504 N Main St

Fairfield, IA 52556

$72,500B

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,491 sqft · Built 1900 · SingleFamily · Pending · 176 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,299/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$380
• Tax + insurance: −$131
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$273
• Net cashflow: $515/mo
• Annual: $6,183/yr
• Cap rate: 14.82%
• Cash-on-cash: 30.46%
• DSCR: 2.36
• 1% rule: 1.79%
• Cash to close: $20,300

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $72k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $515 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $72k).
• It's been on market 176 days — a 12% lower offer ($64k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $64k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $501 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 79/100 on livability (#122 in IA, #2,265 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Fairfield Community School District (town): math 56% / reading 69% proficiency, ranked #227 of 289 in IA (top 78%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Fairfield Middle School (math 63% / reading 70%, grade A-, #148 of 246 statewide, top 61%, 438 students, 51% FRL); Fairfield High School (math 50% / reading 73%, grade B-, #255 of 336 statewide, top 76%, 476 students, 42% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 121 active listings in the ZIP; 14 units permitted in Jefferson County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Jefferson County population projected at +27% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 2 sale attempts since 9y 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 + 3.0% rent growth), your $20k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 14.8% vs local median 2.9% in Fairfield — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 176 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1900 — 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 A-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?
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.