2 bd · 1.0 ba ·
736 sqft ·
Built 1926
· SingleFamily
· Active
· 38 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$796/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$257
Tax + insurance
−$70
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$167
Net cashflow
$302/mo
Annual
$3,623/yr
Cap rate
13.69%
Cash-on-cash
26.41%
DSCR
2.17
1% rule
1.62%
Cash to close
$13,720
Investor read
This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $49k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $302 ($4k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($796 rent vs $49k).
It's been on market 38 days — a 3% lower offer ($48k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $48k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $339 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 74/100 on livability (#30 in ND, #4,920 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, crime A; Watch: health & safety D+, amenities F, commute F.
Valley City 2 (town): math 52% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #21 of 53 in ND (top 40%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
Watch-outs: built in 1926 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: 77 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 9 units permitted in Barnes County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
Barnes County population projected at +5% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
2 sale attempts 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 $36k; 35% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $14k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Cap rate 13.7% vs local median 3.5% in Valley City — 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.
This rent is only 15% of the median local income ($64k/yr) — well below the 30% rent-burden line; pricing power to push rent on renewal without tenant pushback.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 38 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1926 — 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 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?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-86QXGK46DB8H0F
· Data 2 days agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29