1256 49th St

West Des Moines, IA 50266

$157,000D

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,081 sqft · Built 1982 · Condo · Active · 17 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,308/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$823
• Tax + insurance: −$262
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$275
• Net cashflow: $-52/mo
• Annual: $-622/yr
• Cap rate: 5.90%
• Cash-on-cash: -1.41%
• DSCR: 0.94
• 1% rule: 0.83%
• Cash to close: $43,960

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath condo listed at $157k. Condition is rated good.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-52 ($-622/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $150k (4.8% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $131k (16.7% below list).
• It's been on market 17 days — a 2% lower offer ($155k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $131k (16.7% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• 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 87/100 on livability (#11 in IA, #336 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: commute F.
• West Des Moines Community School District (urban): math 66% / reading 71% proficiency, ranked #133 of 289 in IA (top 46%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Crossroads Park Elementary School (math 72% / reading 72%, grade A-, #181 of 616 statewide, top 34%, 521 students, 33% FRL); Indian Hills Junior High School (math 65% / reading 72%, grade A, #126 of 246 statewide, top 53%, 696 students, 45% FRL); Valley High School (math 71% / reading 81%, grade A-, #75 of 336 statewide, top 23%, 2,152 students, 36% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.9%/yr); 591 active listings in the ZIP; 17 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 26d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 47% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; solid renter incomes; 2,953 units permitted in Polk County in 2024 (540 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Polk County population projected at +37% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 2 sale attempts 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.
• Cap rate 5.9% vs local median 2.5% in West Des Moines — 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

• 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?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• 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?
• 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 apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.