3525 Colonial Ave

Dallas, TX 75215

$475,000A-

36 bd · 36.0 ba · 1,989 sqft · Built 1964 · MultiFamily · Active · 39 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $11,355/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,491
• Tax + insurance: −$966
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$2,385
• Net cashflow: $5,513/mo
• Annual: $66,160/yr
• Cap rate: 20.22%
• Cash-on-cash: 49.74%
• DSCR: 3.21
• 1% rule: 2.39%
• Cash to close: $133,000

Investor read

• This is a 6 × 6-bed/6.0-bath units multifamily listed at $475k. Condition is rated good.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $6k ($66k/yr) — positive. Per door: $919/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($11k rent vs $475k).
• It's been on market 39 days — a 3% lower offer ($461k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $461k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $7k of equity ($3k loan paydown + $4k appreciation (0.8% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 81/100 on livability (#24 in TX, #1,380 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F.
• Dallas ISD (urban): math 31% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #559 of 826 in TX (top 68%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 83% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Paul L Dunbar Learning Center (math 27% / reading 22%, grade F, #3,052 of 4,322 statewide, top 74%, 531 students, 95% FRL); Billy Earl Dade Middle (math 18% / reading 23%, grade F, #1,407 of 1,662 statewide, top 86%, 636 students, 100% FRL); James Madison H S (math 17% / reading 17%, grade F, #1,491 of 1,632 statewide, top 92%, 359 students, 96% FRL).
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 21% at this address vs 34% district-wide (-13 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Dallas ISD average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.2%/yr); 318 active listings in the ZIP; 12,577 units permitted in Dallas County in 2024 (6,829 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Dallas County population projected at +35% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 5 sale attempts since 16y ago 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 $190k; list at $475k implies a 149% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (0.8% appreciation + 7.2% rent growth), your $133k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 5, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$33k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→23/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 39 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1964 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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?
• 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.
• 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.