2 bd · 1.0 ba ·
1,100 sqft ·
Built 1921
· Townhouse
· Active
· 78 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,699/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$787
Tax + insurance
−$107
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$357
Net cashflow
$448/mo
Annual
$5,379/yr
Cap rate
9.88%
Cash-on-cash
12.81%
DSCR
1.57
1% rule
1.13%
Cash to close
$42,000
Investor read
This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $150k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $448 ($5k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $150k).
It's been on market 78 days — a 6% lower offer ($141k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $141k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 64/100 on livability (#52 in DE) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A; Watch: employment D+, schools D, commute D.
Brandywine School District (suburban): math 28% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #11 of 26 in DE (top 42%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
Watch-outs: built in 1921 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.7%/yr); 119 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 25d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,367 units permitted in New Castle County in 2024 (201 in 5+ unit buildings).
New Castle County population projected at +9% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
6 sale attempts since 28y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $10k (6%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
Current owner paid $12k; list at $150k implies a 1100% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.7% rent growth), your $42k cash investment doubles in ~8 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 9.9% vs local median 5.6% in Wilmington — 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 runs 38% of the median local income ($54k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 78 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1921 — 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 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?
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?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-8K9N7HFY3577RT
· Data 2 days agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29