659 Maple St

Mobile, AL 36603

$350,000B-

None bd · 2.0 ba · 2,186 sqft · Built 1987 · MultiFamily · Active · 165 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $4,899/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,835
• Tax + insurance: −$1,010
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,029
• Net cashflow: $1,025/mo
• Annual: $12,299/yr
• Cap rate: 11.27%
• Cash-on-cash: 17.77%
• DSCR: 1.79
• 1% rule: 1.40%
• Cash to close: $98,000

Investor read

• This is a 5 × 1-bed/1-bath units multifamily listed at $350k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $1k ($12k/yr) — positive. Per door: $205/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($5k rent vs $350k).
• It's been on market 165 days — a 12% lower offer ($308k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $308k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $7k of equity ($2k loan paydown + $5k appreciation (1.3% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 75/100 on livability (#20 in AL, #4,262 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, employment D-.
• Mobile County (urban): math 15% / reading 39% proficiency, ranked #81 of 129 in AL (top 63%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 67% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Florence Howard Elementary School (math 2% / reading 22%, grade F, #536 of 627 statewide, top 88%, 488 students, 94% FRL); John L Leflore Magnet School (math 2% / reading 2%, grade F, #291 of 305 statewide, top 100%, 618 students, 84% FRL) — zoned schools average 89% FRL vs 67% district-wide (22 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 7% at this address vs 27% district-wide (-20 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Mobile County average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $427/mo.
• Market conditions: 36 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 45d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 50% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,678 units permitted in Mobile County in 2024 (264 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Mobile County population projected to shrink 8% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 3 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 $22k; list at $350k implies a 1491% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (1.3% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $98k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 5, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$32k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 165 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% 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?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• 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 D-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?