540 S Richardson Ave #534

Columbus, OH 43204

$375,000B

8 bd · 0.0 ba · 5,280 sqft · Built 1929 · MultiFamily · Pending · 23 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $4,925/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,967
• Tax + insurance: −$456
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,034
• Net cashflow: $1,469/mo
• Annual: $17,622/yr
• Cap rate: 10.99%
• Cash-on-cash: 16.78%
• DSCR: 1.75
• 1% rule: 1.31%
• Cash to close: $105,000

Investor read

• This is a 4 × 2-bed/1-bath units multifamily listed at $375k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $1k ($18k/yr) — positive. Per door: $367/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($5k rent vs $375k).
• It's been on market 23 days — a 2% lower offer ($369k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $369k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $3k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $11k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 81/100 on livability (#97 in OH, #1,491 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, crime F.
• Columbus City School District (urban): math 15% / reading 26% proficiency, ranked #626 of 656 in OH (top 95%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 72% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Watch-outs: built in 1929 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.5%/yr); 188 active listings in the ZIP; 8,139 units permitted in Franklin County in 2024 (5,940 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Franklin County population projected at +34% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• Current owner paid $300k; 25% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.5% rent growth), your $105k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 11.0% vs local median 3.8% in Columbus — 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 $4,925/mo this rent would consume 100% of the median local household income ($59k/yr) (locally 2290% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• 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 1929 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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.
• 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 apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.