434 S 2nd St

Seward, NE 68434

$179,000B-

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,463 sqft · Built 1900 · SingleFamily · Active · 49 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,800/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$939
• Tax + insurance: −$160
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$378
• Net cashflow: $323/mo
• Annual: $3,876/yr
• Cap rate: 8.46%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.73%
• DSCR: 1.34
• 1% rule: 1.01%
• Cash to close: $50,120

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $179k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $323 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $179k).
• It's been on market 49 days — a 3% lower offer ($174k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $174k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 83/100 on livability (#12 in NE, #886 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F.
• Seward Public Schools (town): math 73% / reading 63% proficiency, ranked #5 of 111 in NE (top 4%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease; only 16% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Zoned schools: Seward Elementary School (math 72% / reading 62%, grade B+, #64 of 502 statewide, top 14%, 573 students, 26% FRL); Seward Middle School (math 75% / reading 63%, grade A, #5 of 128 statewide, top 3%, 422 students, 20% FRL); Seward High School (math 67% / reading 62%, grade B-, #25 of 261 statewide, top 13%, 501 students, 19% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 62 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 94 units permitted in Seward County in 2024 (48 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 2 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $10k (5%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $62k; list at $179k implies a 189% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Cap rate 8.5% vs local median 2.9% in Seward — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 49 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• 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 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?
• 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.