21 W Bertsch St · Lansford, PA 18232

$69,900

4 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,346 sqft · Townhouse public records · 20 Days on market

Built 1905 1,306 sqft lot $52/sqft · 25% below area Est $93k · 25% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the A 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 +30.0/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Appreciation +9.6/10.0
• Livability +3.6/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Spacious home in a convenient central location--ready for its next chapter! Whether you're an investor or a new owner looking to make it your own, this property offers great potential and plenty of space to enjoy. Step through the front door into a large double living room, perfect for gatherings or flexible use. Continue into a bright dining area that opens to an inviting kitchen with electric range, refrigerator, and washer/dryer hookup. The back door leads to a deck--ideal for relaxing or dining outdoors on warm summer days. Upstairs you'll find a full bath, a generous front bedroom with ample closet space, and a rear bedroom with walk-in closet. The third floor offers two additional rooms awaiting your finishing touches. Offered at just $69,900--don't miss this opportunity! Call today for your private showing.

Key facts

• Inviting kitchen
• Double living room
• Electric range

Tags

• CENTRAL LOCATION
• DOUBLE LIVING ROOM
• BRIGHT DINING AREA
• INVITING KITCHEN
• ELECTRIC RANGE
• DECK

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: On-street parking
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Oil hot water; 200+ amp electric service; Municipal trash service
• Home design: Interior townhouse/rowhouse; Finished above-grade area reported as 1,346 (assessor)
• Construction: Vinyl siding; Concrete perimeter foundation; Asphalt roof; Building not winterized; Year built source: Assessor
• Exterior features: Lot approximately 15 x 75 (estimated); No tidal water

Interior

• Kitchen: Kitchen
• Bedrooms: Two bedrooms on the first upper level; Two bedrooms on the second upper level; Bedroom 1; Bedroom 2; Bedroom 3; Bedroom 4
• Bathrooms: One full bathroom (all upper levels)
• Heating & cooling: Hot water heating; Heating fuel: coal; Ceiling fan(s) for cooling
• Interior features: Full basement with interior access and outside entrance; Basement is unfinished; Living room; Dining room; Family room
• Laundry & utility: Laundry area

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $70k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $614 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $70k).
• Recommended offer: $69k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 16.8% vs local median 9.5% in Lansford — 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 72/100 on livability (#605 in PA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+, crime A-; Watch: amenities D, schools F, commute F.
• Panther Valley SD (rural): math 14% / reading 35% proficiency, ranked #477 of 539 in PA (top 88%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Market conditions: 34 active listings in the ZIP; 11 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 21d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 180 units permitted in Carbon County in 2024 (10 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 39% of the median local income ($45k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $7k of equity ($483 loan paydown + $6k appreciation (9.1% local appreciation)).
• Carbon County population projected at -18% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (9.1% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $20k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 5, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$31k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 20 days — a 2% lower offer ($69k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 3 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 1905 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $68,851 (1.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1905 — 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 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?
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: 2.07% ✓
• Cap rate: 16.84%
• Cash-on-cash: 37.67%
• DSCR: 2.68
• GRM: 4.0

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $92,757
• List price: $69,900
• Delta: -24.64%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
306 W Kline Ave	0.29mi	4/1.5	1,312 (-2%)	4mo	$115,000	$88	77
120 W Abbott St	0.12mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,287 (-4%)	7mo	$120,000	$93	76
343 W Kline Ave	0.35mi	4/1.0	1,394 (+4%)	8mo	$65,000	$47	71
253 E Abbott	0.34mi	3/2.0 (-1)	1,370 (+2%)	4mo	$165,000	$120	69
108 W Bertsch St	0.10mi	4/2.0	1,508 (+12%)	5mo	$115,000	$76	67
328 W Abbott St	0.34mi	4/1.5	1,455 (+8%)	3mo	$127,000	$87	66
260 E Abbott St	0.35mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,253 (-7%)	4mo	$62,000	$49	64
45 Jones St	0.56mi	3/1.5 (-1)	1,296 (-4%)	2mo	$62,000	$48	60
217 E Ridge St	0.27mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,170 (-13%)	2mo	$145,000	$124	59
126 W White St	0.68mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,344 (-0%)	6mo	$115,000	$86	58
359 W Patterson St	0.40mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,193 (-11%)	7mo	$70,000	$59	52
31 Powell St	0.44mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,170 (-13%)	5mo	$120,000	$103	49

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

9.12% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 52.1%
• Equity multiple: 4.73×
• Total profit: $73,071
• Equity at exit: $58,521

10-year hold

• IRR: 46.4%
• Equity multiple: 10.38×
• Total profit: $183,613
• Equity at exit: $121,749

Cash invested: $19,572 (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 18232

• Home prices YoY: 3.6%
• Active inventory: 34
• Price-to-rent: 4.0×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,445 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$367
• Tax from tax record: −$131 /mo · $1,572/yr
• Insurance: −$29
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$303
• Net cashflow: $614

Break-even live

Break-even rent $667

Max offer price $69,900

Occupancy floor 52%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $654	-5% $634	+0% $614	+5% $595	+10% $575
Rent	-10% $500	-5% $557	+0% $614	+5% $672	+10% $729
Rate	-1.0pp $650	-0.5pp $632	base $614	+0.5pp $596	+1.0pp $578

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: $17,475
• Closing costs: $2,097
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 11 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
149 W Ridge St Unit 1B Lansford, PA	3.0	1.0	1654	$1,500	$0.91	20d	1	0.16mi
149 W Ridge St Unit 3A Lansford, PA	3.0	1.0	1550	$1,650	$1.06	45d	1	0.16mi
10 Leisenring St Lansford, PA	3.0	1.0	1422	$1,100	$0.77	45d	1	0.61mi
546 E Kline Ave Lansford, PA	3.0	1.0	1000	$900	$0.90	4d	1	0.62mi
214 N Oak St Unit 2 Summit Hill, PA	3.0	1.0	940	$1,250	$1.33	20d	1	0.81mi
214 N Oak St Unit 2 Summit Hill, PA	3.0	1.0	940	$1,250	$1.33	45d	1	0.81mi
214 N Oak St Unit 2 Summit Hill, PA	3.0	1.0	940	$1,200	$1.28	4d	1	0.81mi
214 N Oak St Summit Hill, PA	3.0	1.0	940	$1,250	$1.33	4d	1	0.81mi
215 E High St Coaldale, PA	3.0	1.0	1000	$1,000	$1.00	22d	1	1.06mi
151 E High St Coaldale, PA	3.0	1.0	1312	$1,200	$0.91	45d	1	1.10mi
126 E High St Coaldale, PA	4.0	1.5	1000	$1,200	$1.20	15d	1	1.14mi

Listing history 3 events

1. 2026-05-10
   listed $69,900 Active 825-char remark
2. 2026-05-07
   listed $69,900 Active 825-char remark

   Show marketing remark (825 chars)

   Spacious home in a convenient central location--ready for its next chapter! Whether you're an investor or a new owner looking to make it your own, this property offers great potential and plenty of space to enjoy. Step through the front door into a large double living room, perfect for gatherings or flexible use. Continue into a bright dining area that opens to an inviting kitchen with electric range, refrigerator, and washer/dryer hookup. The back door leads to a deck--ideal for relaxing or dining outdoors on warm summer days. Upstairs you'll find a full bath, a generous front bedroom with ample closet space, and a rear bedroom with walk-in closet. The third floor offers two additional rooms awaiting your finishing touches. Offered at just $69,900--don't miss this opportunity! Call today for your private showing.

3. 2026-05-07
   listed $69,900 Active

   Show marketing remark (825 chars)

   Spacious home in a convenient central location--ready for its next chapter! Whether you're an investor or a new owner looking to make it your own, this property offers great potential and plenty of space to enjoy. Step through the front door into a large double living room, perfect for gatherings or flexible use. Continue into a bright dining area that opens to an inviting kitchen with electric range, refrigerator, and washer/dryer hookup. The back door leads to a deck--ideal for relaxing or dining outdoors on warm summer days. Upstairs you'll find a full bath, a generous front bedroom with ample closet space, and a rear bedroom with walk-in closet. The third floor offers two additional rooms awaiting your finishing touches. Offered at just $69,900--don't miss this opportunity! Call today for your private showing.

ⓘ 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: $1,572 · $131/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,572 · $131/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ 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 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 8 d/yr ≥94°F today · 17 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 4/10 Moderate 8% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $17,334
• − Mortgage interest: −$3,915
• − Property taxes: −$1,572
• − Insurance: −$350
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,387
• − Management: −$1,387
• − Depreciation: −$2,033
• Taxable income: $6,690
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,606
• After-tax cash flow: $5,768/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: Panther Valley SD
• NCES district ID: 4218450
• Math proficiency: 14% ▼ -7.00%
• Reading proficiency: 35% ▼ -14.00%
• Median HH income: $36,914
• Composite: 20.31/100
• National rank: #8613
• State rank: #477 of 539 in PA

Livability — Lansford

• Score: 72/100
• State rank: #605
• US rank: #5834

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Lansford, PA
• County: Carbon County · 13,404 people
• City population: 4,156
• Metro: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
• Population (ZIP): 4,156
• Household income: $44,713
• Rent vs Own: 48.0% rent · 52.0% own
• Severe rent burden: 123.0

Population outlook (Carbon County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 61,643 people
• By 2030: 59,840 · -2.9%
• By 2040: 55,413 · -10.1%
• By 2050: 50,843 · -17.5%
• By 2075: 43,326 · -29.7%
• By 2100: 37,126 · -39.8%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.55)
• Race & ethnicity: White 64% Hispanic / Latino 17% Black 11% Two or more races 11% Native American 4%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Puerto Rican 5%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 4% Polish 2% Iranian 2%
• Foreign-born: 7% · Canada, Jamaica, South Korea
• Languages at home: 89% English-only · Spanish 10%

Political lean MEDSL · Carbon

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+34.8) · D 32.2% · R 67.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -36.7pp toward R · 2008: 1.9pp · 2024: -34.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+34.8 2020: R+32.0 2016: R+34.1 2012: R+6.9 2008: D+1.9

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 9.12%
• Current HPI: 262.3396
• Rent YoY: —
• 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

+0.0% since first listed

6 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-29 Pending — GLVRMLS
• 2026-05-29 Pending — PMAR
• 2026-05-29 Pending — BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-05-10 Listed $69,900 BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-05-07 Listed $69,900 PMAR
• 2026-05-07 Listed $69,900 GLVRMLS

Property tax history

+1.5%/yr

Latest (2026): $1,572 · +2.4% YoY. Source: county tax records.