212 E Howard St

Brook, IN 47922

$50,000B+

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 2,250 sqft · Built 1912 · SingleFamily · Pending · 1 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,098/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$262
• Tax + insurance: −$64
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$231
• Net cashflow: $542/mo
• Annual: $6,500/yr
• Cap rate: 19.29%
• Cash-on-cash: 46.43%
• DSCR: 3.07
• 1% rule: 2.20%
• Cash to close: $14,000

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $50k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $542 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $50k).
• Only 1 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• In year one you build about $3k of equity ($346 loan paydown + $3k appreciation (5.4% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 65/100 on livability (#355 in IN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment D, amenities F, commute F.
• South Newton School Corporation (rural): math 29% / reading 35% proficiency, ranked #219 of 301 in IN (top 73%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: South Newton Elementary School (math 37% / reading 32%, grade F, #597 of 994 statewide, top 63%, 416 students, 68% FRL); South Newton Middle School (math 22% / reading 32%, grade F, #234 of 330 statewide, top 71%, 204 students, 71% FRL); South Newton Senior High School (math 24% / reading 64%, grade F, #169 of 369 statewide, top 51%, 242 students, 52% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1912 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 8 active listings in the ZIP; 24 units permitted in Newton County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Newton County population projected at -12% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 3 sale attempts since 14y 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.
• Current owner paid $29k; list at $50k implies a 73% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (5.4% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $14k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 10, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$31k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1912 — 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 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?
• 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.