8 bd · 4.0 ba ·
2,467 sqft ·
Built 1905
· MultiFamily
· Active
· 145 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$3,785/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$939
Tax + insurance
−$437
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$795
Net cashflow
$1,615/mo
Annual
$19,378/yr
Cap rate
17.12%
Cash-on-cash
38.66%
DSCR
2.72
1% rule
2.11%
Cash to close
$50,120
Investor read
This is a 2 × 4-bed/2.0-bath units multifamily listed at $179k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($19k/yr) — positive. Per door: $807/mo.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($4k rent vs $179k).
It's been on market 145 days — a 12% lower offer ($158k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $158k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 85/100 on livability (#1 in ND, #605 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: crime F.
Fargo 1 (urban): math 41% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #28 of 53 in ND (top 53%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
Zoned schools: Horace Mann Roosevelt Elementary School (math 37% / reading 37%, grade F, #152 of 236 statewide, top 68%, 368 students, 53% FRL); Ben Franklin Middle School (math 52% / reading 47%, grade C, #6 of 35 statewide, top 18%, 883 students, 32% FRL); North High School (math 45% / reading 63%, grade C-, #13 of 144 statewide, top 8%, 1,083 students, 26% FRL).
Watch-outs: built in 1905 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.7%/yr); 206 active listings in the ZIP; 1,218 units permitted in Cass County in 2024 (410 in 5+ unit buildings).
Cass County population projected at +69% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
6 sale attempts since 3y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $46k (20%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
Current owner paid $140k; 28% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.7% rent growth), your $50k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Cap rate 17.1% vs local median 2.5% in Fargo — 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.
At $3,785/mo this rent would consume 76% of the median local household income ($60k/yr) (locally 1919% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 145 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
Built in 1905 — 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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-6D3AJ45YJADNFH
· Data 12 h agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29