538 Grand Ave

Cincinnati, OH 45205

$200,000B-

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,016 sqft · Built 1870 · MultiFamily · Active · 188 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,605/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,049
• Tax + insurance: −$407
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$547
• Net cashflow: $602/mo
• Annual: $7,226/yr
• Cap rate: 9.91%
• Cash-on-cash: 12.90%
• DSCR: 1.57
• 1% rule: 1.30%
• Cash to close: $56,000

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $200k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $602 ($7k/yr) — positive. Per door: $301/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $200k).
• It's been on market 188 days — a 12% lower offer ($176k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $176k (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 $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 80/100 on livability (#130 in OH, #1,856 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: employment D, crime F.
• Cincinnati Public Schools (urban): math 25% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #581 of 656 in OH (top 89%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 70% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Roberts Academy (math 16% / reading 22%, grade F, #1,320 of 1,584 statewide, top 83%, 765 students, 0% FRL); Hartwell School (math 17% / reading 31%, grade F, #593 of 654 statewide, top 91%, 447 students, 0% FRL); Walnut Hills High School (math 79% / reading 89%, grade A, #17 of 781 statewide, top 2%, 2,582 students, 14% FRL) — zoned schools average 5% FRL vs 70% district-wide (66 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1870 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.3%/yr); 70 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 6d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 801 units permitted in Hamilton County in 2024 (190 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 9 sale attempts since 18y 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.3% rent growth), your $56k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 9.9% vs local median 3.9% in Cincinnati — 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 $2,605/mo this rent would consume 72% of the median local household income ($44k/yr) (locally 980% 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 188 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 1870 — 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.
• 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?
• 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?