1039 James St

Franklin, LA 70538

$50,000B

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 770 sqft · Built — · SingleFamily · Pending · 189 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $827/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$262
• Tax + insurance: −$63
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$174
• Net cashflow: $329/mo
• Annual: $3,947/yr
• Cap rate: 14.19%
• Cash-on-cash: 28.19%
• DSCR: 2.25
• 1% rule: 1.65%
• Cash to close: $14,000

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $50k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $329 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($827 rent vs $50k).
• It's been on market 189 days — a 12% lower offer ($44k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $44k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $2k of equity ($346 loan paydown + $1k appreciation (2.6% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 67/100 on livability (#107 in LA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety B+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• St. Mary Parish (town): math 28% / reading 39% proficiency, ranked #37 of 98 in LA (top 38%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 68% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Lagrange Elementary School (math 17% / reading 27%, grade F, #415 of 646 statewide, top 67%, 229 students, 88% FRL); Franklin Junior High School (math 17% / reading 27%, grade F, #153 of 218 statewide, top 72%, 211 students, 88% FRL); Franklin Senior High School (math 5% / reading 37%, grade F, #179 of 265 statewide, top 68%, 297 students, 86% FRL) — zoned schools average 87% FRL vs 68% district-wide (19 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 93 active listings in the ZIP; 37 units permitted in St. Mary Parish in 2024 (20 in 5+ unit buildings).
• St. Mary County population projected at -18% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• Current owner paid $42k; 19% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (2.6% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $14k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: moderate flood risk; severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→23/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 14.2% vs local median 5.5% in Franklin — 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

• It's been on market 189 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.