5507 Sandy Creek Ct · Hickory, NC 28658

$175,000

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,188 sqft · Manufactured public records · 8 Days on market

Built 1992 0.48 ac lot

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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 +21.9/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• DSCR +7.0/10.0
• 1% rule +4.5/10.0
• Schools +4.5/10.0
• Livability +3.6/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Welcome Home! Whether you are looking for the perfect starter home or a low-maintenance retreat for downsizing, this move-in-ready home is a must-see. The thoughtful split-bedroom floor plan offers maximum privacy, featuring a primary suite complete with a large walk-in closet. You’ll find a freshly painted interior, new carpet in the bedrooms, refreshed bathrooms, and new windows just installed for excellent energy efficiency offering peace of mind. Outside, you’ll enjoy a spacious, flat yard—perfect for gardening, pets, or outdoor gatherings. Additionally, the property includes a convenient outbuilding, providing ample storage for tools, equipment, or seasonal items. I

Key facts

• 0.48 acre lot
• Built 1992
• Listed 8 days

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath manufactured listed at $175k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $274 ($3k/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 $167k (4.7% below list).
• Recommended offer: $167k (4.7% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 8.2% vs local median 2.9% in Hickory — 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 71/100 on livability (#92 in NC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Catawba County Schools (rural): math 54% / reading 51% proficiency, ranked #54 of 178 in NC (top 30%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Banoak Elementary (math 57% / reading 47%, grade C-, #354 of 1,410 statewide, top 28%, 291 students, 57% FRL); Fred T Foard High (math 77% / reading 61%, grade B, #131 of 535 statewide, top 25%, 956 students, 41% FRL).
• Market conditions: 224 active listings in the ZIP; 2,016 units permitted in Catawba County in 2024 (255 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• 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.
• Catawba County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.

Negotiation context

• Only 8 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Current owner paid $60k; list at $175k implies a 192% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• 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.

Recommended offer $166,777 (4.7% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
2. 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?
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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: 0.95% ✗
• Cap rate: 8.17%
• Cash-on-cash: 6.72%
• DSCR: 1.30
• GRM: 8.7

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: -6.0%
• Equity multiple: 0.78×
• Total profit: $-10,960
• Equity at exit: $26,093

10-year hold

• IRR: 3.6%
• Equity multiple: 1.26×
• Total profit: $12,645
• Equity at exit: $15,131

Cash invested: $49,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State North Carolina: 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable but court speed varies.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 28658

• Home prices YoY: -23.3%
• Active inventory: 224
• Price-to-rent: 8.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,668 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$918
• Tax from tax record: −$53 /mo · $630/yr
• Insurance: −$73
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$350
• Net cashflow: $274

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,320

Max offer price $175,000

Occupancy floor 79%

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: $43,750
• Closing costs: $5,250
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 4 events

1. 2026-04-28
   status Pending
2. 2026-04-21
   listed $175,000 Active
3. 2026-04-19
   historical $175,000
4. 2023-06-09
   soldstatus $60,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast NC · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $630 · $53/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,435 · $120/mo
• Expected delta: +$805/yr (+$67/mo · 127.6%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥103°F today · 17 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 3% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $20,013
• − Mortgage interest: −$9,803
• − Property taxes: −$630
• − Insurance: −$875
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,601
• − Management: −$1,601
• − Depreciation: −$5,091
• Taxable income: $412
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$99
• After-tax cash flow: $3,194/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: Catawba County Schools
• NCES district ID: 3700690
• Math proficiency: 54% ▲ 9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 51% ▲ 3.00%
• Median HH income: $48,180
• Composite: 44.71/100
• National rank: #2754
• State rank: #54 of 178 in NC

Livability — Hickory

• Score: 71/100
• State rank: #92
• US rank: #6361

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• City population: 84,442
• Population (ZIP): 25,681

Population outlook (Catawba County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 156,513 people
• By 2030: 155,267 · -0.8%
• By 2040: 151,110 · -3.5%
• By 2050: 145,524 · -7.0%
• By 2075: 134,047 · -14.4%
• By 2100: 119,424 · -23.7%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (69%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 69% Hispanic / Latino 12% Black 8% Two or more races 8% Asian 5%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 9%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 2% Serbian 2% Italian 2%
• Foreign-born: 8% · Canada, Jamaica, Vietnam
• Languages at home: 84% English-only · Spanish 11% Other Asian/Pacific 3% Tagalog/Filipino 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Catawba

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+38.0) · D 30.6% · R 68.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -13.0pp toward R · 2008: -25.0pp · 2024: -38.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+38.0 2020: R+37.0 2016: R+38.0 2012: R+29.6 2008: R+25.0

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -79.85%
• Current HPI: 262.8541
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.28%
• F500 in state: 26

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in NC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	2	$213B
▸Retail	2	$95B
▸Industrial Conglomerate	1	$38B
▸Metals / Steel	1	$35B
▸Utilities	1	$30B
▸Industrial Machinery	1	$19B

Price history

+191.7% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-28 Pending — CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-04-21 Listed $175,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-04-19 Coming Soon $175,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2023-06-09 Sold (Public Records) $60,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+5.8%/yr

Latest (2024): $630 · +0.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.