4 bd · 2.0 ba ·
1,306 sqft ·
Built 1968
· SingleFamily
· Active
· 87 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,992/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$991
Tax + insurance
−$202
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$418
Net cashflow
$380/mo
Annual
$4,564/yr
Cap rate
9.13%
Cash-on-cash
10.13%
DSCR
1.45
1% rule
1.05%
Cash to close
$52,920
Investor read
This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $189k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $380 ($5k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $189k).
It's been on market 87 days — a 6% lower offer ($178k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $178k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 78/100 on livability (#3 in TN, #2,582 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: employment D+, crime F.
Hamilton County (urban): math 31% / reading 31% proficiency, ranked #42 of 139 in TN (top 30%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
Zoned schools: Harrison Elementary (math 20% / reading 19%, grade F, #654 of 952 statewide, top 72%, 1,013 students, 0% FRL); Brown Middle School (math 14% / reading 15%, grade F, #231 of 333 statewide, top 70%, 344 students, 0% FRL); Central High School (math 8% / reading 32%, grade F, #183 of 332 statewide, top 59%, 749 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 52% district-wide (52 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
Zoned-school proficiency averages 18% at this address vs 31% district-wide (-13 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Hamilton County average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $66/mo.
Market conditions: Rents soft (-0.2%/yr); 99 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 14d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 2,133 units permitted in Hamilton County in 2024 (405 in 5+ unit buildings).
Hamilton County population projected at +23% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
2 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $46k (20%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk; extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 9.1% vs local median 3.4% in Chattanooga — 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.
This rent runs 34% of the median local income ($71k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 87 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1968 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
Schools are F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
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?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-38ME4V101W7RMR
· Data 2 days agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29