1136 Clay Highway Hwy

Clay, WV 25043

$95,000D

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 768 sqft · Built 1941 · SingleFamily · Pending · 24 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $847/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$498
• Tax + insurance: −$158
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$178
• Net cashflow: $13/mo
• Annual: $156/yr
• Cap rate: 6.46%
• Cash-on-cash: 0.58%
• DSCR: 1.03
• 1% rule: 0.89%
• Cash to close: $26,600

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $95k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $13 ($156/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $85k (10.8% below list).
• It's been on market 24 days — a 2% lower offer ($94k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $85k (10.8% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $747 of equity ($657 loan paydown + $90 appreciation (0.1% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 56/100 on livability (#267 in WV) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+; Watch: crime D+, amenities F, commute F.
• Clay County Schools (rural): math 21% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #41 of 55 in WV (top 74%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Clay Elementary School (math 22% / reading 37%, grade F, #225 of 377 statewide, top 68%, 314 students, 0% FRL); Clay Middle School (math 21% / reading 36%, grade F, #63 of 109 statewide, top 59%, 413 students, 0% FRL); Clay County High School (math 12% / reading 37%, grade F, #91 of 110 statewide, top 85%, 533 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 57% district-wide (57 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1941 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 7 active listings in the ZIP; 11 units permitted in Clay County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Clay County population projected at -39% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• Current owner paid $60k; list at $95k implies a 58% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Climate carrying-cost: moderate wildfire risk; extreme-heat days projected 7→21/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1941 — 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.
• 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?
• Crime grade is D 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?
• 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.
• 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.