR
20% down · 8.5% · 30yr
- Down + closing
- —
- Monthly P&I
- —
- Monthly cashflow
- —
- DSCR
- —
- Eligible?
- —
No personal income docs; deal must DSCR.
Hard money
10% down · 12.0% · 12mo
- Down + closing
- —
- Monthly P&I
- —
- Monthly cashflow
- —
- DSCR
- —
- Eligible?
- —
Short-term bridge; refi at stabilization.
HOA detail
- Monthly dues
- $75 · $900/yr
Listing history 2 events
-
2026-02-24historical
-
2026-02-22$453,765
ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot
backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.
Climate risk First Street
- Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
- Wildfire 7/10 Severe
- Heat 9/10 Extreme 7 d/yr ≥106°F today · 18 d/yr by 30 yrs out
- Wind 8/10 Severe 98% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
- Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out
Nearby sold comps map
Loading sold comps map…
Walkable amenities ~0.75 mi
Loading nearby amenities…
Taxation est. · year 1
- Rental income
- $66,048
- − Mortgage interest
- −$25,418
- − Property taxes
- −$6,806
- − Insurance
- −$2,269
- − Repairs & maintenance
- −$5,284
- − Management
- −$5,284
- − HOA
- −$900
- − Depreciation
- −$13,200
- Taxable income
- $6,887
- Est. tax owed @ 24.0%
- −$1,653
- After-tax cash flow
- $11,995/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
- Berkeley 01
- NCES district ID
- 4501170
- Math proficiency
- 35% ▼ -8.00%
- Reading proficiency
- 48% ▼ -2.00%
- Median HH income
- $52,724
- Composite
- 35.95/100
- National rank
- #4799
- State rank
- #30 of 80 in SC
Livability — Charleston
- Score
- 76/100
- State rank
- #22
- US rank
- #3336
Category grades
Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.
Census & demographics
- City population
- 200,573
- Population (ZIP)
- 3,124
Population outlook (Berkeley County) Hauer SSP2
- Today (2025)
- 254,184 people
- By 2030
- 279,677 · +10.0%
- By 2040
- 329,379 · +29.6%
- By 2050
- 375,557 · +47.8%
- By 2075
- 476,740 · +87.6%
- By 2100
- 535,945 · +110.8%
Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023
- Neighborhood character
- Majority Black (64%)
- Race & ethnicity
- Black 64% White 25% Hispanic / Latino 9% Two or more races 4%
- Hispanic origin (detail)
- Mexican 6% Dominican 2%
- Common ancestry
- Serbian 7% Italian 1% Lithuanian 1%
- Foreign-born
- 2% · Canada
- Languages at home
- 96% English-only · Spanish 3%
Political lean MEDSL · Berkeley
- 2024 margin
- R (+16.3) · D 41.1% · R 57.4% · Other 1.4%
- 2008→2024 swing
- -3.2pp toward R · 2008: -13.1pp · 2024: -16.3pp
- All cycles
- 2024: R+16.3 2020: R+11.7 2016: R+17.4 2012: R+18.9 2008: R+13.1
Not yet ingested
- Civics
- —
Market trends
- HPI YoY
- ▼ -1.12%
- Current HPI
- 462.4619
- Rent YoY
- —
- Metro
- —
- State GDP YoY
- ▲ 4.51%
- F500 in state
- 2
Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in SC)
| Industry | F500 HQs | Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Packaging | 1 | $7B |
|
||
Price history
2 events — show timeline
- 2026-02-24 Listing Removed — Charleston Trident MLS
- 2026-02-22 Listed $453,765 Charleston Trident MLS
Cash-flow waterfall
monthlySold comps — $/sqft
last 12 mo · ≤1 miLoading sold comps…