5 bd · 1.0 ba ·
1,638 sqft ·
Built 1900
· SingleFamily
· Pending
· 8 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$2,161/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$1,154
Tax + insurance
−$259
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$454
Net cashflow
$295/mo
Annual
$3,539/yr
Cap rate
7.90%
Cash-on-cash
5.74%
DSCR
1.26
1% rule
0.98%
Cash to close
$61,600
Investor read
This is a 5-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $220k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $295 ($4k/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 $216k (1.8% below list).
Only 8 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
Recommended offer: $216k (1.8% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
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.
Location reads 81/100 on livability (#171 in PA, #1,440 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment D.
Allentown City SD (urban): math 10% / reading 20% proficiency, ranked #513 of 539 in PA (top 95%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 73% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
Zoned schools: Trexler Ms (math 2% / reading 24%, grade F, #484 of 512 statewide, top 95%, 820 students, 100% FRL); William Allen Hs (math 29% / reading 10%, grade F, #392 of 437 statewide, top 90%, 2,852 students, 87% FRL) — zoned schools average 94% FRL vs 73% district-wide (20 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.5%/yr); 170 active listings in the ZIP; 32 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 21d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 765 units permitted in Lehigh County in 2024 (286 in 5+ unit buildings).
Lehigh County population projected at +21% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
6 sale attempts since 21y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
Current owner paid $45k; list at $220k implies a 389% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 7.9% vs local median 5.3% in Allentown — 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.
At $2,161/mo this rent would consume 60% of the median local household income ($43k/yr) (locally 4313% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.
Questions for listing agent
Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
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?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-1QRA3S0HK8M7YJ
· Data 3 weeks agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29