128 Preston Ave

Girardville, PA 17935

$19,900C

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 754 sqft · Built 1900 · Townhouse · Active · 275 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $947/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$104
• Tax + insurance: −$47
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$199
• Net cashflow: $597/mo
• Annual: $7,162/yr
• Cap rate: 42.28%
• Cash-on-cash: 128.53%
• DSCR: 6.72
• 1% rule: 4.76%
• Cash to close: $5,572

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $20k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $597 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($947 rent vs $20k).
• It's been on market 275 days — a 12% lower offer ($18k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $18k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $746 of equity ($138 loan paydown + $608 appreciation (3.1% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 64/100 on livability (#1,185 in PA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• North Schuylkill SD (rural): math 19% / reading 48% proficiency, ranked #429 of 539 in PA (top 80%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: North Schuylkill Elem Sch (math 17% / reading 48%, grade F, #1,089 of 1,518 statewide, top 72%, 1,089 students, 56% FRL); North Schuylkill Jshs (math 21% / reading 47%, grade F, #318 of 437 statewide, top 73%, 1,008 students, 51% FRL) — zoned schools average 54% FRL vs 35% district-wide (18 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 8 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 169 units permitted in Schuylkill County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Schuylkill County population projected at -16% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 4 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $20k (50%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (3.1% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $6k cash investment doubles in ~1 year — after that, you're playing with house money.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 275 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 F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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.