217 W Fairview St · Bethlehem, PA 18018

$249,900

5 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,280 sqft · Other public records · 5 Days on market

Built 1900 3,150 sqft lot

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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 +25.3/30.0
• DSCR +8.3/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• 1% rule +6.6/10.0
• Livability +4.1/5.0
• Schools +3.5/10.0
• Rent growth +2.7/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Investor opportunity in Bethlehem! This semi-detached property includes both sides 217 and 219 is conveyed under a single deed. Prime location within walking distance to downtown, restaurants, and shopping. Property features access to a shared, fenced-in backyard and on-street parking. The property is in need of repairs and updating, offering strong value-add potential. Currently tenant-occupied on month-to-month lease in 219, unit 217 is now vacant, providing immediate income with flexibility for future improvements or repositioning. This property is being sold strictly "AS-IS". The seller will make no repairs.

Key facts

• On-street parking
• Prime location
• 3,150 sq ft lot

Tags

• SEMI-DETACHED PROPERTY
• SHARED FENCED-IN BACKYARD
• ON-STREET PARKING
• PRIME LOCATION

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 5-bed/2.0-bath other listed at $250k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $564 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $250k).
• Cap rate 9.0% vs local median 4.3% in Bethlehem — 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 82/100 on livability (#138 in PA, #1,122 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: commute F.
• Bethlehem Area SD (urban): math 31% / reading 49% proficiency, ranked #342 of 539 in PA (top 64%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: Rents flat; 103 active listings in the ZIP; 8 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 45d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 50% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; solid renter incomes; 567 units permitted in Northampton County in 2024 (151 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $2,888/mo this rent would consume 46% of the median local household income ($75k/yr) (locally 1361% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.

Negotiation context

• Only 5 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 2 sale attempts 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $249,900

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1900 — 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. 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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 1.16% ✓
• Cap rate: 9.00%
• Cash-on-cash: 9.67%
• DSCR: 1.43
• GRM: 7.2

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 0.85% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -4.2%
• Equity multiple: 0.85×
• Total profit: $-10,667
• Equity at exit: $37,261

10-year hold

• IRR: 2.9%
• Equity multiple: 1.19×
• Total profit: $13,059
• Equity at exit: $21,607

Cash invested: $69,972 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 62 Landlord-Friendly
• State Pennsylvania: 62 Landlord-Friendly · EVEN
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; Philadelphia has eviction-court diversion + some protections; otherwise moderate.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 18018

• Rents YoY: 0.8%
• Active inventory: 103
• Price-to-rent: 7.2×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,888 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,311
• Tax from tax record: −$303 /mo · $3,641/yr
• Insurance: −$104
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$607
• Net cashflow: $564

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,175

Max offer price $249,900

Occupancy floor 75%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $705	-5% $635	+0% $564	+5% $493	+10% $422
Rent	-10% $336	-5% $450	+0% $564	+5% $678	+10% $792
Rate	-1.0pp $690	-0.5pp $627	base $564	+0.5pp $499	+1.0pp $433

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: $62,475
• Closing costs: $7,497
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 8 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
68 W Union Blvd Bethlehem, PA	4.0	1.5	1804	$2,295	$1.27	15d	1	0.25mi
522 W Union Blvd Bethlehem, PA	5.0	1.5	2272	$2,700	$1.19	44d	1	0.38mi
917 Center St Bethlehem, PA	5.0	1.0	2300	$2,500	$1.09	24d	1	0.45mi
401 W Broad St Bethlehem, PA	5.0	2.0	2694	$4,000	$1.48	3d	1	0.46mi
409 E Washington Ave Bethlehem, PA	4.0	1.5	1650	$2,645	$1.60	3d	1	1.01mi
435 Montclair Ave Bethlehem, PA	5.0	2.0	2051	$3,375	$1.65	44d	1	1.31mi
1718 Calypso Ave Bethlehem, PA	4.0	1.5	1912	$2,700	$1.41	44d	1	1.33mi
612 E 5th St Bethlehem, PA	4.0	2.0	1814	$2,500	$1.38	44d	1	1.47mi

Listing history 5 events

1. 2026-05-14
   soldstatus $240,000
2. 2026-04-09
   status Pending
3. 2026-04-06
   status Active
4. 2026-03-21
   listed $249,900 Active
5. 1993-07-01
   soldstatus $69,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast PA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $3,641 · $303/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $3,795 · $316/mo
• Expected delta: +$153/yr (+$13/mo · 4.2%)

ⓘ 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 2/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥99°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 4/10 Moderate 15% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 4/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 6 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $34,661
• − Mortgage interest: −$13,998
• − Property taxes: −$3,641
• − Insurance: −$1,250
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,773
• − Management: −$2,773
• − Depreciation: −$7,270
• Taxable income: $2,956
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$709
• After-tax cash flow: $6,056/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: Bethlehem Area SD
• NCES district ID: 4203570
• Math proficiency: 31% ▼ -2.00%
• Reading proficiency: 49% ▼ -6.00%
• Median HH income: $55,124
• Composite: 34.92/100
• National rank: #5068
• State rank: #342 of 539 in PA

Livability — Bethlehem

• Score: 82/100
• State rank: #138
• US rank: #1122

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Bethlehem, PA
• County: Lehigh County · 333,019 people
• City population: 129,661
• Metro: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
• Population (ZIP): 32,965
• Household income: $75,417
• Rent vs Own: 46.8% rent · 53.2% own
• Severe rent burden: 1361.0

Population outlook (Northampton County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 312,227 people
• By 2030: 314,769 · +0.8%
• By 2040: 316,914 · +1.5%
• By 2050: 318,037 · +1.9%
• By 2075: 334,003 · +7.0%
• By 2100: 344,696 · +10.4%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Majority White (65%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 65% Hispanic / Latino 24% Two or more races 10% Black 6% Asian 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 2% Puerto Rican 14% Dominican 3%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 4% Italian 2% Polish 2%
• Foreign-born: 9% · Canada, Jamaica, China
• Languages at home: 81% English-only · Spanish 15% Other Indo-European 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Northampton

• 2024 margin: Toss-up / Even · D 48.6% · R 50.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: -14.1pp toward R · 2008: 12.3pp · 2024: -1.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+1.8 2020: D+0.7 2016: R+3.8 2012: D+4.6 2008: D+12.3

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -211.46%
• Current HPI: 301.1699
• Rent YoY: ▲ 0.85%
• Metro: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.68%
• F500 in state: 34

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in PA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	2	$309B
▸Insurance	2	$27B
▸Telecommunications / Media	1	$124B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$22B
▸Financial Services	1	$20B
▸Chemicals / Materials	1	$18B

Price history

+247.8% since first listed

5 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-14 Sold (Public Records) $240,000 Public Records
• 2026-04-09 Pending — GLVRMLS
• 2026-04-06 Relisted — GLVRMLS
• 2026-03-21 Listed $249,900 GLVRMLS
• 1993-07-01 Sold (Public Records) $69,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+1.5%/yr

Latest (2026): $3,641 · +3.5% YoY. Source: county tax records.