524 S Courtland Ave

Kokomo, IN 46901

$27,900B-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 988 sqft · Built 1900 · SingleFamily · Active · 90 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $971/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$146
• Tax + insurance: −$87
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$204
• Net cashflow: $533/mo
• Annual: $6,400/yr
• Cap rate: 29.23%
• Cash-on-cash: 81.92%
• DSCR: 4.65
• 1% rule: 3.48%
• Cash to close: $7,812

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $28k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $533 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($971 rent vs $28k).
• It's been on market 90 days — a 6% lower offer ($26k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $26k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $193 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $837 of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 68/100 on livability (#227 in IN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A; Watch: crime D, schools F, amenities F.
• Kokomo School Corporation (urban): math 22% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #264 of 301 in IN (top 88%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 62% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.3% of price; built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents soft (-1.5%/yr); 246 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 194 units permitted in Howard County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Howard County population projected at -11% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 0.0% rent growth), your $8k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 29.2% vs local median 5.2% in Kokomo — 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 90 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% 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.
• 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?
• 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.