600 Colton Cir NE Unit 4

Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

$120,000C-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 922 sqft · Built 2002 · Condo · Pending · 2 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,425/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$629
• Tax + insurance: −$222
• HOA: −$200
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$299
• Net cashflow: $74/mo
• Annual: $894/yr
• Cap rate: 7.04%
• Cash-on-cash: 2.66%
• DSCR: 1.12
• 1% rule: 1.19%
• Cash to close: $33,600

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $120k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $74 ($894/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $120k).
• Only 2 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $830 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 78/100 on livability (#134 in IA, #2,474 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime C-, commute F.
• Linn-Mar Community School District (suburban): math 75% / reading 76% proficiency, ranked #44 of 289 in IA (top 15%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical; only 16% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Zoned schools: Westfield Elementary School (math 87% / reading 77%, grade A+, #44 of 616 statewide, top 9%, 506 students, 20% FRL); Oak Ridge School (math 76% / reading 83%, grade A+, #35 of 246 statewide, top 16%, 526 students, 18% FRL); Linn-Mar High School (math 73% / reading 78%, grade A-, #79 of 336 statewide, top 25%, 2,271 students, 23% FRL) — zoned schools at 20% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+11.0%/yr); 291 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 1,023 units permitted in Linn County in 2024 (456 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Linn County population projected at +16% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• Current owner paid $89k; 35% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $34k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 7.0% vs local median 3.5% in Cedar Rapids — 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

• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• 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?
• 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.