605 S 3rd Ave

Wausau, WI 54401

$71,800B

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,268 sqft · Built 1885 · SingleFamily · Active · 49 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,231/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$377
• Tax + insurance: −$168
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$259
• Net cashflow: $428/mo
• Annual: $5,140/yr
• Cap rate: 13.45%
• Cash-on-cash: 25.57%
• DSCR: 2.14
• 1% rule: 1.71%
• Cash to close: $20,104

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $72k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $428 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $72k).
• It's been on market 49 days — a 3% lower offer ($70k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $70k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $496 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 91/100 on livability (#4 in WI, #55 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: schools C-, employment D.
• Wausau School District (urban): math 33% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #235 of 342 in WI (top 69%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Watch-outs: built in 1885 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+10.2%/yr); 66 active listings in the ZIP; 16 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 45d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 298 units permitted in Marathon County in 2024 (81 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Marathon County population projected to shrink 6% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• Current owner paid $27k; list at $72k implies a 166% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $20k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 13.5% vs local median 3.3% in Wausau — 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 1885 — 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.
• 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.