605 N Columbia St

Brazil, IN 47834

$36,500B-

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,176 sqft · Built 1900 · SingleFamily · Active · 191 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $890/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$191
• Tax + insurance: −$80
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$187
• Net cashflow: $432/mo
• Annual: $5,179/yr
• Cap rate: 20.48%
• Cash-on-cash: 50.67%
• DSCR: 3.25
• 1% rule: 2.44%
• Cash to close: $10,220

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $36k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $432 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($890 rent vs $36k).
• It's been on market 191 days — a 12% lower offer ($32k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $32k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $252 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 66/100 on livability (#308 in IN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Clay Community Schools (rural): math 46% / reading 49% proficiency, ranked #79 of 301 in IN (top 26%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Clay City Elementary School (math 58% / reading 54%, grade C+, #183 of 994 statewide, top 19%, 377 students, 51% FRL); North Clay Middle School (math 42% / reading 47%, grade D, #84 of 330 statewide, top 26%, 744 students, 57% FRL); Northview High School (math 43% / reading 66%, grade C-, #79 of 369 statewide, top 26%, 943 students, 46% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 98 active listings in the ZIP; 70 units permitted in Clay County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Clay County population projected at -16% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 6 sale attempts since 23y 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $10k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 20.5% vs local median 2.5% in Brazil — 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 191 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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.