4 bd · 2.5 ba ·
1,653 sqft ·
Built 1971
· SingleFamily
· Pending
· 37 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$2,151/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$1,048
Tax + insurance
−$377
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$452
Net cashflow
$274/mo
Annual
$3,284/yr
Cap rate
7.94%
Cash-on-cash
5.87%
DSCR
1.26
1% rule
1.08%
Cash to close
$55,972
Investor read
This is a 4-bed/2.5-bath single-family listed at $200k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $274 ($3k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $200k).
It's been on market 37 days — a 3% lower offer ($194k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $194k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
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 78/100 on livability (#134 in IA, #2,474 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime C-, commute F.
Cedar Rapids Community School District (urban): math 50% / reading 59% proficiency, ranked #265 of 289 in IA (top 92%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
Zoned schools: Nixon Elementary School (math 52% / reading 57%, grade C, #462 of 616 statewide, top 79%, 289 students, 67% FRL); Harding Middle School (math 61% / reading 69%, grade A-, #154 of 246 statewide, top 63%, 713 students, 43% FRL); John F Kennedy High School (math 63% / reading 77%, grade B+, #146 of 336 statewide, top 45%, 1,714 students, 31% FRL) — zoned schools at 47% FRL track the district average.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+11.0%/yr); 286 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 1,023 units permitted in Linn County in 2024 (456 in 5+ unit buildings).
Linn County population projected at +16% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
2 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 $135k; 48% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $56k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Cap rate 7.9% vs local median 3.5% in Cedar Rapids — 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.
This rent runs 35% of the median local income ($73k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 37 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1971 — 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.
Schools are B-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-CC4DNH4MM0NWK3
· Data 1 week agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29