254 Sorrel Tree Dr · Columbia, SC 29223

$242,000

4 bd · 3.0 ba · 1,872 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 72 Days on market

Built 2016 6,969 sqft lot $14/mo HOA · 1% of rent

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Why this score? — see what drove the D+ 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 +17.8/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• DSCR +5.6/10.0
• 1% rule +4.0/10.0
• Livability +3.9/5.0
• Schools +3.6/10.0
• Rent growth +2.6/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Imagine 254 Sorrel Tree Dr, arranged for everyday practicality with a layout centered on daily use. The primary bathroom provides both a separate tub and shower, along with double sinks for functional use. Outside, a patio connects to a fenced in backyard, creating a defined exterior space that supports regular enjoyment. This residence provides a straightforward and well-equipped living environment. Included 100-Day Home Warranty with buyer activation Disclaimer: CMLS has not reviewed and, therefore, does not endorse vendors who may appear in listings.

Key facts

• 6,969 sq ft lot
• Garage
• Built 2016

Property features AI

Finance

• HOA & community: Homeowners association present

Exterior

• Parking: Attached garage with 1 garage space
• Utilities: Public sewer
• Home design: Two-story property
• Construction: Slab foundation
• Exterior features: Vinyl and other exterior finish; Paved road access; Public water

Interior

• Bedrooms: Master bedroom on the second level
• Bathrooms: Two full bathrooms; One half bathroom; One additional main half bath
• Interior features: Central cooling; Gas heating on the first level; Total heated area approximately 1,801

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/3.0-bath single-family listed at $242k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $199 ($2k/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 $217k (10.4% below list).
• Recommended offer: $217k (10.4% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 7.3% vs local median 5.0% in Columbia — 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 78/100 on livability (#18 in SC, #2,436 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: schools D+, employment D, crime F.
• Richland 02 (suburban): math 35% / reading 47% proficiency, ranked #29 of 80 in SC (top 36%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: Rents flat; 341 active listings in the ZIP; 6 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 12d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 3,472 units permitted in Richland County in 2024 (1,096 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 42% of the median local income ($62k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• 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.
• Richland County population projected at +30% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 72 days — a 6% lower offer ($227k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 67% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $216,860 (10.4% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 72 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 10% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. 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?
6. 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?
7. 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?
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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: 0.90% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.28%
• Cash-on-cash: 3.52%
• DSCR: 1.16
• GRM: 9.3

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 0.21% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -13.7%
• Equity multiple: 0.52×
• Total profit: $-32,525
• Equity at exit: $36,083

10-year hold

• IRR: -9.6%
• Equity multiple: 0.48×
• Total profit: $-35,245
• Equity at exit: $20,924

Cash invested: $67,760 (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

5-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 29223

• Rents YoY: 0.2%
• Active inventory: 341
• Price-to-rent: 9.3×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,169 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,269
• Tax from tax record: −$130 /mo · $1,563/yr
• Insurance: −$101
• HOA: −$14
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$455
• Net cashflow: $199

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,917

Max offer price $242,000

Occupancy floor 86%

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: $60,500
• Closing costs: $7,260
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 6 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
119 Manzanita Ln Columbia, SC	4.0	2.5	2200	$2,450	$1.11	11d	1	0.09mi
232 Allans Mill Dr Columbia, SC	4.0	2.5	1696	$2,100	$1.24	23d	1	0.12mi
811 Mallet Hill Rd Columbia, SC	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	1137	$2,041	$1.80	3d	18	0.19mi
811 Polo Rd Columbia, SC	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	1088	$1,765	$1.62	3d	8	0.42mi
4824 Smallwood Rd Columbia, SC	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	1121	$1,373	$1.22	3d	54	0.51mi
400 Mallet Hill Rd Columbia, SC	3.0	2.5	1816	$2,100	$1.16	23d	1	0.73mi

HOA detail

• Monthly dues: $14 · $168/yr

Listing history 20 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $242,000 Active 72 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $242,000 Active 71 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $242,000 Active 70 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $242,000 Active 69 DOM
5. 2026-06-14
   days on market $242,000 Active 67 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $242,000 Active 66 DOM
7. 2026-06-10
   days on market $242,000 Active 64 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $242,000 Active 63 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $242,000 Active 62 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $242,000 Active 61 DOM
11. 2026-06-05
    pricedays on market $242,000 Active 58 DOM
12. 2026-06-03
    days on market $248,000 Active 57 DOM
13. 2026-06-03
    days on market $248,000 Active 56 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    days on market $248,000 Active 55 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $248,000 Active 54 DOM
16. 2026-05-14
    price $248,000
17. 2026-04-23
    price $250,000
18. 2026-04-07
    listed $258,000 Active
19. 2026-03-27
    soldstatus $248,000
20. 2015-06-25
    price $149,900

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

Tax reassessment forecast SC · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $1,563 · $130/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,563 · $130/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 7/10 Severe 7 d/yr ≥107°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 67% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $26,023
• − Mortgage interest: −$13,556
• − Property taxes: −$1,563
• − Insurance: −$1,210
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,082
• − Management: −$2,082
• − HOA: −$168
• − Depreciation: −$7,040
• Taxable loss: −$1,677
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$403
• After-tax cash flow: $2,791/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: Richland 02
• NCES district ID: 4503390
• Math proficiency: 35% ▼ -15.00%
• Reading proficiency: 47% ▼ -5.00%
• Median HH income: $59,684
• Composite: 36.2/100
• National rank: #4730
• State rank: #29 of 80 in SC

Livability — Columbia

• Score: 78/100
• State rank: #18
• US rank: #2436

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Columbia, SC
• County: Richland County · 389,530 people
• City population: 335,994
• Metro: Columbia, SC
• Population (ZIP): 53,074
• Household income: $62,408
• Rent vs Own: 42.4% rent · 57.6% own
• Severe rent burden: 2857.0

Population outlook (Richland County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 459,667 people
• By 2030: 487,524 · +6.1%
• By 2040: 542,035 · +17.9%
• By 2050: 595,371 · +29.5%
• By 2075: 732,998 · +59.5%
• By 2100: 820,415 · +78.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.60)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 57% White 23% Hispanic / Latino 11% Two or more races 6% Asian 4%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 5% Puerto Rican 2%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 1% Serbian 1% Italian 1%
• Foreign-born: 10% · Canada, South Korea
• Languages at home: 86% English-only · Spanish 8% Other Indo-European 2% Korean 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Richland

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+34.6) · D 66.4% · R 31.8% · Other 1.8%
• 2008→2024 swing: +5.7pp toward D · 2008: 28.9pp · 2024: 34.6pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+34.6 2020: D+38.3 2016: D+32.9 2012: D+33.3 2008: D+28.9

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -135.96%
• Current HPI: 195.3158
• Rent YoY: ▲ 0.21%
• Metro: Columbia, SC
• 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

+65.4% since first listed

5 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-14 Price Changed $248,000 Consolidated MLS
• 2026-04-23 Price Changed $250,000 Consolidated MLS
• 2026-04-07 Listed $258,000 Consolidated MLS
• 2026-03-27 Sold (Public Records) $248,000 Public Records
• 2015-06-25 Price Changed $149,900 Consolidated MLS

Property tax history

+20.1%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,563 · +3.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.