3 bd · 2.0 ba ·
1,791 sqft ·
Built 2005
· Townhouse
· Active
· 80 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,792/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$1,416
Tax + insurance
−$241
HOA
−$60
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$376
Net cashflow
$-301/mo
Annual
$-3,613/yr
Cap rate
4.95%
Cash-on-cash
-4.78%
DSCR
0.79
1% rule
0.66%
Cash to close
$75,600
Investor read
This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath townhouse listed at $270k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $-301 ($-4k/yr) — negative.
To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $217k (19.7% below list).
To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $179k (33.6% below list).
It's been on market 80 days — a 6% lower offer ($254k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $179k (33.6% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
In year one you build about $29k of equity ($2k loan paydown + $27k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
Location reads 76/100 on livability (#12 in AL, #3,280 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: employment A+, housing A+, schools A; Watch: amenities F, commute F.
Madison City (suburban): math 51% / reading 71% proficiency, ranked #4 of 129 in AL (top 3%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease; only 17% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.6%/yr); 382 active listings in the ZIP; 25 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 24d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 48% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; high-income renter base; 4,709 units permitted in Madison County in 2024 (1,186 in 5+ unit buildings).
Madison County population projected at +18% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
3 sale attempts since 13y 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 $154k; list at $270k implies a 75% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$46k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 5.0% vs local median 2.6% in Madison — 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 do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
It's been on market 80 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 34% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
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 A-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?
The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-7YMCE7EBVMRWS3
· Data 2 days agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29