740 Merrill St

Salina, KS 67401

$112,000D+

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 959 sqft · Built 1935 · SingleFamily · Active · 64 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,068/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$587
• Tax + insurance: −$183
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$224
• Net cashflow: $73/mo
• Annual: $879/yr
• Cap rate: 7.08%
• Cash-on-cash: 2.80%
• DSCR: 1.12
• 1% rule: 0.95%
• Cash to close: $31,360

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $112k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $73 ($879/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 $107k (4.7% below list).
• It's been on market 64 days — a 6% lower offer ($105k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $105k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $774 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 71/100 on livability (#127 in KS) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment C-, crime F, amenities F.
• Salina (town): math 21% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #134 of 169 in KS (top 79%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Sunset Elem (math 17% / reading 32%, grade F, #540 of 684 statewide, top 82%, 387 students, 80% FRL); Salina South Middle (math 20% / reading 26%, grade F, #125 of 219 statewide, top 59%, 811 students, 62% FRL); Salina High South (math 11% / reading 25%, grade F, #233 of 327 statewide, top 71%, 1,102 students, 54% FRL) — zoned schools average 65% FRL vs 50% district-wide (16 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: built in 1935 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.7%/yr); 328 active listings in the ZIP; 293 units permitted in Saline County in 2024 (186 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Saline County population projected to shrink 9% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• Current owner paid $68k; list at $112k implies a 65% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→17/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 64 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1935 — 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?
• 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?
• 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.