420 N Harrisburg Ave

Atlantic City, NJ 08401

$250,000C-

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,193 sqft · Built 1920 · SingleFamily · Under Contract · 31 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,410/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,311
• Tax + insurance: −$781
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$506
• Net cashflow: $-188/mo
• Annual: $-2,260/yr
• Cap rate: 7.44%
• Cash-on-cash: 4.08%
• DSCR: 1.18
• 1% rule: 0.96%
• Cash to close: $70,000

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $250k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-188 ($-2k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $217k (13.3% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $241k (3.6% below list).
• It's been on market 31 days — a 3% lower offer ($242k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $217k (13.3% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $8k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 55/100 on livability (#525 in NJ) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: health & safety A; Watch: commute D, crime F, amenities F.
• Atlantic City School District (urban): math 9% / reading 26% proficiency, ranked #454 of 472 in NJ (top 96%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 85% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Chelsea Heights School (math 13% / reading 32%, grade F, #934 of 1,303 statewide, top 72%, 269 students, 90% FRL); Atlantic City High School (math 12% / reading 32%, grade F, #346 of 399 statewide, top 88%, 1,764 students, 80% FRL) — zoned schools at 85% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $427/mo; built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.5%/yr); 491 active listings in the ZIP; 25 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 672 units permitted in Atlantic County in 2024 (258 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Atlantic County population projected at -12% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 2 sale attempts since 25y 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 $193k; 30% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone AE (mandatory federal flood insurance); severe wind risk, 80% 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.
• Cap rate 7.4% vs local median 3.7% in Atlantic City — 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.
• At $2,410/mo this rent would consume 70% of the median local household income ($41k/yr) (locally 3414% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
• It's been on market 31 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 13% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1920 — 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?
• 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.