116 Merrydale Ln

Duson, LA 70578

$212,000D-

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,551 sqft · Built 2017 · SingleFamily · Pending · 86 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,724/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,112
• Tax + insurance: −$220
• HOA: −$25
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$362
• Net cashflow: $5/mo
• Annual: $65/yr
• Cap rate: 6.32%
• Cash-on-cash: 0.11%
• DSCR: 1.00
• 1% rule: 0.81%
• Cash to close: $59,360

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $212k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $5 ($65/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 $172k (18.7% below list).
• It's been on market 86 days — a 6% lower offer ($199k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $172k (18.7% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 66/100 on livability (#134 in LA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety B+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Lafayette Parish (urban): math 38% / reading 46% proficiency, ranked #19 of 98 in LA (top 19%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: J. Wallace James Elementary School (math 46% / reading 49%, grade D, #147 of 646 statewide, top 23%, 939 students, 64% FRL); Judice Middle School (math 26% / reading 36%, grade F, #110 of 218 statewide, top 51%, 463 students, 61% FRL); Acadiana High School (math 31% / reading 29%, grade F, #125 of 265 statewide, top 47%, 1,813 students, 56% FRL) — zoned schools at 60% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: 97 active listings in the ZIP; 1,585 units permitted in Lafayette Parish in 2024 (10 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Lafayette County population projected at +34% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 2 sale attempts since 10y 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 $174k; 22% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→21/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 86 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 19% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
• 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.