225 Columbia St

Elim, PA 15905

$67,500C+

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 826 sqft · Built 1938 · SingleFamily · Pending · 76 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $784/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$354
• Tax + insurance: −$114
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$165
• Net cashflow: $151/mo
• Annual: $1,815/yr
• Cap rate: 8.98%
• Cash-on-cash: 9.60%
• DSCR: 1.43
• 1% rule: 1.16%
• Cash to close: $18,900

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $68k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $151 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($784 rent vs $68k).
• It's been on market 76 days — a 6% lower offer ($63k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $63k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $467 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 67/100 on livability (#992 in PA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, crime A; Watch: amenities F, commute F, health & safety F.
• Westmont Hilltop SD (suburban): math 39% / reading 51% proficiency, ranked #252 of 539 in PA (top 47%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Westmont Hilltop El Sch (math 37% / reading 49%, grade F, #873 of 1,518 statewide, top 58%, 739 students, 47% FRL); Westmont Hilltop Jshs (math 42% / reading 57%, grade D, #138 of 437 statewide, top 34%, 725 students, 38% FRL) — zoned schools average 43% FRL vs 24% district-wide (19 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: built in 1938 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 93 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 64 units permitted in Cambria County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Cambria County population projected at -28% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 4 sale attempts since 26y 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 $40k; list at $68k implies a 69% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• This rent is only 14% of the median local income ($69k/yr) — well below the 30% rent-burden line; pricing power to push rent on renewal without tenant pushback.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 76 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1938 — 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?
• 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.
• 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.