2598 Townhouse Dr

Christiansburg, VA 24073

$189,000D

2 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,080 sqft · Built 1988 · Townhouse · Active · 108 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,545/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$991
• Tax + insurance: −$151
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$324
• Net cashflow: $78/mo
• Annual: $936/yr
• Cap rate: 6.79%
• Cash-on-cash: 1.77%
• DSCR: 1.08
• 1% rule: 0.82%
• Cash to close: $52,920

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.5-bath townhouse listed at $189k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $78 ($936/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 $154k (18.3% below list).
• It's been on market 108 days — a 9% lower offer ($172k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $154k (18.3% 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 81/100 on livability (#53 in VA, #1,452 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, commute A-; Watch: amenities F.
• Montgomery County Public School District (urban): math 57% / reading 70% proficiency, ranked #47 of 131 in VA (top 36%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Falling Branch Elementary (math 56% / reading 68%, grade B, #480 of 1,108 statewide, top 46%, 576 students, 52% FRL); Christiansburg Middle (math 38% / reading 63%, grade C, #226 of 342 statewide, top 67%, 752 students, 44% FRL); Christiansburg High (math 79% / reading 77%, grade A-, #80 of 319 statewide, top 25%, 1,116 students, 41% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.1%/yr); 250 active listings in the ZIP; solid renter incomes; 323 units permitted in Montgomery County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Montgomery County population projected at +13% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 2 sale attempts since 8y 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 $107k; list at $189k implies a 77% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Cap rate 6.8% vs local median 3.9% in Christiansburg — 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

• It's been on market 108 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 18% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• 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.
• Schools are A-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?
• 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.