2311 Queen St

Dubuque, IA 52001

$165,000B

2 bd · 3.0 ba · 2,288 sqft · Built 1870 · MultiFamily · Active · 18 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,342/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$865
• Tax + insurance: −$204
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$492
• Net cashflow: $781/mo
• Annual: $9,370/yr
• Cap rate: 11.97%
• Cash-on-cash: 20.28%
• DSCR: 1.90
• 1% rule: 1.42%
• Cash to close: $46,200

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/3.0-bath multifamily listed at $165k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $781 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $165k).
• It's been on market 18 days — a 2% lower offer ($163k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $163k (1.5% 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 89/100 on livability (#7 in IA, #119 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: crime C-.
• Dubuque Community School District (urban): math 63% / reading 65% proficiency, ranked #205 of 289 in IA (top 71%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Audubon Elementary School (math 27% / reading 27%, grade F, #607 of 616 statewide, top 99%, 281 students, 77% FRL); Thomas Jefferson Middle School (math 43% / reading 44%, grade D, #234 of 246 statewide, top 95%, 459 students, 61% FRL); Hempstead High School (math 64% / reading 71%, grade B, #186 of 336 statewide, top 57%, 1,584 students, 38% FRL) — zoned schools average 59% FRL vs 32% district-wide (27 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 46% at this address vs 64% district-wide (-18 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Dubuque Community School District average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Watch-outs: built in 1870 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.6%/yr); 234 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 473 units permitted in Dubuque County in 2024 (319 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Dubuque County population projected at +13% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.6% rent growth), your $46k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: moderate flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 12.0% vs local median 3.5% in Dubuque — 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 $2,342/mo this rent would consume 46% of the median local household income ($62k/yr) (locally 1940% 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 1870 — 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 B-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 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.