912 Locust St · Columbia, PA 17512

$199,900

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,969 sqft · Townhouse public records · 15 Days on market

Built 1900 5,227 sqft lot Est $236k · 15% under

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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).

• ARV discount +14.4/15.0
• Cash flow +14.1/30.0
• 1% rule +4.8/10.0
• DSCR +4.3/10.0
• Rent growth +4.2/5.0
• Livability +3.7/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.9/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

What an unbelievable home and location for the price. While needing tlc, this home is within walking distance to schools and the downtown. Gas heat with cast iron baseboard! Large living room and a formal dining room too. Deep yard too.

Key facts

• Parking in the back
• Newly drywalled
• Driveway to the left

Tags

• DRIVEWAY TO THE LEFT
• PARKING IN THE BACK
• CONVERTED ATTIC SPACE
• NEWLY DRYWALLED

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Not in a federal flood zone; Fee simple ownership; 2+ access exits

Exterior

• Parking: Asphalt driveway; Off-street and on-street parking available
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Semi-detached structure; Estimated year built
• Construction: Brick/masonry construction; Stone foundation; Shingle and metal roof; Double-hung windows
• Exterior features: Sidewalks; Rear yard and side yards; Porch(es)

Interior

• Bedrooms: Four bedrooms on the first upper level; One bedroom on the second upper level
• Flooring: Carpet; Wood; Vinyl
• Bathrooms: One full bathroom (upper levels); One half bathroom (main level)
• Heating & cooling: Hot water baseboard heating fueled by natural gas; 100 Amp electric service
• Interior features: Plaster and paneled walls; Full, unfinished basement with outside entrance; Porches
• Laundry & utility: Main-floor laundry

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $200k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $30 ($355/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 $196k (2.0% below list).
• Recommended offer: $196k (2.0% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 6.5% vs local median 4.0% in Columbia — 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 73/100 on livability (#538 in PA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D+, amenities D, schools D-.
• Columbia Borough SD (suburban): math 14% / reading 32% proficiency, ranked #482 of 539 in PA (top 89%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 60% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.0%/yr); 126 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 1,093 units permitted in Lancaster County in 2024 (201 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 35% of the median local income ($67k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

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.
• Lancaster County population projected at +5% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 15 days — a 2% lower offer ($197k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $25k (11%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $195,842 (2.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1900 — 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 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?
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: 0.98% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.47%
• Cash-on-cash: 0.63%
• DSCR: 1.03
• GRM: 8.5

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $236,280
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
912 Locust St	0.00mi	3/1.5	1,969 (0%)	2mo	$182,500	$93	97
1057 Locust St	0.14mi	3/1.5	1,800 (-9%)	1mo	$295,000	$164	76
152 N 7th St	0.30mi	3/1.5	1,832 (-7%)	3mo	$250,000	$136	70
138 S 6th St	0.37mi	4/1.0 (+1)	1,882 (-4%)	3mo	$220,000	$117	68
548 Cherry St	0.38mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,835 (-7%)	7mo	$176,000	$96	58
460 Chestnut St	0.48mi	4/2.0 (+1)	2,106 (+7%)	1mo	$250,000	$119	56
144 S 6th St	0.37mi	3/1.5	1,710 (-13%)	3mo	$205,000	$120	56
705 Chestnut St	0.29mi	4/1.5 (+1)	2,229 (+13%)	3mo	$259,900	$117	54
227 N 3rd St	0.68mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,886 (-4%)	1mo	$245,000	$130	53
552 Union St	0.47mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,734 (-12%)	4mo	$244,000	$141	46
267 S 4th St	0.66mi	3/1.5	1,728 (-12%)	4mo	$240,000	$139	44
258 N 3rd St	0.72mi	3/1.5	2,180 (+11%)	4mo	$234,536	$108	43

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 · 7.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -10.4%
• Equity multiple: 0.60×
• Total profit: $-22,199
• Equity at exit: $29,806

10-year hold

• IRR: 4.1%
• Equity multiple: 1.36×
• Total profit: $20,091
• Equity at exit: $17,284

Cash invested: $55,972 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 62 Landlord-Friendly
• State Pennsylvania: 62 Landlord-Friendly · EVEN
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; Philadelphia has eviction-court diversion + some protections; otherwise moderate.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 17512

• Home prices YoY: -23.7%
• Rents YoY: 7.0%
• Active inventory: 126
• Price-to-rent: 8.5×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,958 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,048
• Tax from tax record: −$386 /mo · $4,632/yr
• Insurance: −$83
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$411
• Net cashflow: $30

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,921

Max offer price $199,900

Occupancy floor 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: $49,975
• Closing costs: $5,997
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 2 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
521 Locust St Columbia, PA	3.0	1.5	1768	$2,550	$1.44	23d	1	0.42mi
362 S 3rd St Columbia, PA	3.0	1.0	1266	$1,350	$1.07	43d	1	0.73mi

Listing history 14 events

1. 2026-06-09
   status $199,900 Pending 15 DOM
2. 2026-06-08
   days on market $199,900 Active 15 DOM
3. 2026-06-07
   days on market $199,900 Active 14 DOM
4. 2026-06-05
   days on market $199,900 Active 11 DOM
5. 2026-06-03
   days on market $199,900 Active 10 DOM
6. 2026-06-02
   pricedays on market $199,900 Active 9 DOM
7. 2026-06-01
   days on market $209,900 Active 8 DOM
8. 2026-05-31
   pricedays on market $209,900 Active 7 DOM
9. 2026-05-30
   days on market $214,900 Active 6 DOM
10. 2026-05-24
    listed $224,900 Active
11. 2026-04-30
    soldstatus $177,025
12. 2026-04-28
    soldstatus $182,500 Closed 237-char remark

    Show marketing remark (237 chars)

    What an unbelievable home and location for the price. While needing tlc, this home is within walking distance to schools and the downtown. Gas heat with cast iron baseboard! Large living room and a formal dining room too. Deep yard too.

13. 2026-04-08
    status Pending 237-char remark

    Show marketing remark (237 chars)

    What an unbelievable home and location for the price. While needing tlc, this home is within walking distance to schools and the downtown. Gas heat with cast iron baseboard! Large living room and a formal dining room too. Deep yard too.

14. 2026-04-03
    listed $160,000 Active 237-char remark

    Show marketing remark (237 chars)

    What an unbelievable home and location for the price. While needing tlc, this home is within walking distance to schools and the downtown. Gas heat with cast iron baseboard! Large living room and a formal dining room too. Deep yard too.

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

Tax reassessment forecast PA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $4,632 · $386/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $4,632 · $386/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ 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 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥102°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 4/10 Moderate 12% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 5 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $23,501
• − Mortgage interest: −$11,198
• − Property taxes: −$4,632
• − Insurance: −$1,000
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,880
• − Management: −$1,880
• − Depreciation: −$5,815
• Taxable loss: −$2,904
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$697
• After-tax cash flow: $1,051/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: Columbia Borough SD
• NCES district ID: 4206360
• Math proficiency: 14% ▼ -11.00%
• Reading proficiency: 32% ▼ -12.00%
• Median HH income: $39,162
• Composite: 19.3/100
• National rank: #8799
• State rank: #482 of 539 in PA

Livability — Columbia

• Score: 73/100
• State rank: #538
• US rank: #5040

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Columbia, PA
• County: Lancaster County · 390,309 people
• City population: 18,148
• Metro: Lancaster, PA
• Population (ZIP): 18,148
• Household income: $66,684
• Rent vs Own: 35.0% rent · 65.0% own
• Severe rent burden: 647.0

Population outlook (Lancaster County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 561,011 people
• By 2030: 570,969 · +1.8%
• By 2040: 585,929 · +4.4%
• By 2050: 591,056 · +5.4%
• By 2075: 594,747 · +6.0%
• By 2100: 558,850 · -0.4%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (77%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 77% Hispanic / Latino 15% Two or more races 7% Black 5%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 1% Puerto Rican 10% Dominican 2%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 2% Lithuanian 2% Polish 1%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada
• Languages at home: 89% English-only · Spanish 9% German/W. Germanic 1% Arabic 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Lancaster

• 2024 margin: R (+15.9) · D 41.5% · R 57.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -4.1pp toward R · 2008: -11.8pp · 2024: -15.9pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+15.9 2020: R+15.8 2016: R+19.7 2012: R+19.2 2008: R+11.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -86.48%
• Current HPI: 278.1465
• Rent YoY: ▲ 7.00%
• Metro: Lancaster, PA
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.68%
• F500 in state: 34

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in PA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	2	$309B
▸Insurance	2	$27B
▸Telecommunications / Media	1	$124B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$22B
▸Financial Services	1	$20B
▸Chemicals / Materials	1	$18B

Price history

+40.6% since first listed

5 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-24 Listed $224,900 BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-04-30 Sold (Public Records) $177,025 Public Records
• 2026-04-28 Sold (MLS) $182,500 BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-04-08 Pending — BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-04-03 Listed $160,000 BRIGHT MLS

Property tax history

+2.4%/yr

Latest (2026): $4,632 · -1.3% YoY. Source: county tax records.