3292 Strauss Ct #395

Jackson, MI 49201

$125,900D+

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,456 sqft · Built 2026 · Manufactured · Active · 60 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,252/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$660
• Tax + insurance: −$210
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$263
• Net cashflow: $119/mo
• Annual: $1,426/yr
• Cap rate: 7.43%
• Cash-on-cash: 4.05%
• DSCR: 1.18
• 1% rule: 0.99%
• Cash to close: $35,252

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath manufactured listed at $126k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $119 ($1k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $125k (0.6% below list).
• It's been on market 60 days — a 3% lower offer ($122k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $122k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $870 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 74/100 on livability (#197 in MI, #4,970 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime F, employment F.
• Northwest Community Schools (suburban): math 19% / reading 41% proficiency, ranked #360 of 540 in MI (top 67%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Northwest Early Elementary School (869 students, 61% FRL); Northwest Kidder Middle School (math 14% / reading 41%, grade F, #363 of 493 statewide, top 75%, 790 students, 50% FRL); Northwest High School (math 27% / reading 57%, grade F, #264 of 713 statewide, top 41%, 972 students, 40% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+10.3%/yr); 375 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 317 units permitted in Jackson County in 2024 (103 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Jackson County population projected at -13% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $35k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 7.4% vs local median 5.5% in Jackson — 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 60 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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?
• The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Major: Kitchen countertops — Significant wear and tear, likely requiring replacement.
• Major: Bathroom fixtures — Dated and worn, likely requiring replacement.
• Major: Flooring — Worn and in need of replacement.
• Major: Interior walls — Peeling paint and signs of wear, likely requiring repainting.
• Major: Exterior siding — Worn and discolored, likely requiring replacement.
• Major: Windows — Old and possibly in need of replacement.