530 Humboldt Ave

Wausau, WI 54403

$73,200B

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,568 sqft · Built 1900 · SingleFamily · Active · 219 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,522/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$384
• Tax + insurance: −$194
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$320
• Net cashflow: $625/mo
• Annual: $7,498/yr
• Cap rate: 16.54%
• Cash-on-cash: 36.58%
• DSCR: 2.63
• 1% rule: 2.08%
• Cash to close: $20,496

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $73k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $625 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $73k).
• It's been on market 219 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 $506 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 91/100 on livability (#4 in WI, #55 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: employment D.
• Wausau School District (urban): math 33% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #235 of 342 in WI (top 69%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Riverview Elementary (math 42% / reading 42%, grade F, #433 of 1,041 statewide, top 46%, 480 students, 40% FRL); East High (math 25% / reading 29%, grade F, #260 of 483 statewide, top 58%, 902 students, 42% FRL) — zoned schools at 41% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.7% of price; built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 79 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 298 units permitted in Marathon County in 2024 (81 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Marathon County population projected to shrink 6% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• Current owner paid $28k; list at $73k implies a 166% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• 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.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 16.5% vs local median 3.5% in Wausau — 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 219 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?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• 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.
• 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.