1096 County Rd 835 · Rainsville, AL 35968

$47,900

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,548 sqft · SingleFamily · 60 Days on market

Built 1937 0.50 ac lot

---

Why this score? — see what drove the B+ 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 +30.0/30.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Appreciation +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +3.3/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.3/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

This vacant building on over 1/2 acre has been used as a store/ house, in the past and needs a lot of work to be usable. Roof is metal and appears to be in good condition. Electric Service outside has been replaced a few years back, but tree fell on electric service wire-no wire. May be able to be used as a car lot, store, since there are other commercial businesses on the same street close by; please do your own due diligence to make sure it can be used for your purposes. Property is being sold AS-IS, seller has never lived there and really has limited knowledge of the property.

Key facts

• 0.5 acre lot
• Built 1937
• Listed 60 days

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $48k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $533 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $48k).
• Recommended offer: $46k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 19.7% vs local median 2.4% in Rainsville — 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 66/100 on livability (#105 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment D-.
• Dekalb County (rural): math 18% / reading 37% proficiency, ranked #82 of 129 in AL (top 64%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Crossville Elementary School (math 17% / reading 27%, grade F, #442 of 627 statewide, top 72%, 578 students, 94% FRL) — zoned schools average 94% FRL vs 59% district-wide (35 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 47 active listings in the ZIP; 49 units permitted in DeKalb County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $5k of equity ($331 loan paydown + $5k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• DeKalb County population projected to shrink 8% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $13k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 6, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$30k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 60 days — a 3% lower offer ($46k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1937 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $46,463 (3.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 60 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1937 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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: 2.28% ✓
• Cap rate: 19.66%
• Cash-on-cash: 47.73%
• DSCR: 3.12
• GRM: 3.6

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $176,472
• Comps found: 3

Show comp detail 3 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1430 Old Hwy 35	0.28mi	3/2.0	1,400 (-10%)	24mo	$159,900	$114	47
646 Old Highway 35 E	0.47mi	3/2.0	1,380 (-11%)	18mo	$150,000	$109	41
2516 County Road 835	0.68mi	3/2.5	1,693 (+9%)	10mo	$245,000	$145	38

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

10.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 61.7%
• Equity multiple: 5.48×
• Total profit: $60,078
• Equity at exit: $43,152

10-year hold

• IRR: 55.2%
• Equity multiple: 12.20×
• Total profit: $150,236
• Equity at exit: $93,059

Cash invested: $13,412 (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 35968

• Home prices YoY: 6.0%
• Active inventory: 47
• Price-to-rent: 3.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,094 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$251
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$60 /mo · $718/yr
• Insurance: −$20
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$230
• Net cashflow: $533

Break-even live

Break-even rent $419

Max offer price $47,900

Occupancy floor 46%

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: $11,975
• Closing costs: $1,437
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 5 events

1. 2025-04-28
   soldstatus $47,900 Sold 590-char remark

   Show marketing remark (590 chars)

   This vacant building on over 1/2 acre has been used as a store/ house, in the past and needs a lot of work to be usable. Roof is metal and appears to be in good condition. Electric Service outside has been replaced a few years back, but tree fell on electric service wire-no wire. May be able to be used as a car lot, store, since there are other commercial businesses on the same street close by; please do your own due diligence to make sure it can be used for your purposes. Property is being sold AS-IS, seller has never lived there and really has limited knowledge of the property.

2. 2025-04-25
   status Pending

   Show marketing remark (590 chars)

   This vacant building on over 1/2 acre has been used as a store/ house, in the past and needs a lot of work to be usable. Roof is metal and appears to be in good condition. Electric Service outside has been replaced a few years back, but tree fell on electric service wire-no wire. May be able to be used as a car lot, store, since there are other commercial businesses on the same street close by; please do your own due diligence to make sure it can be used for your purposes. Property is being sold AS-IS, seller has never lived there and really has limited knowledge of the property.

3. 2025-04-25
   status Pending 590-char remark

   Show marketing remark (590 chars)

   This vacant building on over 1/2 acre has been used as a store/ house, in the past and needs a lot of work to be usable. Roof is metal and appears to be in good condition. Electric Service outside has been replaced a few years back, but tree fell on electric service wire-no wire. May be able to be used as a car lot, store, since there are other commercial businesses on the same street close by; please do your own due diligence to make sure it can be used for your purposes. Property is being sold AS-IS, seller has never lived there and really has limited knowledge of the property.

4. 2025-02-24
   listed $47,900 Active
5. 2025-02-21
   listed $47,900 Active 590-char remark

   Show marketing remark (590 chars)

   This vacant building on over 1/2 acre has been used as a store/ house, in the past and needs a lot of work to be usable. Roof is metal and appears to be in good condition. Electric Service outside has been replaced a few years back, but tree fell on electric service wire-no wire. May be able to be used as a car lot, store, since there are other commercial businesses on the same street close by; please do your own due diligence to make sure it can be used for your purposes. Property is being sold AS-IS, seller has never lived there and really has limited knowledge of the property.

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

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $13,131
• − Mortgage interest: −$2,683
• − Property taxes: −$718
• − Insurance: −$240
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,050
• − Management: −$1,050
• − Depreciation: −$1,393
• Taxable income: $5,995
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,439
• After-tax cash flow: $4,962/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: Dekalb County
• NCES district ID: 0101140
• Math proficiency: 18% ▼ -19.00%
• Reading proficiency: 37% ▲ 2.00%
• Median HH income: $36,655
• Composite: 22.78/100
• National rank: #8023
• State rank: #82 of 129 in AL

Livability — Rainsville

• Score: 66/100
• State rank: #105
• US rank: #11704

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Rainsville, AL
• City population: 8,221
• Population (ZIP): 4,540

Population outlook (DeKalb County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 71,722 people
• By 2030: 71,373 · -0.5%
• By 2040: 69,536 · -3.0%
• By 2050: 66,020 · -8.0%
• By 2075: 53,325 · -25.7%
• By 2100: 36,127 · -49.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (77%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 77% Hispanic / Latino 12% Black 6% Two or more races 6% Native American 3%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 4%
• Common ancestry: Serbian 2% Slovak 2% Italian 1%
• Foreign-born: 5% · Canada
• Languages at home: 91% English-only · Spanish 8% Other Asian/Pacific 1%

Political lean MEDSL · DeKalb

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+74.0) · D 12.7% · R 86.7%
• 2008→2024 swing: -22.7pp toward R · 2008: -51.2pp · 2024: -74.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+74.0 2020: R+69.8 2016: R+69.4 2012: R+54.9 2008: R+51.2

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 15.73%
• Current HPI: 279.1118
• 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

+0.0% since first listed

5 events — show timeline

• 2025-04-28 Sold (MLS) $47,900 VMLS
• 2025-04-25 Pending — GCAR
• 2025-04-25 Pending — VMLS
• 2025-02-24 Listed $47,900 GCAR
• 2025-02-21 Listed $47,900 VMLS