5 Booker · New Castle, DE 19720

$215,000

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,600 sqft · Townhouse public records

Built 1970 3,049 sqft lot Est $330k · 35% under

---

Why this score? — see what drove the C grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +20.8/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• DSCR +6.6/10.0
• 1% rule +5.5/10.0
• Livability +3.6/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.1/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Key facts

• Built 1970

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath townhouse listed at $215k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $295 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $215k).
• Cap rate 7.9% vs local median 4.7% in New Castle — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 72/100 on livability (#13 in DE) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: employment A+, housing A+, cost of living A; Watch: schools D, crime F, commute F.
• Colonial School District (suburban): math 15% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #23 of 26 in DE (top 88%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Market conditions: 141 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 4d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 1,367 units permitted in New Castle County in 2024 (201 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 36% of the median local income ($75k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• 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.
• New Castle County population projected at +9% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.

Negotiation context

• Only 0 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Current owner paid $28k; list at $215k implies a 669% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk; major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $215,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1970 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.05% ✓
• Cap rate: 7.94%
• Cash-on-cash: 5.87%
• DSCR: 1.26
• GRM: 7.9

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $329,600
• Comps found: 4

Show comp detail 4 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
12 Booker Cir	0.03mi	3/3.0	1,600 (0%)	5mo	$350,000	$219	89
3 Booker Cir	0.00mi	3/2.0	1,600 (0%)	14mo	$330,000	$206	86
30 Booker Cir	0.06mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,600 (0%)	22mo	$320,000	$200	72
15 William Penn	0.13mi	3/2.0	1,450 (-9%)	19mo	$290,000	$200	60

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -7.2%
• Equity multiple: 0.73×
• Total profit: $-16,041
• Equity at exit: $32,057

10-year hold

• IRR: 2.4%
• Equity multiple: 1.17×
• Total profit: $10,333
• Equity at exit: $18,589

Cash invested: $60,200 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 70 Landlord-Friendly
• State Delaware: 70 Landlord-Friendly · D+7
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Court of Common Pleas hears L&T; moderate-paced. No state rent control.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 19720

• Active inventory: 141
• Price-to-rent: 7.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,254 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,127
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$269 /mo · $3,225/yr
• Insurance: −$90
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$473
• Net cashflow: $295

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,881

Max offer price $215,000

Occupancy floor 82%

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $53,750
• Closing costs: $6,450
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 4 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
13 Arbutus Ave Unit 1 New Castle, DE	3.0	2.0	1600	$2,650	$1.66	18d	1	0.35mi
1107 Wilmington Rd Historic New Castle, DE	2.0	1.5	1225	$1,850	$1.51	4d	1	0.36mi
114 Baldt Ave Historic New Castle, DE	3.0	1.5	1300	$2,200	$1.69	3d	1	0.46mi
213 E 2nd St Historic New Castle, DE	3.0	1.5	1150	$2,500	$2.17	1d	1	1.14mi

Listing history 3 events

1. 2026-05-26
   listed $215,000
2. 2026-05-26
   historical
3. 1974-04-01
   soldstatus $27,950

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 6/10 Major FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 50% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 7/10 Severe 7 d/yr ≥102°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 27% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 4 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $27,045
• − Mortgage interest: −$12,043
• − Property taxes: −$3,225
• − Insurance: −$1,075
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,164
• − Management: −$2,164
• − Depreciation: −$6,255
• Taxable income: $120
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$29
• After-tax cash flow: $3,507/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Colonial School District
• NCES district ID: 1000230
• Math proficiency: 15% ▼ -10.00%
• Reading proficiency: 30% ▼ -9.00%
• Median HH income: $58,622
• Composite: 20.75/100
• National rank: #8517
• State rank: #23 of 26 in DE

Livability — New Castle

• Score: 72/100
• State rank: #13
• US rank: #5905

Category grades

Amenities C Commute F Cost of living A Crime F Employment A+ Housing A+ Health & safety B+ User ratings C

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: New Castle, DE
• County: New Castle County · 483,412 people
• City population: 62,392
• Metro: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
• Population (ZIP): 62,392
• Household income: $75,403
• Rent vs Own: 32.4% rent · 67.6% own
• Severe rent burden: 1852.0

Population outlook (New Castle County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 594,686 people
• By 2030: 609,164 · +2.4%
• By 2040: 632,154 · +6.3%
• By 2050: 649,068 · +9.1%
• By 2075: 687,771 · +15.7%
• By 2100: 694,961 · +16.9%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.67)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 42% White 35% Hispanic / Latino 17% Two or more races 7% Asian 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 9% Puerto Rican 6% Dominican 2%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 4% Lithuanian 1% Swedish 1%
• Foreign-born: 12% · Canada
• Languages at home: 82% English-only · Spanish 13% French/Haitian/Cajun 1% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · New Castle

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+32.6) · D 65.5% · R 32.9% · Other 1.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -8.1pp toward R · 2008: 40.6pp · 2024: 32.6pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+32.6 2020: D+37.1 2016: D+29.6 2012: D+34.1 2008: D+40.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -261.00%
• Current HPI: 255.0404
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

+669.2% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-26 Listing Removed — BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-05-26 Listed $215,000 BRIGHT MLS
• 1974-04-01 Sold (Public Records) $27,950 Public Records

Property tax history

-7.1%/yr

Latest (2024): $146 · -71.8% YoY. Source: county tax records.