260 E Lauren Ct · Merritt Island, FL 32952

$250,000

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,950 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 1 Days on market

Built 1963 7,405 sqft lot

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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 +27.5/30.0
• DSCR +9.6/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• 1% rule +6.5/10.0
• Schools +4.7/10.0
• Rent growth +4.1/5.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Island living meets investment opportunity! Welcome to this charming 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom home nestled in the heart of Merritt Island, perfectly positioned between the scenic Indian River and Banana River. This prime location offers the best of Florida’s Space Coast lifestyle, with easy access to boating, fishing, kayaking, and breathtaking waterfront sunsets. Just minutes from the world-famous beaches of Cocoa Beach, Port Canaveral, and the exciting attractions of Cape Canaveral, this property is ideal as a primary residence, vacation home, or income-producing investment. With its desirable location near cruise terminals, Kennedy Space Center launches, and year-round tourism, the

Key facts

• Waterfront sunsets
• Prime location
• 7,405 sq ft lot

Tags

• INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
• PRIME LOCATION
• EASY ACCESS TO BOATING
• EASY ACCESS TO FISHING
• EASY ACCESS TO KAYAKING
• WATERFRONT SUNSETS

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Zoned RU19; Lot approximately 0.17 acre (about 74 x 100); Living area reported as 1,950 (per public records); total building area 2,480; Property listed by Fannie Hillman & Associates
• HOA & community: No HOA/association indicated; Pets allowed

Exterior

• Parking: Driveway; Attached 2-car garage with workshop space
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electricity connected; Natural gas available and connected; Cable available; Broadband/high-speed internet available; Water connected
• Home design: Single family residence; One story; Facing west; Homestead property
• Construction: Concrete construction; Shingle roof; Slab foundation; Built on one level
• Exterior features: Deck; Hurricane shutters; Rain gutters; Sidewalk; Sliding doors; Vinyl and wood fencing; Paved lot with asphalt road frontage

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher; Refrigerator; Gas water heater
• Bedrooms: 3 bedrooms
• Flooring: Carpet; Ceramic tile; Terrazzo
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms
• Heating & cooling: Central heating; Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Solid wood cabinets; Thermostat; Formal living room (separate); Decorative free-standing wood-burning fireplace; Exhaust fan
• Laundry & utility: Washer hookup; Gas dryer hookup; Laundry located inside

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $250k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $672 ($8k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $250k).

Location & tenants

• Location reads 70/100 on livability (#441 in FL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, housing A+, employment A-; Watch: amenities F, commute F, health & safety D-.
• Brevard (suburban): math 53% / reading 57% proficiency, ranked #19 of 73 in FL (top 26%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.5%/yr); 227 active listings in the ZIP; 16 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 24d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 4,602 units permitted in Brevard County in 2024 (702 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 33% of the median local income ($103k/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 $8k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Brevard County population projected at +15% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.5% rent growth), your $70k cash investment doubles in ~8 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 1 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $66/mo.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk; severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→23/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $250,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1963 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
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: 1.15% ✓
• Cap rate: 9.84%
• Cash-on-cash: 12.67%
• DSCR: 1.56
• GRM: 7.3

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 6.53% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 4.6%
• Equity multiple: 1.18×
• Total profit: $12,805
• Equity at exit: $37,276

10-year hold

• IRR: 16.9%
• Equity multiple: 2.61×
• Total profit: $112,586
• Equity at exit: $21,615

Cash invested: $70,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Florida: 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; preempts local rent control; landlord-friendly statutes. Court speed varies by county.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 32952

• Rents YoY: 6.5%
• Active inventory: 227
• Price-to-rent: 7.3×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,863 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,311
• Tax from tax record: −$107 /mo · $1,289/yr
• Insurance: −$104
• Flood insurance flood zone: −$66 /mo · $798/yr
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$601
• Net cashflow: $672

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,011

Max offer price $250,000

Occupancy floor 72%

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: $62,500
• Closing costs: $7,500
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 16 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
410 S Tropical Trl Merritt Island, FL	3.0	2.0	1573	$2,295	$1.46	23d	1	0.44mi
140 McLeod St Unit 1513829P Merritt Island, FL	3.0	2.0	1323	$3,291	$2.49	19d	1	0.50mi
735 Pilot Ln #503 Merritt Island, FL	2.0	2.0	1334	$2,700	$2.02	23d	1	0.72mi
735 Pilot Ln #414 Merritt Island, FL	3.0	3.5	1715	$3,300	$1.92	23d	1	0.73mi
735 Pilot Ln #1009 Merritt Island, FL	2.0	2.0	1334	$2,850	$2.14	23d	1	0.75mi
735 Pilot Ln #507 Merritt Island, FL	2.0	2.0	1711	$2,800	$1.64	14d	1	0.75mi
701 Pilot Ln Unit 1499904P Merritt Island, FL	2.0	2.0	1323	$3,978	$3.01	21d	1	0.76mi
820 Del Rio Way #401 Merritt Island, FL	3.0	2.0	1862	$2,600	$1.40	23d	1	0.76mi
200 S Sykes Creek Pkwy #702 Merritt Island, FL	2.0	2.0	1307	$2,390	$1.83	23d	1	0.81mi
250 S Sykes Creek Pkwy Unit B510 Merritt Island, FL	2.0	2.0	1660	$2,600	$1.57	23d	1	0.83mi
480 Sail Ln #204 Merritt Island, FL	3.0	2.0	2122	$2,950	$1.39	14d	1	0.85mi
145 Needle Blvd Merritt Island, FL	4.0	2.0	1314	$3,250	$2.47	23d	1	0.86mi
390 Needle Blvd Merritt Island, FL	4.0	2.0	1828	$3,450	$1.89	23d	1	0.91mi
800 1st St Merritt Island, FL	3.0	2.0	1529	$2,800	$1.83	23d	1	1.22mi
1276 Gary Dr Merritt Island, FL	3.0	2.0	1248	$2,200	$1.76	23d	1	1.30mi
165 Tiki Dr Merritt Island, FL	3.0	2.0	1795	$2,875	$1.60	23d	1	1.40mi

Listing history 2 events

1. 2026-06-18
   remarks 693-char remark
2. 2026-06-18
   listed $250,000 Active 1 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast FL · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $1,289 · $107/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,075 · $173/mo
• Expected delta: +$786/yr (+$66/mo · 61.0%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 7/10 Severe FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 75% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 10/10 Extreme 7 d/yr ≥105°F today · 23 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 10/10 Extreme 99% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $34,352
• − Mortgage interest: −$14,004
• − Property taxes: −$1,289
• − Insurance: −$2,048
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,748
• − Management: −$2,748
• − Depreciation: −$7,273
• Taxable income: $4,243
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,018
• After-tax cash flow: $7,051/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: Brevard
• NCES district ID: 1200150
• Math proficiency: 53% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 57% ▼ -4.00%
• Median HH income: $49,426
• Composite: 46.86/100
• National rank: #2370
• State rank: #19 of 73 in FL

Livability — Merritt Island

• Score: 70/100
• State rank: #441
• US rank: #7878

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Merritt Island, FL
• County: Brevard County · 602,871 people
• City population: 46,372
• Metro: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
• Population (ZIP): 21,613
• Household income: $102,726
• Rent vs Own: 16.0% rent · 84.0% own
• Severe rent burden: 199.0

Population outlook (Brevard County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 623,254 people
• By 2030: 648,420 · +4.0%
• By 2040: 690,009 · +10.7%
• By 2050: 715,669 · +14.8%
• By 2075: 775,744 · +24.5%
• By 2100: 776,687 · +24.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (85%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 85% Hispanic / Latino 6% Two or more races 6% Asian 2% Black 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Puerto Rican 4% Cuban 1%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 3% Slovak 2% Lithuanian 1%
• Foreign-born: 5% · Canada, China
• Languages at home: 92% English-only · Spanish 4% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Brevard

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+20.8) · D 39.1% · R 59.9% · Other 1.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -10.4pp toward R · 2008: -10.4pp · 2024: -20.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+20.8 2020: R+16.4 2016: R+19.8 2012: R+12.7 2008: R+10.4

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -177.56%
• Current HPI: 323.6021
• Rent YoY: ▲ 6.53%
• Metro: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.28%
• F500 in state: 36

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in FL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Industrial Technology	2	$29B
▸Insurance	2	$17B
▸Retail	1	$60B
▸Technology Distribution	1	$58B
▸Homebuilding	1	$35B
▸Technology Manufacturing	1	$35B

Price history

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-06-18 Listed $250,000 Stellar MLS as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+2.9%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,289 · +13.5% YoY. Source: county tax records.