1524 Arrowhead Dr · Gadsden, AL 35903

$137,900

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,559 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 150 Days on market

Built 1962 0.34 ac lot Est $112k · 23% over ↓ 13% since listing

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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 +26.4/30.0
• DSCR +9.0/10.0
• 1% rule +5.9/10.0
• Livability +3.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.2/10.0
• ARV discount +0.0/15.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Perfect move-in ready full brick home on a large lot in a quiet neighborhood. The neighborhood is very close to Gadsden State Community College, Riverview Medical, Gadsden Regional Medical, and downtown Gadsden and provides easy access to I-759 and Hwy 431. This home features a remodeled kitchen with granite countertops, walk-in tile shower, tile flooring, new stainless steel appliances, new double-pane insulated windows, metal roof, and new water lines from the water meter. Hardwoods in good condition under carpet! Don't miss out on this very well maintained upgraded home at a very affordable price.

Key facts

• Remodeled kitchen
• Large lot
• Tile flooring

Tags

• FULL BRICK HOME
• LARGE LOT
• REMODELED KITCHEN
• GRANITE COUNTERTOPS
• TILE FLOORING
• STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $138k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $292 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $138k).
• Recommended offer: $121k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 9.4% vs local median 5.1% in Gadsden — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 59/100 on livability (#335 in AL) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Gadsden City (urban): math 15% / reading 39% proficiency, ranked #87 of 129 in AL (top 67%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 66% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Donehoo Elementary School (math 8% / reading 32%, grade F, #457 of 627 statewide, top 74%, 260 students, 80% FRL); Gadsden Middle School (math 15% / reading 51%, grade F, #101 of 257 statewide, top 40%, 464 students, 75% FRL); Gadsden City High School (math 17% / reading 24%, grade F, #159 of 305 statewide, top 53%, 1,318 students, 76% FRL).
• Market conditions: 97 active listings in the ZIP; 119 units permitted in Etowah County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $953 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Etowah County population projected at -12% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 150 days — a 12% lower offer ($121k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $21k (13%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $66/mo.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk; moderate wind risk, 25% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→19/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $121,352 (12.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 150 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1962 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
4. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
5. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
6. 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?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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: 1.09% ✓
• Cap rate: 9.41%
• Cash-on-cash: 11.13%
• DSCR: 1.50
• GRM: 7.7

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $112,248
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1524 Arrowhead Dr	0.00mi	3/2.0	1,559 (0%)	1mo	$137,000	$88	96
1641 Arrowhead Dr	0.15mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,516 (-3%)	1mo	$165,200	$109	79
1316 Linden St	0.35mi	3/2.0	1,553 (-0%)	2mo	$199,000	$128	77
208 Riverside Dr	0.43mi	4/2.5 (+1)	1,542 (-1%)	6mo	$105,000	$68	62
225 Davis St	0.54mi	3/2.0	1,502 (-4%)	10mo	$82,297	$55	56
600 Crestview Dr	0.72mi	3/2.0	1,500 (-4%)	4mo	$127,900	$85	53
901 Padenreich Ave	0.38mi	3/2.0	1,382 (-11%)	18mo	$99,000	$72	44
106 Sheridan St	0.52mi	3/2.0	1,734 (+11%)	12mo	$179,000	$103	43
517 Padenreich Ave	0.59mi	3/2.0	1,464 (-6%)	20mo	$95,000	$65	42
422 Padenreich Ave	0.75mi	3/1.0	1,408 (-10%)	13mo	$78,000	$55	39
1219 Tennessee Ave	0.74mi	3/2.0	1,502 (-4%)	20mo	$95,000	$63	38
220 Oak Dr	0.60mi	2/1.5 (-1)	1,360 (-13%)	19mo	$82,000	$60	28

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 · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -2.6%
• Equity multiple: 0.90×
• Total profit: $-3,773
• Equity at exit: $20,561

10-year hold

• IRR: 7.1%
• Equity multiple: 1.53×
• Total profit: $20,595
• Equity at exit: $11,923

Cash invested: $38,612 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Alabama: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+15
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Right-to-evict in 7 days for non-payment; no rent control; preempted statewide; courts move quickly.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 35903

• Home prices YoY: -11.0%
• Active inventory: 97
• Price-to-rent: 7.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,502 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$723
• Tax from tax record: −$48 /mo · $573/yr
• Insurance: −$57
• Flood insurance flood zone: −$66 /mo · $798/yr
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$315
• Net cashflow: $292

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,133

Max offer price $137,900

Occupancy floor 76%

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: $34,475
• Closing costs: $4,137
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 8 events

1. 2026-04-13
   status Pending
2. 2026-04-02
   status Active
3. 2026-04-02
   price $137,900
4. 2026-01-22
   historical Contingent
5. 2026-01-05
   price $144,900
6. 2025-12-09
   price $149,900
7. 2025-11-24
   price $154,900
8. 2025-11-14
   listed $159,000 Active

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

Tax reassessment forecast AL · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $573 · $48/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $573 · $48/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 8/10 Severe FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 99% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥107°F today · 19 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 5/10 Major 25% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $18,025
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,725
• − Property taxes: −$573
• − Insurance: −$1,487
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,442
• − Management: −$1,442
• − Depreciation: −$4,012
• Taxable income: $1,345
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$323
• After-tax cash flow: $3,179/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: Gadsden City
• NCES district ID: 0101620
• Math proficiency: 15% ▼ -27.00%
• Reading proficiency: 39% ▼ -2.00%
• Median HH income: $29,099
• Composite: 21.62/100
• National rank: #8292
• State rank: #87 of 129 in AL

Livability — Gadsden

• Score: 59/100
• State rank: #335
• US rank: #20131

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Gadsden, AL
• Population (ZIP): 17,180

Population outlook (Etowah County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 100,500 people
• By 2030: 98,488 · -2.0%
• By 2040: 93,731 · -6.7%
• By 2050: 88,681 · -11.8%
• By 2075: 76,746 · -23.6%
• By 2100: 65,373 · -35.0%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Majority White (62%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 62% Black 31% Hispanic / Latino 4% Two or more races 4% Asian 1%
• Common ancestry: Italian 3% Slovak 2% Portuguese 1%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada
• Languages at home: 96% English-only · Spanish 4%

Political lean MEDSL · Etowah

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+55.7) · D 21.8% · R 77.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -17.5pp toward R · 2008: -38.2pp · 2024: -55.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+55.7 2020: R+50.2 2016: R+50.1 2012: R+38.4 2008: R+38.2

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -29.07%
• Current HPI: 236.2537
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.94%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in AL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$8B
▸Healthcare	1	$5B

Price history

-13.3% since first listed

8 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-13 Pending — VMLS
• 2026-04-02 Relisted — VMLS
• 2026-04-02 Price Changed $137,900 VMLS
• 2026-01-22 Contingent — VMLS
• 2026-01-05 Price Changed $144,900 VMLS
• 2025-12-09 Price Changed $149,900 VMLS
• 2025-11-24 Price Changed $154,900 VMLS
• 2025-11-14 Listed $159,000 VMLS

Property tax history

+4.1%/yr

Latest (2025): $573 · -7.9% YoY. Source: county tax records.