624 Elmer Ave

Fort Wayne, IN 46808

$70,000B

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,025 sqft · Built 1960 · SingleFamily · Pending · 10 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,202/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$367
• Tax + insurance: −$124
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$253
• Net cashflow: $459/mo
• Annual: $5,510/yr
• Cap rate: 14.16%
• Cash-on-cash: 28.11%
• DSCR: 2.25
• 1% rule: 1.72%
• Cash to close: $19,600

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $70k.
• 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 ($1k rent vs $70k).
• Only 10 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $484 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 84/100 on livability (#6 in IN, #676 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: crime C-, employment D+.
• Fort Wayne Community Schools (urban): math 22% / reading 29% proficiency, ranked #263 of 301 in IN (top 87%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 60% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Franke Park Elementary School (math 27% / reading 27%, grade F, #737 of 994 statewide, top 76%, 405 students, 78% FRL); Northwood Middle School (math 14% / reading 22%, grade F, #279 of 330 statewide, top 86%, 587 students, 70% FRL); North Side High School (math 19% / reading 51%, grade F, #266 of 369 statewide, top 73%, 1,474 students, 66% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.0%/yr); 87 active listings in the ZIP; 19 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 21d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 47% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,861 units permitted in Allen County in 2024 (576 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Allen County population projected at +10% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 2 sale attempts since 5y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 7.0% rent growth), your $20k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 14.2% vs local median 4.8% in Fort Wayne — 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

• Built in 1960 — 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 D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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.