9720 Westfield Pl · Birmingham, AL 35217

$65,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 927 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 194 Days on market

Built 1955 5,706 sqft lot Est $85k · 24% under ↓ 48% since listing

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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
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Rent growth +3.4/5.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +0.9/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Motivated Seller! Charming 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom home with new roof and HVAC system nestled beside 2 spacious lots with a generous yard ( to be sold with home) — perfect for gardening, play, or outdoor entertaining. Enjoy relaxing mornings or peaceful evenings on the covered front porch, and take advantage of the convenient attached carport. This home offers comfortable living with just the right amount of space, both inside and out!

Key facts

• Covered front porch
• Generous yard
• Attached carport

Tags

• NEW ROOF
• SPACIOUS LOTS
• GENEROUS YARD
• COVERED FRONT PORCH
• ATTACHED CARPORT

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $65k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $448 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $65k).
• Recommended offer: $57k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 14.6% vs local median 6.2% in Birmingham — 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 67/100 on livability (#78 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities C-, crime F, employment F.
• Birmingham City (urban): math 4% / reading 20% proficiency, ranked #116 of 129 in AL (top 90%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 82% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Martha Gaskins K5 (math 0% / reading 15%, grade F, #598 of 627 statewide, top 96%, 509 students, 87% FRL); Huffman High Schoolmagnet (math 2% / reading 2%, grade F, #291 of 305 statewide, top 100%, 1,147 students, 72% FRL) — zoned schools at 79% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.6%/yr); 94 active listings in the ZIP; 10 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 24d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 40% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 2,114 units permitted in Jefferson County in 2024 (556 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 34% of the median local income ($40k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $449 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Jefferson County population projected to shrink 4% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.6% rent growth), your $18k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 194 days — a 12% lower offer ($57k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1955 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $57,200 (12.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 194 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 1955 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. Schools are F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
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: 1.75% ✓
• Cap rate: 14.55%
• Cash-on-cash: 29.51%
• DSCR: 2.31
• GRM: 4.8

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $85,284
• Comps found: 6

Show comp detail 6 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1049 Southwood Dr	0.11mi	3/1.0	875 (-6%)	3mo	$53,000	$61	83
900 Northwood Dr	0.08mi	3/1.0	868 (-6%)	21mo	$80,000	$92	68
9817 Virginianna Dr	0.61mi	3/1.0	989 (+7%)	4mo	$125,000	$126	57
9825 Virginianna Dr	0.61mi	3/1.5	987 (+6%)	14mo	$115,000	$117	47
644 Beverly Dr	0.71mi	2/1.0 (-1)	898 (-3%)	17mo	$60,000	$67	42
532 Belmar Dr	0.60mi	3/1.0	1,056 (+14%)	17mo	$67,000	$63	35

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 · 3.58% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 24.7%
• Equity multiple: 2.02×
• Total profit: $18,654
• Equity at exit: $9,692

10-year hold

• IRR: 32.8%
• Equity multiple: 4.06×
• Total profit: $55,782
• Equity at exit: $5,620

Cash invested: $18,200 (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 35217

• Rents YoY: 3.6%
• Active inventory: 94
• Price-to-rent: 4.8×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,135 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$341
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$81 /mo · $975/yr
• Insurance: −$27
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$238
• Net cashflow: $448

Break-even live

Break-even rent $569

Max offer price $65,000

Occupancy floor 56%

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: $16,250
• Closing costs: $1,950
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 10 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
426 Buckingham Cir Birmingham, AL	2.0	1.5	1080	$1,013	$0.94	44d	1	0.82mi
209 Tucker Ave Birmingham, AL	3.0	1.0	1044	$1,100	$1.05	44d	1	0.93mi
204 McCormick Ave Birmingham, AL	3.0	1.0	880	$980	$1.11	3d	1	1.02mi
252 Meadowdale Ave Birmingham, AL	3.0	1.0	920	$995	$1.08	44d	1	1.02mi
221 Lawson Rd Birmingham, AL	3.0	1.5	1102	$1,325	$1.20	24d	1	1.04mi
9844 Greenlee Rd Birmingham, AL	3.0	1.0	1046	$950	$0.91	44d	1	1.11mi
252 Westwood Dr Birmingham, AL	3.0	1.5	1124	$1,400	$1.25	2d	1	1.14mi
8917 Roebuck Blvd Apt 11 Birmingham, AL	2.0	1.0	880	$725	$0.82	16d	1	1.47mi
201 Rose Dr Birmingham, AL	3.0	1.0	972	$1,100	$1.13	16d	1	1.49mi
848 Old Trail Rd Birmingham, AL	2.0	1.5	930	$925	$0.99	24d	1	1.49mi

Listing history 7 events

1. 2026-03-17
   soldstatus $57,000
2. 2026-02-27
   status Pending
3. 2026-02-13
   price $65,000
4. 2025-12-10
   price $85,000
5. 2025-11-07
   price $95,000
6. 2025-09-23
   price $102,900
7. 2025-08-17
   listed $110,000 Active

ⓘ 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: $13,621
• − Mortgage interest: −$3,641
• − Property taxes: −$975
• − Insurance: −$325
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,090
• − Management: −$1,090
• − Depreciation: −$1,891
• Taxable income: $4,610
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,106
• After-tax cash flow: $4,264/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: Birmingham City
• NCES district ID: 0100390
• Math proficiency: 4% ▼ -17.00%
• Reading proficiency: 20% ▼ -4.00%
• Median HH income: $31,988
• Composite: 9.49/100
• National rank: #9850
• State rank: #116 of 129 in AL

Livability — Birmingham

• Score: 67/100
• State rank: #78
• US rank: #10412

Category grades

Amenities C- Commute A+ 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: Birmingham, AL
• County: Jefferson County · 527,445 people
• City population: 210,422
• Metro: Birmingham-Hoover, AL
• Population (ZIP): 12,240
• Household income: $40,486
• Rent vs Own: 52.5% rent · 47.5% own
• Severe rent burden: 594.0

Population outlook (Jefferson County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 669,185 people
• By 2030: 669,694 · +0.1%
• By 2040: 661,388 · -1.2%
• By 2050: 643,086 · -3.9%
• By 2075: 577,267 · -13.7%
• By 2100: 474,758 · -29.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.58)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 57% White 27% Hispanic / Latino 14% Two or more races 6%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 9%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 3% Italian 1%
• Foreign-born: 7% · Canada, Guatemala
• Languages at home: 86% English-only · Spanish 13%

Political lean MEDSL · Jefferson

• 2024 margin: D (+10.4) · D 54.6% · R 44.2% · Other 1.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: +5.4pp toward D · 2008: 5.1pp · 2024: 10.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+10.4 2020: D+13.2 2016: D+7.2 2012: D+6.0 2008: D+5.1

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -74.54%
• Current HPI: 117.416
• Rent YoY: ▲ 3.58%
• Metro: Birmingham-Hoover, AL
• 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

-48.2% since first listed

7 events — show timeline

• 2026-03-17 Sold (Public Records) $57,000 Public Records
• 2026-02-27 Pending — Greater Alabama MLS
• 2026-02-13 Price Changed $65,000 Greater Alabama MLS
• 2025-12-10 Price Changed $85,000 Greater Alabama MLS
• 2025-11-07 Price Changed $95,000 Greater Alabama MLS
• 2025-09-23 Price Changed $102,900 Greater Alabama MLS
• 2025-08-17 Listed $110,000 Greater Alabama MLS