2741-2743 Steele Ave

Columbus, OH 43204

$255,000D+

6 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,128 sqft · Built 1930 · MultiFamily · Active · 39 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,708/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,337
• Tax + insurance: −$283
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$569
• Net cashflow: $519/mo
• Annual: $6,226/yr
• Cap rate: 8.73%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.72%
• DSCR: 1.39
• 1% rule: 1.06%
• Cash to close: $71,400

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 3-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $255k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $519 ($6k/yr) — positive. Per door: $259/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $255k).
• It's been on market 39 days — a 3% lower offer ($247k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $247k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• 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 81/100 on livability (#97 in OH, #1,491 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, crime F.
• Columbus City School District (urban): math 15% / reading 26% proficiency, ranked #626 of 656 in OH (top 95%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 72% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Indianola Informal K-8 School (math 43% / reading 58%, grade D+, #896 of 1,584 statewide, top 57%, 684 students, 0% FRL); Arts Impact Middle School (Aims) (math 17% / reading 25%, grade F, #608 of 654 statewide, top 93%, 532 students, 0% FRL); West High School (math 2% / reading 17%, grade F, #749 of 781 statewide, top 97%, 837 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 72% district-wide (72 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1930 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.5%/yr); 189 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 8,139 units permitted in Franklin County in 2024 (5,940 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Franklin County population projected at +34% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 7 sale attempts since 3y 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 $145k; list at $255k implies a 76% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.5% rent growth), your $71k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 8.7% vs local median 3.8% in Columbus — 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 $2,708/mo this rent would consume 55% of the median local household income ($59k/yr) (locally 2290% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 39 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1930 — 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.
• 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?
• 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.