277 Laser Dr · Boaz, AL 35957

$85,000

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 770 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 160 Days on market

Built 1999 1.00 ac lot ↓ 32% since listing

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Why this score? — see what drove the B- 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
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +9.2/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +3.1/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.2/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Tucked away in a peaceful country setting, this cozy 1 bedroom, 1 bath home offers the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle. Surrounded by nature and mature trees, enjoy privacy, quiet mornings, and simple living. Ideal for downsizing, or investment opportunity. With a covered porch and serene surroundings, this property is full of potential for someone looking to enjoy the beauty of rural living.

Key facts

• Covered porch
• Rural living
• Country setting

Tags

• COUNTRY SETTING
• MATURE TREES
• COVERED PORCH
• RURAL LIVING

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $85k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $244 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $85k).
• Recommended offer: $75k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 11.5% vs local median 4.3% in Boaz — 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 61/100 on livability (#233 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A; Watch: crime C-, employment D+, schools D-.
• Marshall County (rural): math 14% / reading 38% proficiency, ranked #86 of 129 in AL (top 67%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 63% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: 87 active listings in the ZIP; 163 units permitted in Marshall County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $588 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $24k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 160 days — a 12% lower offer ($75k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $125/mo.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone A (mandatory federal flood insurance); extreme-heat days projected 7→19/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $74,800 (12.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 160 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. 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?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 1.42% ✓
• Cap rate: 11.50%
• Cash-on-cash: 18.59%
• DSCR: 1.83
• GRM: 5.9

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 2.0%
• Equity multiple: 1.08×
• Total profit: $1,833
• Equity at exit: $12,674

10-year hold

• IRR: 11.7%
• Equity multiple: 1.92×
• Total profit: $21,955
• Equity at exit: $7,349

Cash invested: $23,800 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Alabama: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+15
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Right-to-evict in 7 days for non-payment; no rent control; preempted statewide; courts move quickly.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 35957

• Home prices YoY: -10.6%
• Active inventory: 87
• Price-to-rent: 5.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,210 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$446
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$106 /mo · $1,275/yr
• Insurance: −$35
• Flood insurance flood zone: −$125 /mo · $1,502/yr
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$254
• Net cashflow: $244

Break-even live

Break-even rent $902

Max offer price $85,000

Occupancy floor 75%

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: $21,250
• Closing costs: $2,550
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 19 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $85,000 Active 160 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $85,000 Active 159 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $85,000 Active 158 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $85,000 Active 157 DOM
5. 2026-06-14
   days on market $85,000 Active 155 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $85,000 Active 154 DOM
7. 2026-06-10
   days on market $85,000 Active 152 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $85,000 Active 151 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $85,000 Active 150 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $85,000 Active 149 DOM
11. 2026-06-05
    days on market $85,000 Active 146 DOM
12. 2026-06-03
    days on market $85,000 Active 145 DOM
13. 2026-06-02
    days on market $85,000 Active 144 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    days on market $85,000 Active 143 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $85,000 Active 142 DOM
16. 2026-05-30
    days on market $85,000 Active 141 DOM
17. 2026-04-21
    price $85,000 406-char remark

    Show marketing remark (406 chars)

    Tucked away in a peaceful country setting, this cozy 1 bedroom, 1 bath home offers the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle. Surrounded by nature and mature trees, enjoy privacy, quiet mornings, and simple living. Ideal for downsizing, or investment opportunity. With a covered porch and serene surroundings, this property is full of potential for someone looking to enjoy the beauty of rural living.

18. 2026-02-12
    price $90,000 406-char remark

    Show marketing remark (406 chars)

    Tucked away in a peaceful country setting, this cozy 1 bedroom, 1 bath home offers the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle. Surrounded by nature and mature trees, enjoy privacy, quiet mornings, and simple living. Ideal for downsizing, or investment opportunity. With a covered porch and serene surroundings, this property is full of potential for someone looking to enjoy the beauty of rural living.

19. 2026-01-09
    listed $125,000 Active 406-char remark

    Show marketing remark (406 chars)

    Tucked away in a peaceful country setting, this cozy 1 bedroom, 1 bath home offers the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle. Surrounded by nature and mature trees, enjoy privacy, quiet mornings, and simple living. Ideal for downsizing, or investment opportunity. With a covered porch and serene surroundings, this property is full of potential for someone looking to enjoy the beauty of rural living.

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 10/10 Extreme FEMA zone A · 99% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥103°F today · 19 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 4/10 Moderate 19% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $14,524
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,761
• − Property taxes: −$1,275
• − Insurance: −$1,928
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,162
• − Management: −$1,162
• − Depreciation: −$2,473
• Taxable income: $1,764
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$423
• After-tax cash flow: $2,499/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: Marshall County
• NCES district ID: 0100006
• Math proficiency: 14% ▼ -26.00%
• Reading proficiency: 38% ▲ 2.00%
• Median HH income: $40,439
• Composite: 21.88/100
• National rank: #8234
• State rank: #86 of 129 in AL

Livability — Boaz

• Score: 61/100
• State rank: #233
• US rank: #17318

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Population (ZIP): 16,672

Population outlook (Marshall County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 97,402 people
• By 2030: 98,138 · +0.8%
• By 2040: 98,502 · +1.1%
• By 2050: 97,024 · -0.4%
• By 2075: 89,334 · -8.3%
• By 2100: 74,749 · -23.3%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (73%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 73% Hispanic / Latino 22% Two or more races 6% Black 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 10% Puerto Rican 1%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 1% Russian 1% Serbian 1%
• Foreign-born: 9% · Canada
• Languages at home: 83% English-only · Spanish 15% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Marshall

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+71.7) · D 13.8% · R 85.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -15.4pp toward R · 2008: -56.4pp · 2024: -71.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+71.7 2020: R+68.7 2016: R+69.5 2012: R+60.1 2008: R+56.4

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -29.42%
• Current HPI: 249.5829
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.94%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in AL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$8B
▸Healthcare	1	$5B

Price history

-32.0% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-21 Price Changed $85,000 VMLS
• 2026-02-12 Price Changed $90,000 VMLS
• 2026-01-09 Listed $125,000 VMLS