5525 Randall Ave · Columbia, SC 29203

$135,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 994 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 108 Days on market

Built 1954 7,405 sqft 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 +22.2/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• DSCR +7.1/10.0
• 1% rule +4.8/10.0
• Livability +3.9/5.0
• Rent growth +3.1/5.0
• Schools +2.6/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

5525 Randall Ave features a straightforward layout with 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom across 1,012 square feet. The living area is filled with natural light and provides a comfortable space for everyday living. The kitchen is centrally located and designed for easy function. All three bedrooms provide flexibility for sleeping space, a home office, or additional storage. The yard provides outdoor potential without demanding heavy maintenance. Well suited for a primary residence or an investment opportunity. Disclaimer: CMLS has not reviewed and, therefore, does not endorse vendors who may appear in listings.

Key facts

• Outdoor potential
• 7,405 sq ft lot
• Built 1954

Tags

• CENTRALLY LOCATED KITCHEN
• OUTDOOR POTENTIAL
• FLEXIBILITY FOR SLEEPING SPACE

Property features AI

Exterior

• Utilities: Public sewer; Storm doors
• Home design: Single-story property
• Construction: Crawlspace foundation
• Exterior features: Brick exterior above foundation; Paved road access; Public water

Interior

• Kitchen: Formica countertops; Vinyl flooring; Wood cabinets (other); Free-standing range
• Bedrooms: Master bedroom on Main level with carpeted floors and private closet; Bedroom 2 on Main level with carpeted floors; Bedroom 3 on Main level with carpeted floors
• Flooring: Carpet in bedrooms and living room; Vinyl flooring in kitchen
• Bathrooms: One full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Central cooling; Central heating with electric and heat pump on first level
• Interior features: Attic with pull-down access; Ceiling fans in master bedroom, bedrooms 2 and 3, and living room; Living room with carpeted floors
• Laundry & utility: Main-level utility/laundry room

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $135k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $221 ($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 $132k (1.9% below list).
• Recommended offer: $123k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 8.3% vs local median 5.0% in Columbia — 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 78/100 on livability (#18 in SC, #2,436 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: employment D, crime F.
• Richland 01 (urban): math 26% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #54 of 80 in SC (top 68%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 64% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: W.J. Keenan High (math 54% / reading 77%, grade B, #83 of 196 statewide, top 43%, 725 students, 100% FRL) — zoned schools average 100% FRL vs 64% district-wide (36 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 66% at this address vs 31% district-wide (+35 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Richland 01 average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+2.5%/yr); 238 active listings in the ZIP; 6 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 15d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 3,472 units permitted in Richland County in 2024 (1,096 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $933 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Richland County population projected at +30% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 108 days — a 9% lower offer ($123k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 5 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.
• Current owner paid $43k; list at $135k implies a 214% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1954 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 67% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $122,850 (9.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 108 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1954 — 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 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?
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: 0.98% ✗
• Cap rate: 8.26%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.02%
• DSCR: 1.31
• GRM: 8.5

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 2.5% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -6.1%
• Equity multiple: 0.77×
• Total profit: $-8,511
• Equity at exit: $20,129

10-year hold

• IRR: 2.9%
• Equity multiple: 1.21×
• Total profit: $7,831
• Equity at exit: $11,672

Cash invested: $37,800 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State South Carolina: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

5-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 29203

• Home prices YoY: -31.6%
• Rents YoY: 2.5%
• Active inventory: 238
• Price-to-rent: 8.5×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,325 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$708
• Tax from tax record: −$61 /mo · $735/yr
• Insurance: −$56
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$278
• Net cashflow: $221

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,045

Max offer price $135,000

Occupancy floor 78%

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: $33,750
• Closing costs: $4,050
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 6 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
5779 Ames Rd Columbia, SC	2.0	1.0	895	$1,000	$1.12	14d	1	0.58mi
5779 Ames Rd Unit 13B Columbia, SC	2.0	1.0	895	$1,000	$1.12	11d	1	0.58mi
5867 Ames Rd Columbia, SC	3.0	1.0	802	$1,200	$1.50	14d	1	0.85mi
3015 English Ave Columbia, SC	2.0	1.0	981	$1,250	$1.27	11d	1	1.24mi
1931 Chaney St Columbia, SC	2.0	1.0	1034	$1,600	$1.55	23d	1	1.32mi
2308 Manse St Columbia, SC	3.0	1.0	999	$1,300	$1.30	14d	1	1.33mi

Listing history 26 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $135,000 Active 108 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $135,000 Active 107 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $135,000 Active 106 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $135,000 Active 105 DOM
5. 2026-06-14
   days on market $135,000 Active 103 DOM
6. 2026-06-10
   days on market $135,000 Active 100 DOM
7. 2026-06-09
   days on market $135,000 Active 99 DOM
8. 2026-06-08
   days on market $135,000 Active 98 DOM
9. 2026-06-07
   days on market $135,000 Active 97 DOM
10. 2026-06-03
    days on market $135,000 Active 93 DOM
11. 2026-06-03
    days on market $135,000 Active 92 DOM
12. 2026-06-01
    days on market $135,000 Active 91 DOM
13. 2026-05-31
    days on market $135,000 Active 90 DOM
14. 2026-05-12
    status Active
15. 2026-04-29
    status Pending
16. 2026-04-14
    historical Active - Contingent
17. 2026-04-10
    status Active
18. 2026-04-06
    status Pending
19. 2026-03-22
    historical Active - Contingent
20. 2026-03-19
    status Active
21. 2026-03-07
    status Active
22. 2026-03-05
    status Pending
23. 2026-02-18
    historical Active - Contingent
24. 2026-01-29
    listed $135,000 Active
25. 2000-01-05
    soldstatus $43,000
26. 1999-08-22
    soldstatus $37,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast SC · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $735 · $61/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $770 · $64/mo
• Expected delta: +$34/yr (+$3/mo · 4.7%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 3/10 Moderate FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 20% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥108°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 67% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $15,895
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,562
• − Property taxes: −$735
• − Insurance: −$675
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,272
• − Management: −$1,272
• − Depreciation: −$3,927
• Taxable income: $453
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$109
• After-tax cash flow: $2,543/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: Richland 01
• NCES district ID: 4503360
• Math proficiency: 26% ▼ -7.00%
• Reading proficiency: 36% ▼ -5.00%
• Median HH income: $38,931
• Composite: 25.94/100
• National rank: #7335
• State rank: #54 of 80 in SC

Livability — Columbia

• Score: 78/100
• State rank: #18
• US rank: #2436

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Columbia, SC
• County: Richland County · 389,530 people
• City population: 335,994
• Metro: Columbia, SC
• Population (ZIP): 40,653
• Household income: $46,054
• Rent vs Own: 51.3% rent · 48.7% own
• Severe rent burden: 1980.0

Population outlook (Richland County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 459,667 people
• By 2030: 487,524 · +6.1%
• By 2040: 542,035 · +17.9%
• By 2050: 595,371 · +29.5%
• By 2075: 732,998 · +59.5%
• By 2100: 820,415 · +78.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly Black (80%)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 80% White 13% Hispanic / Latino 5% Two or more races 2%
• Common ancestry: Serbian 1%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada
• Languages at home: 93% English-only · Spanish 5%

Political lean MEDSL · Richland

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+34.6) · D 66.4% · R 31.8% · Other 1.8%
• 2008→2024 swing: +5.7pp toward D · 2008: 28.9pp · 2024: 34.6pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+34.6 2020: D+38.3 2016: D+32.9 2012: D+33.3 2008: D+28.9

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -77.52%
• Current HPI: 168.2114
• Rent YoY: ▲ 2.50%
• Metro: Columbia, SC
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 4.51%
• F500 in state: 2

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in SC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Packaging	1	$7B

Price history

+264.9% since first listed

13 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-12 Relisted — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-04-29 Pending — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-04-14 Contingent — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-04-10 Relisted — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-04-06 Pending — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-03-22 Contingent — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-03-19 Relisted — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-03-07 Relisted — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-03-05 Pending — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-02-18 Contingent — Consolidated MLS
• 2026-01-29 Listed $135,000 Consolidated MLS
• 2000-01-05 Sold (Public Records) $43,000 Public Records
• 1999-08-22 Sold (Public Records) $37,000 Public Records

Property tax history

-1.7%/yr

Latest (2025): $735 · +2.1% YoY. Source: county tax records.