1427 34th Ave SW #209

Altoona, IA 50009

$154,900D

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,314 sqft · Built 2020 · Condo · Active · 161 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,481/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$812
• Tax + insurance: −$258
• HOA: −$2,196
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$311
• Net cashflow: $-2,096/mo
• Annual: $-25,154/yr
• Cap rate: -9.95%
• Cash-on-cash: -58.00%
• DSCR: -1.58
• 1% rule: 0.96%
• Cash to close: $43,372

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath condo listed at $155k. Condition is rated good.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-2k ($-25k/yr) — negative.
• Rent doesn't cover operating costs at any purchase price — skip.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $148k (4.4% below list).
• It's been on market 161 days — a 12% lower offer ($136k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $136k (12.0% 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 $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 80/100 on livability (#85 in IA, #1,757 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F.
• Southeast Polk Community School District (rural): math 73% / reading 73% proficiency, ranked #70 of 289 in IA (top 24%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Zoned schools: Willowbrook Elementary (math 69% / reading 64%, grade B+, #313 of 616 statewide, top 51%, 533 students, 50% FRL); Southeast Polk Junior High (math 74% / reading 71%, grade A, #90 of 246 statewide, top 38%, 1,088 students, 37% FRL); Southeast Polk High School (math 65% / reading 74%, grade B, #152 of 336 statewide, top 52%, 2,353 students, 32% FRL) — zoned schools average 40% FRL vs 23% district-wide (17 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 148% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.6%/yr); 482 active listings in the ZIP; 9 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 6d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 2,953 units permitted in Polk County in 2024 (540 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Polk County population projected at +37% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 11 sale attempts since 5y 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.
• Cap rate -9.9% vs local median 2.9% in Altoona — below-typical yield; the buyer is paying a premium for something (appreciation thesis, condition, location) that the cap rate doesn't capture.

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 161 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• 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 A-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?