437 Mcmechen St

Benwood, WV 26031

$54,900A-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,095 sqft · Built 1900 · SingleFamily · Pending · 165 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $970/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$288
• Tax + insurance: −$540
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$204
• Net cashflow: $-61/mo
• Annual: $-736/yr
• Cap rate: 15.02%
• Cash-on-cash: 31.16%
• DSCR: 2.39
• 1% rule: 1.77%
• Cash to close: $15,372

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $55k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-61 ($-736/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $44k (19.7% below list).
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($970 rent vs $55k).
• It's been on market 165 days — a 12% lower offer ($48k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $44k (19.7% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.
• In year one you build about $2k of equity ($380 loan paydown + $2k appreciation (3.8% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 64/100 on livability (#145 in WV) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Marshall County Schools (suburban): math 28% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #21 of 55 in WV (top 38%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Center Mcmechen Elementary School (math 42% / reading 42%, grade F, #87 of 377 statewide, top 28%, 197 students, 0% FRL); Sherrard Middle School (math 27% / reading 43%, grade F, #33 of 109 statewide, top 30%, 454 students, 0% FRL); John Marshall High School (math 22% / reading 49%, grade F, #41 of 110 statewide, top 37%, 1,046 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 42% district-wide (42 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $460/mo; built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 16 active listings in the ZIP; 6 units permitted in Marshall County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Marshall County population projected at -19% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (3.8% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $15k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone AE (mandatory federal flood insurance) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
• It's been on market 165 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 20% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1900 — 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?
• 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.