217 8th Ave SW · Decatur, AL 35601

$59,900

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,092 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 13 Days on market

Built 1912 6,969 sqft lot $55/sqft · 55% below area

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Why this score? — see what drove the B- 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 +30.0/30.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Rent growth +3.7/5.0
• Livability +3.6/5.0
• Schools +2.6/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Located in the heart of Decatur, this 2-bedroom, 1-bath home is a great opportunity for investors, flippers, or anyone looking for their next renovation project. Sitting on a spacious lot, the property needs significant repairs and updating but offers strong potential for value-add improvements. Whether you’re looking to renovate and resell, add to your rental portfolio, or take on a full rehab project, this property has plenty of upside.

Key facts

• Strong potential
• Spacious lot
• 6,969 sq ft lot

Tags

• SPACIOUS LOT
• STRONG POTENTIAL
• VALUE-ADD IMPROVEMENTS

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Lot size approximately 0.16 acres; Living area reported as 1,082 square feet
• HOA & community: No homeowners association; Subdivision: Little John

Exterior

• Parking: Gravel driveway
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; One level; Built in 1912; Residential property
• Construction: No fireplaces
• Exterior features: Covered porch

Interior

• Bathrooms: One full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: No heating system specified; No cooling system specified
• Interior features: Crawl space basement; Five total rooms

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $60k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $546 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $60k).
• Cap rate 17.2% vs local median 4.0% in Decatur — 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 72/100 on livability (#28 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D+, crime F, amenities F.
• Decatur City (urban): math 22% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #66 of 129 in AL (top 51%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: West Decatur Elementary School (math 8% / reading 17%, grade F, #536 of 627 statewide, top 88%, 346 students, 89% FRL); Decatur Middle School (math 17% / reading 36%, grade F, #150 of 257 statewide, top 60%, 815 students, 77% FRL); Decatur High School (math 27% / reading 27%, grade F, #90 of 305 statewide, top 35%, 1,040 students, 67% FRL) — zoned schools average 78% FRL vs 57% district-wide (21 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.7%/yr); 225 active listings in the ZIP; 20 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 45d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 70% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 231 units permitted in Morgan County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $414 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Morgan County population projected at -11% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.7% rent growth), your $17k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 13 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1912 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: moderate wind risk, 23% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→19/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $59,900

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1912 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 1.90% ✓
• Cap rate: 17.24%
• Cash-on-cash: 39.09%
• DSCR: 2.74
• GRM: 4.4

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $131,762
• List price: $59,900
• Delta: -54.54%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
217 8th Ave SW	0.00mi	2/1.0	1,082 (-1%)	1mo	$59,900	$55	98
608 7th Ave SW	0.22mi	2/1.0	1,088 (-0%)	11mo	$94,000	$86	80
223 12th Ave SW	0.29mi	2/2.0	1,004 (-8%)	7mo	$163,500	$163	63
401 5th Ave SW	0.22mi	2/1.0	1,022 (-6%)	21mo	$142,800	$140	61
220 8th Ave NW	0.30mi	3/1.0 (+1)	973 (-11%)	3mo	$128,000	$132	60
523 12th Ave NW	0.71mi	2/1.0	1,064 (-3%)	8mo	$150,100	$141	56
423 7th Ave NW	0.56mi	2/1.5	1,122 (+3%)	14mo	$167,900	$150	55
609 7th Ave SW	0.23mi	3/1.5 (+1)	1,250 (+14%)	5mo	$98,000	$78	54
110 13th Ave NW	0.36mi	3/1.5 (+1)	1,190 (+9%)	21mo	$147,500	$124	44
403 NW 14th Ave	0.63mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,000 (-8%)	9mo	$138,000	$138	44
611 SW 3rd Ave	0.42mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,238 (+13%)	12mo	$65,000	$53	43
322 NW 8th Ave	0.43mi	3/2.0 (+1)	1,162 (+6%)	23mo	$73,250	$63	41

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 4.67% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 37.1%
• Equity multiple: 2.61×
• Total profit: $27,023
• Equity at exit: $8,931

10-year hold

• IRR: 44.5%
• Equity multiple: 5.56×
• Total profit: $76,533
• Equity at exit: $5,179

Cash invested: $16,772 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Alabama: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+15
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Right-to-evict in 7 days for non-payment; no rent control; preempted statewide; courts move quickly.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 35601

• Home prices YoY: -26.5%
• Rents YoY: 4.7%
• Active inventory: 225
• Price-to-rent: 4.4×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,140 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$314
• Tax from tax record: −$15 /mo · $183/yr
• Insurance: −$25
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$239
• Net cashflow: $546

Break-even live

Break-even rent $449

Max offer price $59,900

Occupancy floor 47%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $580	-5% $563	+0% $546	+5% $529	+10% $512
Rent	-10% $456	-5% $501	+0% $546	+5% $591	+10% $636
Rate	-1.0pp $577	-0.5pp $562	base $546	+0.5pp $531	+1.0pp $515

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: $14,975
• Closing costs: $1,797
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 20 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
220 8th Ave NW Decatur, AL	3.0	1.0	973	$1,125	$1.16	45d	1	0.28mi
225 5th Ave NW Decatur, AL	3.0	2.0	1496	$1,300	$0.87	45d	1	0.37mi
315 Hillside Rd SW Decatur, AL	3.0	1.5	1344	$1,400	$1.04	45d	1	0.90mi
1504 Faye St SW Decatur, AL	3.0	2.0	1200	$1,450	$1.21	45d	1	0.91mi
14 Walnut St NE Decatur, AL	3.0	2.5	1430	$1,700	$1.19	45d	1	0.93mi
516 Ferry St NE Decatur, AL	2.0	1.0	900	$1,150	$1.28	24d	1	0.98mi
719 Bank St NE Unit 3 Decatur, AL	1.0	1.0	720	$1,350	$1.88	24d	1	0.99mi
719 5th Ave SE #1 Decatur, AL	1.0	1.0	700	$850	$1.21	45d	1	1.01mi
227 8th St SW Unit 19 Decatur, AL	2.0	1.0	850	$825	$0.97	45d	1	1.06mi
227 8th St SW Unit 8th 15 Decatur, AL	1.0	1.0	800	$725	$0.91	45d	1	1.06mi
1208 2nd Ave SW Unit 1208 28 Decatur, AL	2.0	1.0	850	$825	$0.97	45d	1	1.08mi
604 Alma St NW Decatur, AL	3.0	2.0	1350	$1,325	$0.98	22d	1	1.08mi
603 Prospect Dr SE Decatur, AL	3.0	1.0	1362	$1,795	$1.32	45d	1	1.10mi
1220 2nd Ave SW Unit 2nd 7 Decatur, AL	2.0	1.0	850	$825	$0.97	45d	1	1.12mi
213 Wilson St NE Unit 2 Decatur, AL	2.0	1.0	975	$875	$0.90	24d	1	1.16mi
213 Wilson St NE Unit 4 Decatur, AL	2.0	1.0	975	$700	$0.72	24d	1	1.16mi
1050 Harborview Dr NE Decatur, AL	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	790	$1,305	$1.65	15d	7	1.19mi
818 Grant St SE Decatur, AL	2.0	1.0	910	$1,300	$1.43	45d	1	1.21mi
1018 Grant St SE Unit 1018-4 Decatur, AL	2.0	1.0	890	$775	$0.87	45d	1	1.35mi
1018 Grant St SE Unit 1026-4 Decatur, AL	2.0	1.0	890	$800	$0.90	45d	1	1.36mi

Listing history 1 events

1. 2026-05-07
   listed $59,900 Active 448-char remark

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

Tax reassessment forecast AL · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $183 · $15/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $246 · $20/mo
• Expected delta: +$63/yr (+$5/mo · 34.2%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 4/10 Moderate FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 24% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥106°F today · 19 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 5/10 Major 23% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $13,682
• − Mortgage interest: −$3,355
• − Property taxes: −$183
• − Insurance: −$300
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,095
• − Management: −$1,095
• − Depreciation: −$1,743
• Taxable income: $5,913
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,419
• After-tax cash flow: $5,138/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: Decatur City
• NCES district ID: 0101170
• Math proficiency: 22% ▼ -27.00%
• Reading proficiency: 40% ▼ -1.00%
• Median HH income: $42,170
• Composite: 26.21/100
• National rank: #7261
• State rank: #66 of 129 in AL

Livability — Decatur

• Score: 72/100
• State rank: #28
• US rank: #5989

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Decatur, AL
• County: Morgan County · 67,628 people
• City population: 67,628
• Metro: Decatur, AL
• Population (ZIP): 35,449
• Household income: $51,429
• Rent vs Own: 42.2% rent · 57.8% own
• Severe rent burden: 1386.0

Population outlook (Morgan County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 118,775 people
• By 2030: 116,979 · -1.5%
• By 2040: 111,800 · -5.9%
• By 2050: 105,181 · -11.4%
• By 2075: 87,736 · -26.1%
• By 2100: 67,624 · -43.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.66)
• Race & ethnicity: White 47% Hispanic / Latino 24% Black 24% Two or more races 10% Native American 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 15% Puerto Rican 2%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 1% Italian 1% Lithuanian 1%
• Foreign-born: 10% · Canada
• Languages at home: 81% English-only · Spanish 18%

Political lean MEDSL · Morgan

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+52.6) · D 23.2% · R 75.8%
• 2008→2024 swing: -8.8pp toward R · 2008: -43.8pp · 2024: -52.6pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+52.6 2020: R+49.2 2016: R+52.4 2012: R+44.5 2008: R+43.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -89.26%
• Current HPI: 247.8437
• Rent YoY: ▲ 4.67%
• Metro: Decatur, AL
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.94%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in AL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$8B
▸Healthcare	1	$5B

Price history

+0.0% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-05 Sold (MLS) $59,900 VMLS
• 2026-05-20 Pending — VMLS
• 2026-05-07 Listed $59,900 VMLS

Property tax history

+1.4%/yr

Latest (2025): $183 · +0.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.