305 S Chestnut St · Jefferson, IA 50129

$130,000

4 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,511 sqft · Other public records · 47 Days on market

Built 1928 $86/sqft · 18% below area Est $158k · 18% under ↓ 7% since listing

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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 +17.6/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• DSCR +5.5/10.0
• Schools +5.3/10.0
• 1% rule +5.0/10.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Charming 4-bedroom Craftsman cottage in Jefferson, Iowa is now available! Welcoming wrap-around porch greets you as it leads into a large 12' x 25' living room with a wood burning fireplace. Formal dining room with an emphasis on attractive woodwork accents delivers a warm inviting feel. Pristine solid wood doors and trim showcase the craftsmanship of this home. Thoughtful updates over the years include newer windows, flooring, paint, plumbing, and electrical. Outside, you’ll find a two-car detached garage, large rear parking area, and a newer 10' x 10' utility shed for extra storage. Tucked away on a quiet street in a welcoming community, this move-in ready home offers the charm and

Key facts

• Quiet street
• Newer utility shed
• Wrap-around porch

Tags

• WRAP-AROUND PORCH
• WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE
• SOLID WOOD DOORS
• TWO-CAR DETACHED GARAGE
• NEWER UTILITY SHED
• QUIET STREET

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached two-car garage
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-story home; R-Res zoning
• Construction: Brick and metal siding exterior; Shingle/asphalt roof; Block foundation
• Exterior features: Open patio

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher; Microwave; Stove
• Bedrooms: Four main-level bedrooms
• Flooring: Carpet; Laminate; Vinyl
• Bathrooms: One three-quarter bathroom; One half bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating (gas); Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Separate/formal dining room; Unfinished basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/1.5-bath other listed at $130k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $103 ($1k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $130k).
• Recommended offer: $126k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 7.2% vs local median 3.8% in Jefferson — 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 79/100 on livability (#115 in IA, #2,186 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+, crime A; Watch: employment C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Greene County Community School District (town): math 58% / reading 67% proficiency, ranked #223 of 289 in IA (top 77%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Market conditions: 56 active listings in the ZIP; 15 units permitted in Greene County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $899 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Greene County population projected at -14% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 47 days — a 3% lower offer ($126k) 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 1928 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $126,100 (3.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 47 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1928 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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: 1.00% ✓
• Cap rate: 7.24%
• Cash-on-cash: 3.38%
• DSCR: 1.15
• GRM: 8.3

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $157,865
• List price: $130,000
• Delta: -17.65%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: -10.9%
• Equity multiple: 0.60×
• Total profit: $-14,490
• Equity at exit: $19,383

10-year hold

• IRR: -1.6%
• Equity multiple: 0.89×
• Total profit: $-4,047
• Equity at exit: $11,240

Cash invested: $36,400 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 50129

• Home prices YoY: -4.1%
• Active inventory: 56
• Price-to-rent: 8.3×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,303 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$682
• Tax from tax record: −$191 /mo · $2,294/yr
• Insurance: −$54
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$274
• Net cashflow: $103

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,174

Max offer price $130,000

Occupancy floor 87%

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: $32,500
• Closing costs: $3,900
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 20 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $130,000 Active 47 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $130,000 Active 46 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $130,000 Active 45 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $130,000 Active 44 DOM
5. 2026-06-13
   days on market $130,000 Active 42 DOM
6. 2026-06-12
   days on market $130,000 Active 41 DOM
7. 2026-06-09
   days on market $130,000 Active 38 DOM
8. 2026-06-08
   days on market $130,000 Active 37 DOM
9. 2026-06-07
   days on market $130,000 Active 36 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $130,000 Active 35 DOM
11. 2026-06-04
    days on market $130,000 Active 32 DOM
12. 2026-06-02
    days on market $130,000 Active 31 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    days on market $130,000 Active 30 DOM
14. 2026-05-31
    days on market $130,000 Active 29 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $130,000 Active 28 DOM
16. 2026-05-02
    listed $130,000 Active 790-char remark
17. 2025-11-15
    historical
18. 2025-08-15
    listed $139,000 Active
19. 2025-04-10
    status Pending
20. 2025-03-03
    listed $140,000 Active

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

Tax reassessment forecast IA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $2,294 · $191/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,294 · $191/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 2/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥104°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $15,641
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,282
• − Property taxes: −$2,294
• − Insurance: −$650
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,251
• − Management: −$1,251
• − Depreciation: −$3,782
• Taxable loss: −$869
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$209
• After-tax cash flow: $1,440/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: Greene County Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1915210
• Math proficiency: 58% ▼ -6.00%
• Reading proficiency: 67% ▲ 2.00%
• Median HH income: $46,051
• Composite: 52.74/100
• National rank: #1548
• State rank: #223 of 289 in IA

Livability — Jefferson

• Score: 79/100
• State rank: #115
• US rank: #2186

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Jefferson, IA
• City population: 5,116
• Population (ZIP): 5,116

Population outlook (Greene County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 8,361 people
• By 2030: 8,090 · -3.2%
• By 2040: 7,607 · -9.0%
• By 2050: 7,186 · -14.1%
• By 2075: 6,528 · -21.9%
• By 2100: 5,799 · -30.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (93%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 93% Hispanic / Latino 4% Two or more races 4%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 6% Lithuanian 4% Iranian 3%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 97% English-only · Spanish 3% German/W. Germanic 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Greene

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+33.0) · D 32.9% · R 65.9% · Other 1.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -33.4pp toward R · 2008: 0.5pp · 2024: -33.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+33.0 2020: R+28.8 2016: R+23.8 2012: R+0.1 2008: D+0.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -10.16%
• Current HPI: 240.0907
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

-7.1% since first listed

5 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-02 Listed $130,000 DMMLS
• 2025-11-15 Listing Removed — DMMLS
• 2025-08-15 Listed $139,000 DMMLS
• 2025-04-10 Pending — IAR
• 2025-03-03 Listed $140,000 IAR

Property tax history

+10.2%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,294 · +2.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.