1311 James St

Kalamazoo, MI 49001

$64,900B

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,376 sqft · Built 1925 · SingleFamily · Active · 23 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,667/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$340
• Tax + insurance: −$108
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$350
• Net cashflow: $868/mo
• Annual: $10,418/yr
• Cap rate: 22.35%
• Cash-on-cash: 57.33%
• DSCR: 3.55
• 1% rule: 2.57%
• Cash to close: $18,172

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $65k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $868 ($10k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $65k).
• It's been on market 23 days — a 2% lower offer ($64k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $64k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $449 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#141 in MI, #3,492 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, employment D-.
• Kalamazoo Public Schools (urban): math 43% / reading 72% proficiency, ranked #71 of 540 in MI (top 13%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease; 66% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: El Sol Elementary (351 students, 71% FRL); Maple Street Magnet School For The Arts (math 75% / reading 75%, grade A, #8 of 493 statewide, top 3%, 860 students, 59% FRL); Loy Norrix High School (math 47% / reading 82%, grade B-, #46 of 713 statewide, top 7%, 1,771 students, 68% FRL) — zoned schools at 66% FRL track the district average.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 70% at this address vs 58% district-wide (+12 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Kalamazoo Public Schools average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Watch-outs: built in 1925 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.4%/yr); 109 active listings in the ZIP; 11 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 339 units permitted in Kalamazoo County in 2024 (22 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Kalamazoo County population projected at +18% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 13 sale attempts since 32y 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.
• Current owner paid $20k; list at $65k implies a 217% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.4% rent growth), your $18k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 22.3% vs local median 4.1% in Kalamazoo — 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

• Built in 1925 — 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 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.