4534 Athens Dr · Hickory, NC 28658

$59,900

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 938 sqft · Manufactured · 34 Days on market

Built 1900 0.35 ac lot

---

Why this score? — see what drove the B 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 +30.0/30.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Schools +4.5/10.0
• Livability +3.6/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Investors Opportunity! 2 bed 2 bath singlewide that needs a renovator. Perfect for a great starter home on a nice level lot. Priced to sell! Close to 321 for quick access to Hickory, Newton, Maiden and Lincolnton.

Key facts

• 0.35 acre lot
• Built 1900
• Listed 34 days

Property features AI

Finance

• HOA & community: No HOA

Exterior

• Parking: Driveway
• Utilities: Community well water; Septic system
• Home design: Manufactured singlewide home; Single-family residence; One story
• Construction: Manufactured construction; Aluminum exterior; Built on a permanent foundation
• Exterior features: Level lot; Paved road with private maintenance

Interior

• Kitchen: Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: 2 bedrooms on the main level
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms on the main level
• Heating & cooling: Heat pump for heating and cooling
• Interior features: Two total rooms; Permanent foundation; One-level living
• Laundry & utility: Laundry on the main level

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath manufactured listed at $60k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $727 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $60k).
• Recommended offer: $58k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 20.8% vs local median 2.9% in Hickory — 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 71/100 on livability (#92 in NC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Catawba County Schools (rural): math 54% / reading 51% proficiency, ranked #54 of 178 in NC (top 30%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Blackburn Elementary (math 53% / reading 49%, grade C-, #397 of 1,410 statewide, top 28%, 527 students, 56% FRL); Fred T Foard High (math 77% / reading 61%, grade B, #131 of 535 statewide, top 25%, 956 students, 41% FRL).
• Market conditions: 224 active listings in the ZIP; 2,016 units permitted in Catawba County in 2024 (255 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $414 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Catawba County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $17k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 34 days — a 3% lower offer ($58k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→18/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $58,103 (3.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 34 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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: 2.41% ✓
• Cap rate: 20.85%
• Cash-on-cash: 51.98%
• DSCR: 3.31
• GRM: 3.5

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 49.9%
• Equity multiple: 3.18×
• Total profit: $36,588
• Equity at exit: $8,931

10-year hold

• IRR: 55.4%
• Equity multiple: 6.46×
• Total profit: $91,533
• Equity at exit: $5,179

Cash invested: $16,772 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State North Carolina: 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable but court speed varies.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 28658

• Home prices YoY: -23.3%
• Active inventory: 224
• Price-to-rent: 3.5×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,444 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$314
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$75 /mo · $898/yr
• Insurance: −$25
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$303
• Net cashflow: $727

Break-even live

Break-even rent $524

Max offer price $59,900

Occupancy floor 45%

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: $14,975
• Closing costs: $1,797
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 16 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $59,900 Active 34 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $59,900 Active 33 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $59,900 Active 32 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $59,900 Active 31 DOM
5. 2026-06-13
   days on market $59,900 Active 29 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $59,900 Active 28 DOM
7. 2026-06-09
   days on market $59,900 Active 25 DOM
8. 2026-06-08
   days on market $59,900 Active 24 DOM
9. 2026-06-07
   days on market $59,900 Active 23 DOM
10. 2026-06-04
    days on market $59,900 Active 20 DOM
11. 2026-06-03
    days on market $59,900 Active 19 DOM
12. 2026-06-02
    days on market $59,900 Active 18 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    days on market $59,900 Active 17 DOM
14. 2026-05-31
    days on market $59,900 Active 16 DOM
15. 2026-05-15
    listed $69,900 Active
16. 2013-06-28
    soldstatus $57,500

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥103°F today · 18 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 3/10 Moderate 4% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $17,324
• − Mortgage interest: −$3,355
• − Property taxes: −$898
• − Insurance: −$300
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,386
• − Management: −$1,386
• − Depreciation: −$1,743
• Taxable income: $8,256
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,981
• After-tax cash flow: $6,737/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: Catawba County Schools
• NCES district ID: 3700690
• Math proficiency: 54% ▲ 9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 51% ▲ 3.00%
• Median HH income: $48,180
• Composite: 44.71/100
• National rank: #2754
• State rank: #54 of 178 in NC

Livability — Hickory

• Score: 71/100
• State rank: #92
• US rank: #6361

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• City population: 84,442
• Population (ZIP): 25,681

Population outlook (Catawba County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 156,513 people
• By 2030: 155,267 · -0.8%
• By 2040: 151,110 · -3.5%
• By 2050: 145,524 · -7.0%
• By 2075: 134,047 · -14.4%
• By 2100: 119,424 · -23.7%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (69%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 69% Hispanic / Latino 12% Black 8% Two or more races 8% Asian 5%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 9%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 2% Serbian 2% Italian 2%
• Foreign-born: 8% · Canada, Jamaica, Vietnam
• Languages at home: 84% English-only · Spanish 11% Other Asian/Pacific 3% Tagalog/Filipino 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Catawba

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+38.0) · D 30.6% · R 68.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -13.0pp toward R · 2008: -25.0pp · 2024: -38.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+38.0 2020: R+37.0 2016: R+38.0 2012: R+29.6 2008: R+25.0

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -79.85%
• Current HPI: 262.8541
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.28%
• F500 in state: 26

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in NC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	2	$213B
▸Retail	2	$95B
▸Industrial Conglomerate	1	$38B
▸Metals / Steel	1	$35B
▸Utilities	1	$30B
▸Industrial Machinery	1	$19B

Price history

+21.6% since first listed

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-15 Listed $69,900 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2013-06-28 Sold (Public Records) $57,500 Public Records

Property tax history

-2.9%/yr

Latest (2024): $48 · +0.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.