7240 E SR 8 Rd

Bass Lake, IN 46534

$165,000C+

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,440 sqft · Built 1967 · SingleFamily · Pending · 3 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,907/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$865
• Tax + insurance: −$266
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$400
• Net cashflow: $375/mo
• Annual: $4,500/yr
• Cap rate: 9.93%
• Cash-on-cash: 12.99%
• DSCR: 1.58
• 1% rule: 1.16%
• Cash to close: $46,200

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $165k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $375 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $165k).
• Only 3 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 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.
• Location reads 61/100 on livability (#494 in IN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A; Watch: employment C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Knox Community School Corporation (town): math 27% / reading 34% proficiency, ranked #242 of 301 in IN (top 80%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Knox Community Elementary School (math 47% / reading 38%, grade F, #425 of 994 statewide, top 44%, 704 students, 66% FRL); Knox Community Middle School (math 18% / reading 24%, grade F, #270 of 330 statewide, top 82%, 470 students, 66% FRL); Knox Community High School (math 32% / reading 62%, grade D-, #143 of 369 statewide, top 44%, 572 students, 66% FRL).
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $125/mo.
• Market conditions: 146 active listings in the ZIP; 58 units permitted in Starke County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Starke County population projected at -23% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 12 sale attempts since 15y 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 $70k; list at $165k implies a 136% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone A (mandatory federal flood insurance) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 9.9% vs local median 4.5% in Bass Lake — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1967 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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?
• 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.
• 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.