819 Cator Ave · Baltimore, MD 21218

$208,000

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,488 sqft · Townhouse public records · 4 Days on market

Built 1924 Est $241k · 14% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the C- grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +16.8/30.0
• ARV discount +13.7/15.0
• DSCR +5.2/10.0
• 1% rule +4.1/10.0
• Livability +3.8/5.0
• Rent growth +2.9/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.0/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Welcome to this beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home in the charming Penn Lucy neighborhood. The main floor boasts a sunroom drenched in natural light, hardwood floors, high ceilings, and a stunning 5-seat kitchen island. The open kitchen showcases Quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and pendant lighting. Upstairs, 3 bedrooms offer comfort, while the basement provides a spacious living room and full bath. With stainless steel appliances, central HVAC system, and water heater, plus a generous backyard. Ask about the $10,000 Grant for eligible 1st Time Homebuyers.

Key facts

• Quartz countertops
• Sunroom
• Generous backyard

Tags

• SUNROOM
• 5-SEAT KITCHEN ISLAND
• QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS
• STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES
• GENEROUS BACKYARD

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Fee simple ownership; Estimated finished area above grade and below grade (above grade finished approx. 1,104; below grade finished approx. 592); Total below-grade area approx. 592
• HOA & community: Ground rent paid annually

Exterior

• Parking: On-street parking
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electric service
• Home design: Interior townhouse/rowhouse; Located in city limits (Baltimore City)
• Construction: Brick exterior; Concrete perimeter foundation; Estimated year built
• Exterior features: Brick construction; Concrete perimeter foundation; Above-grade and below-grade structures; Two or more access exits

Interior

• Bedrooms: Three bedrooms on the first upper level
• Bathrooms: Two full bathrooms (one on the first upper level, one on the first lower level)
• Heating & cooling: Radiator heat (electric); Central air conditioning (electric); Electric hot water
• Interior features: Fully finished basement; One fireplace

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath townhouse listed at $208k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $134 ($2k/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 $188k (9.4% below list).
• Recommended offer: $188k (9.4% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#90 in MD, #3,396 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F.
• Baltimore City Public Schools (urban): math 7% / reading 16% proficiency, ranked #24 of 24 in MD (top 100%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 79% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership (math 2% / reading 16%, grade F, #650 of 860 statewide, top 77%, 642 students, 80% FRL); Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (math 71% / reading 84%, grade A-, #22 of 222 statewide, top 10%, 1,555 students, 43% FRL) — zoned schools average 62% FRL vs 79% district-wide (17 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 43% at this address vs 12% district-wide (+32 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Baltimore City Public Schools average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.6%/yr); 330 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 26d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 45% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,273 units permitted in Baltimore city in 2024 (1,104 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 36% of the median local income ($62k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• 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.
• Baltimore County population projected to shrink 4% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.

Negotiation context

• Only 4 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 2 sale attempts since 4y 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 $46k; list at $208k implies a 352% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1924 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $188,477 (9.4% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1924 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
4. Crime grade is F 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 0.91% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.07%
• Cash-on-cash: 2.77%
• DSCR: 1.12
• GRM: 9.2

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $241,056
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1101 Andover Rd	0.27mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,500 (+1%)	2mo	$257,000	$171	80
3825 Elkader Rd	0.30mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,352 (-9%)	1mo	$275,000	$203	65
3807 Elkader Rd	0.33mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,352 (-9%)	0mo	$235,000	$174	64
617 Willow Ave	0.39mi	3/2.0	1,641 (+10%)	2mo	$235,000	$143	63
5019 Midwood Ave	0.71mi	3/2.0	1,455 (-2%)	2mo	$198,000	$136	62
646 E 37th St	0.38mi	3/2.0	1,284 (-14%)	0mo	$94,000	$73	59
609 Melville Ave	0.54mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,364 (-8%)	1mo	$120,000	$88	54
3628 Elkader Rd	0.41mi	3/1.0	1,675 (+13%)	2mo	$272,000	$162	54
715 Radnor Ave	0.57mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,600 (+8%)	2mo	$249,900	$156	54
3633 Elkader Rd	0.42mi	2/1.5 (-1)	1,304 (-12%)	1mo	$265,000	$203	52
4662 Kernwood Ave	0.60mi	3/1.5	1,652 (+11%)	1mo	$240,000	$145	51
1510 Medford Rd	0.61mi	3/2.0	1,700 (+14%)	2mo	$285,000	$168	46

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 1.63% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -13.4%
• Equity multiple: 0.52×
• Total profit: $-27,744
• Equity at exit: $31,013

10-year hold

• IRR: -6.7%
• Equity multiple: 0.60×
• Total profit: $-23,476
• Equity at exit: $17,984

Cash invested: $58,240 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (CITY): 12 Strongly Tenant-Friendly
• State Maryland: 27 Tenant-Leaning · D+14
• County: — inherits STATE
• City Baltimore: 12 Strongly Tenant-Friendly · D+58

Just-cause for tenancies > 1 yr.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 21218

• Rents YoY: 1.6%
• Active inventory: 330
• Price-to-rent: 9.2×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,885 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,091
• Tax from tax record: −$177 /mo · $2,128/yr
• Insurance: −$87
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$396
• Net cashflow: $134

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,715

Max offer price $208,000

Occupancy floor 88%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $252	-5% $193	+0% $134	+5% $75	+10% $16
Rent	-10% $-15	-5% $60	+0% $134	+5% $209	+10% $283
Rate	-1.0pp $239	-0.5pp $187	base $134	+0.5pp $80	+1.0pp $25

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $52,000
• Closing costs: $6,240
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 40 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
815 Gilrubin Ct Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	900	$1,695	$1.88	45d	1	0.17mi
812 Nat Ct Apt 12 Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	900	$1,295	$1.44	45d	1	0.18mi
720 Springfield Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1160	$2,000	$1.72	45d	1	0.19mi
513 E 41st St Baltimore, MD	4.0	1.5	1620	$1,900	$1.17	45d	1	0.24mi
706 E 43rd St Baltimore, MD	4.0	1.5	1596	$1,899	$1.19	3d	1	0.24mi
3721 Ellerslie Ave Baltimore, MD	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	924	$1,603	$1.73	0d	1	0.28mi
4033 Greenmount Ave Baltimore, MD	2.0	2.5	1860	$2,550	$1.37	25d	1	0.29mi
4303 York Rd #3 Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1680	$1,400	$0.83	45d	1	0.32mi
612 Chestnut Hill Ave Unit 1 Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	900	$1,999	$2.22	45d	1	0.35mi
925 Chestnut Hill Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1280	$1,895	$1.48	0d	1	0.36mi
4407 Old York Rd Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1356	$1,574	$1.16	22d	1	0.38mi
4407 Old York Rd Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1356	$1,574	$1.16	45d	1	0.38mi
835 E Cold Spring Ln Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.5	997	$1,400	$1.40	25d	1	0.44mi
531 Willow Ave Unit Na Baltimore, MD	4.0	1.0	1300	$1,800	$1.38	22d	1	0.45mi
3616 Yolando Rd Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1360	$1,900	$1.40	0d	1	0.48mi
721 E 36th St Unit Na Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1156	$1,650	$1.43	45d	1	0.49mi
724 E 35th St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1368	$2,000	$1.46	16d	1	0.57mi
804 Radnor Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1654	$2,000	$1.21	45d	1	0.58mi
3529 Greenmount Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1316	$1,575	$1.20	45d	1	0.58mi
1504 Upshire Rd Unit 1E Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1000	$1,400	$1.40	45d	1	0.61mi
1040 E 33rd St Baltimore, MD	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	775	$1,525	$1.97	0d	9	0.61mi
1539 Ralworth Rd Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1580	$1,950	$1.23	16d	1	0.66mi
514 Radnor Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1575	$1,500	$0.95	46d	1	0.67mi
1260 Rossiter Ave Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	710	$1,250	$1.76	0d	36	0.71mi
1617 Argonne Dr Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.0	1200	$2,550	$2.12	45d	1	0.72mi
1502 Fernley Rd Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1350	$2,800	$2.07	45d	1	0.75mi
3222 Ellerslie Ave Baltimore, MD	4.0	1.5	1550	$1,950	$1.26	45d	1	0.78mi
1224 Winston Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1248	$2,100	$1.68	19d	1	0.80mi
3601 Greenway #101 Baltimore, MD	2.0	2.0	1470	$2,700	$1.84	6d	1	0.80mi
1543 Northwick Rd Unit 2 Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1160	$1,100	$0.95	0d	1	0.80mi
348 E University Pkwy Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.0	1809	$2,400	$1.33	45d	1	0.80mi
543 Chateau Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1152	$1,900	$1.65	6d	1	0.82mi
510 Winston Ave Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.0	1600	$2,800	$1.75	22d	1	0.82mi
1275 Kitmore Rd Unit 1245K-T Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	935	$1,895	$2.03	6d	1	0.86mi
1275 Kitmore Rd Unit 1262B-A Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	923	$1,320	$1.43	3d	1	0.86mi
1 E University Pkwy Baltimore, MD	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	1045	$2,500	$2.39	6d	2	0.87mi
416 Winston Ave Unit 426-01 Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	890	$1,250	$1.40	45d	1	0.87mi
3501 Saint Paul St Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	673	$2,030	$3.02	0d	186	0.88mi
3811 Canterbury Rd Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0–2.0	975	$2,495	$2.56	14d	5	0.88mi
1545 E Cold Spring Ln Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.0	1240	$2,000	$1.61	45d	1	0.89mi

Listing history 8 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $208,000 Active 4 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   remarks 580-char remark
3. 2026-06-18
   statusdays on market $208,000 Active 1 DOM
4. 2026-06-17
   days on market $208,000 Coming Soon 7 DOM
5. 2026-06-16
   days on market $208,000 Coming Soon 6 DOM
6. 2026-06-15
   days on market $208,000 Coming Soon 5 DOM
7. 2026-06-13
   remarks 564-char remark
8. 2026-06-13
   listed $208,000 Coming Soon 3 DOM

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast MD · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $2,128 · $177/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,198 · $183/mo
• Expected delta: +$70/yr (+$6/mo · 3.3%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 7/10 Severe 7 d/yr ≥103°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 27% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 4/10 Moderate 6 unhealthy d/yr today · 7 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $22,617
• − Mortgage interest: −$11,651
• − Property taxes: −$2,128
• − Insurance: −$1,040
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,809
• − Management: −$1,809
• − Depreciation: −$6,051
• Taxable loss: −$1,872
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$449
• After-tax cash flow: $2,060/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Baltimore City Public Schools
• NCES district ID: 2400090
• Math proficiency: 7% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 16% ▼ -5.00%
• Median HH income: $42,108
• Composite: 10.08/100
• National rank: #9805
• State rank: #24 of 24 in MD

Livability — Baltimore

• Score: 76/100
• State rank: #90
• US rank: #3396

Category grades

Amenities A+ Commute A+ Cost of living A- Crime F Employment C Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings D-

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Baltimore, MD
• County: Baltimore City · 558,601 people
• City population: 588,727
• Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
• Population (ZIP): 44,014
• Household income: $62,488
• Rent vs Own: 51.9% rent · 48.1% own
• Severe rent burden: 2564.0

Population outlook (Baltimore County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 624,249 people
• By 2030: 621,541 · -0.4%
• By 2040: 609,756 · -2.3%
• By 2050: 597,249 · -4.3%
• By 2075: 552,236 · -11.5%
• By 2100: 513,934 · -17.7%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.58)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 60% White 26% Two or more races 6% Hispanic / Latino 5% Asian 5%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 2% Italian 1% Scotch-Irish 1%
• Foreign-born: 10% · Canada, China, South Korea
• Languages at home: 87% English-only · Spanish 4% French/Haitian/Cajun 2% Chinese 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Baltimore

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+73.0) · D 85.2% · R 12.2% · Other 2.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -2.5pp toward R · 2008: 75.5pp · 2024: 73.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+73.0 2020: D+76.6 2016: D+74.6 2012: D+76.4 2008: D+75.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -463.14%
• Current HPI: 292.3986
• Rent YoY: ▲ 1.63%
• Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.97%
• F500 in state: 12

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MD)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Aerospace / Defense	1	$71B
▸Utilities	1	$25B
▸Hotels	1	$24B
▸Consumer Goods	1	$7B
▸Real Estate	1	$6B
▸Chemicals	1	$2B

Price history

+642.9% since first listed

12 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-13 Price Changed $208,000 BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-06-10 Coming Soon $205,000 BRIGHT MLS
• 2023-10-07 Listing Removed — BRIGHT MLS
• 2023-09-11 Price Changed $209,999 BRIGHT MLS
• 2023-08-31 Price Changed $212,999 BRIGHT MLS
• 2023-08-17 Listed $214,999 BRIGHT MLS
• 2023-08-15 Coming Soon — BRIGHT MLS
• 2022-09-28 Listing Removed — BRIGHT MLS
• 2022-09-14 Price Changed $92,500 BRIGHT MLS
• 2022-09-13 Listed $97,500 BRIGHT MLS
• 1999-07-09 Sold (Public Records) $46,000 Public Records
• 1986-03-03 Sold (Public Records) $28,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+0.5%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,128 · +5.3% YoY. Source: county tax records.