239 Ridge Rd · Claymont, DE 19703

$154,900

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,225 sqft · Townhouse public records · 7 Days on market

Built 1914 2,178 sqft lot $126/sqft · 22% below area Est $155k · at est.

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Why this score? — see what drove the C+ 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 +7.4/15.0
• 1% rule +6.2/10.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Rent growth +3.3/5.0
• Schools +3.1/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Freshly painted end-unit townhome featuring 2 bedrooms and 1 full bath with a welcoming front porch and rear patio perfect for relaxing or entertaining. Filled with charm and character, this beautiful home features a stunning exposed brick accent wall, custom solid wood cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors throughout, beautiful wood trim details, updated windows, and new front door. The property also includes off-street parking for 2 cars. Conveniently located and move-in ready, this well-maintained home offers warmth, style, and comfort all in one. Priced to sell, this home will not last long.

Key facts

• Front porch
• Rear patio
• Hardwood floors

Tags

• FRONT PORCH
• REAR PATIO
• EXPOSED BRICK ACCENT WALL
• CUSTOM SOLID WOOD CABINETRY
• STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES
• HARDWOOD FLOORS

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Driveway parking for 2 vehicles (total 2 garage/parking spaces)
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: End of row townhouse; Fee simple ownership
• Construction: Brick exterior; Block foundation; Year built listed as estimated
• Exterior features: Brick construction; Lot dimensions approximately 21 x 106; Not in a federal flood zone; Above-grade and below-grade other structures noted

Interior

• Bedrooms: Two bedrooms on the upper level
• Bathrooms: One full bathroom (all upper levels)
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating fueled by natural gas; Central air conditioning plus window units; 150 amp electrical service with circuit breakers; Natural gas hot water
• Interior features: Full, unfinished basement with interior access and heated space

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $155k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $459 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $155k).
• Cap rate 9.8% vs local median 4.8% in Claymont — 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 69/100 on livability (#25 in DE) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: schools C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Brandywine School District (suburban): math 28% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #11 of 26 in DE (top 42%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.1%/yr); 35 active listings in the ZIP; 19 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 5d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 1,367 units permitted in New Castle County in 2024 (201 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• 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.
• New Castle County population projected at +9% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.1% rent growth), your $43k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 7 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1914 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $154,900

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1914 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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: 1.12% ✓
• Cap rate: 9.85%
• Cash-on-cash: 12.70%
• DSCR: 1.56
• GRM: 7.4

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $154,617
• List price: $154,900
• Delta: 0.18%
• Verdict: FAIR
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 8 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1126 Sterling Ave	0.14mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,130 (-8%)	2mo	$160,000	$142	74
10 Woodfield Dr	0.26mi	2/1.5	1,150 (-6%)	7mo	$250,000	$217	70
11 Denham Ave	0.58mi	3/1.5 (+1)	1,233 (+1%)	3mo	$214,000	$174	62
46 Woodfield Dr	0.19mi	3/1.5 (+1)	1,275 (+4%)	18mo	$276,000	$216	62
18 Denham Ave	0.59mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,275 (+4%)	8mo	$220,000	$173	54
26 Denham Ave	0.59mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,125 (-8%)	5mo	$200,000	$178	50
22 Denham Ave	0.59mi	3/2.0 (+1)	1,175 (-4%)	14mo	$230,000	$196	45
12 Denham Ave	0.59mi	3/1.5 (+1)	1,175 (-4%)	23mo	$230,000	$196	40

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.13% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 2.6%
• Equity multiple: 1.10×
• Total profit: $4,283
• Equity at exit: $23,096

10-year hold

• IRR: 12.2%
• Equity multiple: 1.97×
• Total profit: $42,012
• Equity at exit: $13,393

Cash invested: $43,372 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 70 Landlord-Friendly
• State Delaware: 70 Landlord-Friendly · D+7
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Court of Common Pleas hears L&T; moderate-paced. No state rent control.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 19703

• Rents YoY: 3.1%
• Active inventory: 35
• Price-to-rent: 7.4×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,737 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$812
• Tax from tax record: −$36 /mo · $437/yr
• Insurance: −$65
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$365
• Net cashflow: $459

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,156

Max offer price $154,900

Occupancy floor 69%

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: $38,725
• Closing costs: $4,647
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 19 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
237 Ridge Rd Claymont, DE	2.0	1.0	950	$1,700	$1.79	22d	1	0.01mi
749 Montclair Dr Claymont, DE	1.0–2.0	1.0–1.5	900	$1,747	$1.94	1d	6	0.99mi
3131 Meetinghouse Rd Upper Chichester, PA	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.5	945	$2,074	$2.19	1d	21	1.00mi
2003 Flathers Way Unit M79 Claymont, DE	2.0	2.0	1350	$2,350	$1.74	5d	1	1.04mi
700 Darley Green Dr Claymont, DE	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	1195	$2,348	$1.96	1d	1	1.06mi
915 Cedartree Ln Claymont, DE	1.0–2.0	1.0–1.5	850	$1,900	$2.24	1d	19	1.10mi
1000 Cedartree Ln Claymont, DE	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	815	$1,750	$2.15	1d	8	1.12mi
163 Wiltshire Rd Claymont, DE	3.0	2.0	1125	$2,050	$1.82	1d	1	1.26mi
2820 Chichester Ave Boothwyn, PA	1.0	1.0	750	$1,210	$1.61	43d	1	1.28mi
2820 Chichester Ave Boothwyn, PA	2.0	1.0	850	$1,347	$1.58	22d	1	1.28mi
2820 Chichester Ave Boothwyn, PA	1.0	1.0	750	$1,197	$1.60	24d	1	1.28mi
2726 Jacqueline Dr Wilmington, DE	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	675	$1,675	$2.48	2d	27	1.32mi
2601 Carpenter Station Rd Wilmington, DE	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.5	1405	$2,042	$1.45	1d	15	1.36mi
15 Marshall Ave Marcus Hook, PA	3.0	1.0	1204	$1,600	$1.33	24d	1	1.36mi
8 W 8th St Marcus Hook, PA	3.0	1.0	1120	$1,600	$1.43	18d	1	1.37mi
7 W 6th St Marcus Hook, PA	3.0	1.0	1287	$1,815	$1.41	15d	1	1.43mi
117 Ervin Ave Marcus Hook, PA	3.0	1.5	720	$1,595	$2.22	20d	1	1.46mi
130 Harvey Ave Unit 1 Linwood, PA	3.0	1.0	1173	$1,750	$1.49	10d	1	1.47mi
119 E Laughead Ave Marcus Hook, PA	3.0	1.5	1080	$1,530	$1.42	3d	1	1.49mi

Listing history 2 events

1. 2026-05-13
   status Pending 619-char remark
2. 2026-05-06
   listed $154,900 Active 619-char remark

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

Tax reassessment forecast DE · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $437 · $36/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $668 · $56/mo
• Expected delta: +$231/yr (+$19/mo · 52.9%)

ⓘ 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 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 7/10 Severe 7 d/yr ≥104°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 27% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 4/10 Moderate 4 unhealthy d/yr today · 7 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $20,842
• − Mortgage interest: −$8,677
• − Property taxes: −$437
• − Insurance: −$774
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,667
• − Management: −$1,667
• − Depreciation: −$4,506
• Taxable income: $3,113
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$747
• After-tax cash flow: $4,759/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: Brandywine School District
• NCES district ID: 1001240
• Math proficiency: 28% ▼ -13.00%
• Reading proficiency: 40% ▼ -13.00%
• Median HH income: $68,743
• Composite: 31.27/100
• National rank: #6019
• State rank: #11 of 26 in DE

Livability — Claymont

• Score: 69/100
• State rank: #25
• US rank: #8408

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Claymont, DE
• County: New Castle County · 483,412 people
• City population: 15,460
• Metro: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
• Population (ZIP): 15,460
• Household income: $76,939
• Rent vs Own: 45.3% rent · 54.7% own
• Severe rent burden: 577.0

Population outlook (New Castle County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 594,686 people
• By 2030: 609,164 · +2.4%
• By 2040: 632,154 · +6.3%
• By 2050: 649,068 · +9.1%
• By 2075: 687,771 · +15.7%
• By 2100: 694,961 · +16.9%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.64)
• Race & ethnicity: White 53% Black 26% Hispanic / Latino 9% Asian 8% Two or more races 6%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 1% Puerto Rican 4%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 5% Lithuanian 2% Italian 2%
• Foreign-born: 12% · Canada, China
• Languages at home: 84% English-only · Spanish 6% Other Indo-European 5% Chinese 1%

Political lean MEDSL · New Castle

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+32.6) · D 65.5% · R 32.9% · Other 1.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -8.1pp toward R · 2008: 40.6pp · 2024: 32.6pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+32.6 2020: D+37.1 2016: D+29.6 2012: D+34.1 2008: D+40.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -148.17%
• Current HPI: 265.6693
• Rent YoY: ▲ 3.13%
• Metro: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-13 Pending — BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-05-06 Listed $154,900 BRIGHT MLS

Property tax history

+2.4%/yr

Latest (2024): $437 · +10.5% YoY. Source: county tax records.