620 Saint Thomas Ave

Albert Lea, MN 56007

$82,500C

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 848 sqft · Built 1927 · SingleFamily · Pending · 4 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $918/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$433
• Tax + insurance: −$96
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$193
• Net cashflow: $196/mo
• Annual: $2,357/yr
• Cap rate: 9.15%
• Cash-on-cash: 10.20%
• DSCR: 1.45
• 1% rule: 1.11%
• Cash to close: $23,100

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $82k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $196 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($918 rent vs $82k).
• Only 4 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $570 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 72/100 on livability (#274 in MN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: schools C-, employment D+, amenities F.
• Albert Lea Public School District (town): math 30% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #258 of 301 in MN (top 86%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Watch-outs: built in 1927 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 150 active listings in the ZIP; 6 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 45d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 16 units permitted in Freeborn County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Freeborn County population projected at -11% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 8 sale attempts since 20y 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.
• Current owner paid $56k; 47% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Cap rate 9.2% vs local median 4.0% in Albert Lea — 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.
• This rent is only 16% of the median local income ($69k/yr) — well below the 30% rent-burden line; pricing power to push rent on renewal without tenant pushback.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1927 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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.