538 Mcdonough St · Eau Claire, WI 54703

$206,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,008 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 9 Days on market

Built 1886 4,225 sqft lot Est $191k · 8% over

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Why this score? — see what drove the D- 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 +13.7/30.0
• Livability +4.5/5.0
• DSCR +4.1/10.0
• ARV discount +3.8/15.0
• Schools +3.5/10.0
• 1% rule +3.1/10.0
• Rent growth +3.0/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Charming opportunity in the heart of Eau Claire. ! This single-family home features 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, and is situated on a 0.09-acre lot. This property offers plenty of potential for personalization or investment. Whether you're looking for a new project or a cozy place to call home, this property is worth exploring.

Key facts

• Fully renovated
• Extensive renovation
• New plumbing

Tags

• FULLY RENOVATED
• MOVE IN READY
• EXTENSIVE RENOVATION
• NEW ELECTRICAL WIRING
• NEW PLUMBING
• NEW HVAC SYSTEM

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Zoned residential; Acreage less than 1/2

Exterior

• Utilities: Municipal water; Municipal sewer
• Home design: 1.5-story single-family home; Estimated finished above-grade area 1,008
• Construction: Crawl space/partial/stone basement
• Exterior features: Enclosed patio; Patio; Garden shed

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher; Range/oven; Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: Master bedroom (Main) — 10 x 8; Bedroom 2 (Upper) — 10 x 11; Bedroom 3 (Upper) — 10 x 11
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating (natural gas); Central air; Wall A/C
• Interior features: Ceiling fans; Circuit breakers

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $206k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $15 ($181/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 $167k (18.7% below list).
• Recommended offer: $167k (18.7% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 6.4% vs local median 2.4% in Eau Claire — 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 89/100 on livability (#10 in WI, #121 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, cost of living A+, housing A+.
• Eau Claire Area School District (urban): math 38% / reading 43% proficiency, ranked #150 of 342 in WI (top 44%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+2.0%/yr); 212 active listings in the ZIP; 18 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 14d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 44% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 583 units permitted in Eau Claire County in 2024 (325 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Eau Claire County population projected at +14% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.

Negotiation context

• Only 9 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 2 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.
• Current owner paid $40k; list at $206k implies a 415% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1886 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $167,381 (18.7% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1886 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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?
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: 0.81% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.38%
• Cash-on-cash: 0.31%
• DSCR: 1.01
• GRM: 10.3

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $190,512
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1115 Birch St	0.15mi	2/1.0 (-1)	990 (-2%)	2mo	$167,000	$169	83
817 E Grand Ave	0.49mi	3/1.0	975 (-3%)	1mo	$179,900	$185	71
616 Fleming Ave	0.66mi	3/1.5	1,008 (0%)	3mo	$210,000	$208	65
862 E Grand Ave	0.45mi	2/1.5 (-1)	1,012 (+0%)	10mo	$174,900	$173	63
402 Starr Ave	0.52mi	3/2.0	1,056 (+5%)	6mo	$246,381	$233	59
624 Starr Ave	0.52mi	2/1.0 (-1)	932 (-8%)	2mo	$225,000	$241	56
321 Margaret St	0.70mi	3/1.0	1,092 (+8%)	0mo	$275,000	$252	53
557 Bergen Ave	0.48mi	2/1.0 (-1)	1,140 (+13%)	2mo	$215,000	$189	49
411 Dodge St	0.59mi	3/1.0	1,148 (+14%)	1mo	$190,000	$166	49
422 William St	0.60mi	3/1.0	1,128 (+12%)	7mo	$95,000	$84	47
2113 Omaha St	0.51mi	2/2.0 (-1)	1,130 (+12%)	9mo	$235,000	$208	40
627 Starr Ave	0.55mi	2/1.5 (-1)	1,150 (+14%)	8mo	$190,000	$165	37

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 2.01% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -16.9%
• Equity multiple: 0.41×
• Total profit: $-34,119
• Equity at exit: $30,715

10-year hold

• IRR: -10.5%
• Equity multiple: 0.39×
• Total profit: $-35,304
• Equity at exit: $17,811

Cash invested: $57,680 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 73 Landlord-Friendly
• State Wisconsin: 73 Landlord-Friendly · R+2
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

5-day notice; preempted; Madison / Milwaukee have some local enforcement.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 54703

• Rents YoY: 2.0%
• Active inventory: 212
• Price-to-rent: 10.3×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,674 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,080
• Tax from tax record: −$141 /mo · $1,693/yr
• Insurance: −$86
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$352
• Net cashflow: $15

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,655

Max offer price $206,000

Occupancy floor 94%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $132	-5% $73	+0% $15	+5% $-43	+10% $-102
Rent	-10% $-117	-5% $-51	+0% $15	+5% $81	+10% $147
Rate	-1.0pp $119	-0.5pp $67	base $15	+0.5pp $-38	+1.0pp $-93

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: $51,500
• Closing costs: $6,180
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 18 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
1566 E Madison St Unit A Eau Claire, WI	2.0	1.0	850	$1,300	$1.53	44d	1	0.27mi
100 N Farwell St Eau Claire, WI	2.0	1.0–2.0	787	$2,950	$3.75	14d	13	0.70mi
224 N Barstow St Eau Claire, WI	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	828	$2,350	$2.84	14d	20	0.71mi
222 Wisconsin St Eau Claire, WI	1.0–2.0	1.0	981	$1,400	$1.43	44d	3	0.79mi
315 Riverfront Ter Eau Claire, WI	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	974	$1,725	$1.77	44d	10	0.80mi
325 Main St Eau Claire, WI	2.0	1.0–2.0	777	$2,300	$2.96	44d	39	0.81mi
510 Washington St Eau Claire, WI	4.0	2.0	1000	$1,450	$1.45	14d	1	1.00mi
1211 S Dewey St Eau Claire, WI	4.0	1.0	1000	$1,448	$1.45	14d	2	1.03mi
1317 1st Ave Eau Claire, WI	2.0	1.0	700	$795	$1.14	44d	1	1.05mi
2016 N Oxford Ave Eau Claire, WI	2.0	1.0–2.0	1023	$2,600	$2.54	14d	33	1.05mi
816 Porter Ave Unit 211 Eau Claire, WI	2.0	1.5	1074	$2,450	$2.28	44d	1	1.06mi
816 Porter Ave Unit 207 Eau Claire, WI	2.0	1.0	952	$2,400	$2.52	44d	1	1.06mi
816 Porter Ave Eau Claire, WI	2.0	1.0–1.5	1013	$2,200	$2.17	14d	3	1.07mi
2775 Patrick John Dr Eau Claire, WI	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	1070	$1,795	$1.68	14d	12	1.11mi
1014 Oxford Ave Unit 1/2 Eau Claire, WI	4.0	1.0	1244	$1,396	$1.12	44d	1	1.12mi
616 Ripley Ave Eau Claire, WI	3.0	1.0	900	$1,365	$1.52	14d	1	1.23mi
299 Fairfax St Altoona, WI	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	1088	$1,550	$1.42	14d	3	1.42mi
402 Lincoln Ave Eau Claire, WI	3.0	1.0	900	$1,453	$1.61	14d	1	1.42mi

Listing history 7 events

1. 2026-06-19
   days on market $206,000 Active 9 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $206,000 Active 8 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $206,000 Active 7 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $206,000 Active 6 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $206,000 Active 5 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   remarks 695-char remark
7. 2026-06-13
   listed $206,000 Active 2 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast WI · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,693 · $141/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,752 · $229/mo
• Expected delta: +$1,059/yr (+$88/mo · 62.5%)

ⓘ 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 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥97°F today · 14 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 1/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $20,086
• − Mortgage interest: −$11,539
• − Property taxes: −$1,693
• − Insurance: −$1,030
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,607
• − Management: −$1,607
• − Depreciation: −$5,993
• Taxable loss: −$3,383
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$812
• After-tax cash flow: $993/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: Eau Claire Area School District
• NCES district ID: 5504050
• Math proficiency: 38% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 43% ▬ 0.00%
• Median HH income: $48,206
• Composite: 34.72/100
• National rank: #5135
• State rank: #150 of 342 in WI

Livability — Eau Claire

• Score: 89/100
• State rank: #10
• US rank: #121

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Eau Claire, WI
• County: Eau Claire County · 96,114 people
• City population: 87,167
• Metro: Eau Claire, WI
• Population (ZIP): 44,153
• Household income: $71,518
• Rent vs Own: 38.4% rent · 61.6% own
• Severe rent burden: 1614.0

Population outlook (Eau Claire County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 109,006 people
• By 2030: 112,587 · +3.3%
• By 2040: 118,674 · +8.9%
• By 2050: 124,085 · +13.8%
• By 2075: 135,804 · +24.6%
• By 2100: 139,875 · +28.3%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (85%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 85% Asian 6% Two or more races 4% Hispanic / Latino 4% Black 2%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 16% Romanian 5% Lithuanian 3%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada, China
• Languages at home: 92% English-only · Other Asian/Pacific 4% Spanish 3%

Political lean MEDSL · Eau Claire

• 2024 margin: D (+10.6) · D 54.6% · R 44.0% · Other 1.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: -11.6pp toward R · 2008: 22.1pp · 2024: 10.6pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+10.6 2020: D+10.8 2016: D+7.3 2012: D+13.6 2008: D+22.1

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -276.20%
• Current HPI: 218.2747
• Rent YoY: ▲ 2.01%
• Metro: Eau Claire, WI
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.10%
• F500 in state: 20

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in WI)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Industrial Machinery	4	$23B
▸Industrial Technology	2	$36B
▸Insurance	1	$36B
▸Professional Services	1	$19B
▸Utilities	1	$9B
▸Consumer Goods	1	$3B

Price history

+795.7% since first listed

6 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-08 Listed $206,000 RANWW
• 2025-12-12 Listing Removed — RANWW
• 2025-11-14 Price Changed $75,000 RANWW
• 2025-11-05 Listed $89,900 RANWW
• 1998-12-01 Sold (Public Records) $40,000 Public Records
• 1994-08-01 Sold (Public Records) $23,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+4.3%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,693 · +2.2% YoY. Source: county tax records.