198 Forest Dr Dr SE

Cedar Rapids, IA 52403

$215,000D

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,834 sqft · Built 1938 · SingleFamily · Active · 116 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,488/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,127
• Tax + insurance: −$364
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$313
• Net cashflow: $-316/mo
• Annual: $-3,789/yr
• Cap rate: 4.53%
• Cash-on-cash: -6.29%
• DSCR: 0.72
• 1% rule: 0.69%
• Cash to close: $60,200

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $215k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-316 ($-4k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $159k (25.9% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $149k (30.8% below list).
• It's been on market 116 days — a 9% lower offer ($196k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $149k (30.8% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $6k 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.
• Cedar Rapids Community School District (urban): math 50% / reading 59% proficiency, ranked #265 of 289 in IA (top 92%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Johnson Steam Academy School (math 32% / reading 37%, grade F, #595 of 616 statewide, top 97%, 346 students, 74% FRL); Mckinley Steam Academy (math 45% / reading 55%, grade C, #216 of 246 statewide, top 88%, 448 students, 52% FRL); George Washington High School (math 44% / reading 62%, grade C-, #296 of 336 statewide, top 88%, 1,291 students, 49% FRL) — zoned schools average 59% FRL vs 43% district-wide (15 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: built in 1938 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+14.7%/yr); 240 active listings in the ZIP; 1 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.
• 4 sale attempts since 11y 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 $145k; 48% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Cap rate 4.5% vs local median 3.5% in Cedar Rapids — meaningfully above typical; check what's discounted (condition, days-on-market, listing class) to confirm the premium yield is real.

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 116 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 31% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1938 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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 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?
• 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.