897 Fording Island Rd #1102 · Bluffton, SC 29910

$174,500

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 738 sqft · Condo · 34 Days on market

Built 1997 Good condition $236/sqft · 12% below area Est $197k · 12% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the D+ 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 +14.0/30.0
• ARV discount +12.7/15.0
• DSCR +4.2/10.0
• Schools +4.1/10.0
• 1% rule +3.9/10.0
• Condition / age +3.8/5.0
• Rent growth +3.5/5.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Move-іn reаdy 1 ΒR vіlla in Plаntаtion Point. Great complех in close proximity to everything. Easy to live in villa has large living space, kitchen, and dining area, plus a spacious bedroom and a walk-in closet. Well-kept complex offers clubhouse, 2 pools, 2 fitness centers, gated entry, plenty of parking, social events and walking distance to Kroger and dining. Take a look today- better than renting!!!

Key facts

• Spacious bedroom
• Plenty of parking
• Large living space

Tags

• MOVE IN READY
• LARGE LIVING SPACE
• SPACIOUS BEDROOM
• WALK IN CLOSET
• GATED ENTRY
• PLENTY OF PARKING

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Pets allowed (dogs OK; size limits; owner approval required)
• HOA & community: Association management; Common area maintenance; Insurance included; Grounds maintenance; Structure maintenance; Pool(s) maintenance; Reserve fund; Sewer; Trash service; Pest control; Fitness center; Community pool; Guarded/secured community; Trash service

Exterior

• Parking: Unassigned parking
• Security: Security gate; Key card entry; Security guard
• Utilities: Public water
• Home design: Condominium (unit); Entry foyer
• Construction: Block and stucco construction; Asphalt roof
• Exterior features: Sprinkler/irrigation; Community pool

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher; Disposal; Refrigerator
• Flooring: Carpet
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Heat pump heating; Heat pump cooling
• Interior features: Ceiling fans; Multiple closets; Unfinished walls; Entrance foyer
• Laundry & utility: Washer; Dryer

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $174k. Condition is rated good.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $23 ($272/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 $156k (10.9% below list).
• Recommended offer: $156k (10.9% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 6.4% vs local median 3.2% in Bluffton — 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 68/100 on livability (#76 in SC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, employment A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, cost of living D-.
• Beaufort 01 (town): math 42% / reading 51% proficiency, ranked #17 of 80 in SC (top 21%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.1%/yr); 760 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 13d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 1,824 units permitted in Beaufort County in 2024 (618 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Beaufort County population projected at +30% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 34 days — a 3% lower offer ($169k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Recommended offer $155,519 (10.9% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 34 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 11% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. How much new apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 0.89% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.45%
• Cash-on-cash: 0.56%
• DSCR: 1.02
• GRM: 9.4

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $197,240
• List price: $174,500
• Delta: -11.53%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 4.06% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -14.2%
• Equity multiple: 0.49×
• Total profit: $-25,133
• Equity at exit: $26,019

10-year hold

• IRR: -3.8%
• Equity multiple: 0.74×
• Total profit: $-12,903
• Equity at exit: $15,088

Cash invested: $48,860 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State South Carolina: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

5-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 29910

• Home prices YoY: -22.9%
• Rents YoY: 4.1%
• Active inventory: 760
• Price-to-rent: 9.4×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,555 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$915
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$218 /mo · $2,618/yr
• Insurance: −$73
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$327
• Net cashflow: $23

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,526

Max offer price $174,500

Occupancy floor 94%

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: $43,625
• Closing costs: $5,235
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 3 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
100 Kensington Blvd Bluffton, SC	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	908	$1,500	$1.65	13d	3	0.88mi
37 Regent Ave Unit 2 Bluffton, SC	—	1.0	600	$1,350	$2.25	13d	1	1.01mi
4921 Bluffton Pkwy Bluffton, SC	1.0–3.0	1.0–3.0	1119	$1,490	$1.33	13d	23	1.18mi

HOA detail condo

• Monthly dues: $0 · $0/yr
• Likely covers: poolgymsecurity
• Assessments: None detected in remarks — confirm with the listing agent.

Listing history 17 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $174,500 Active 34 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $174,500 Active 33 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $174,500 Active 32 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $174,500 Active 31 DOM
5. 2026-06-14
   days on market $174,500 Active 29 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $174,500 Active 28 DOM
7. 2026-06-10
   days on market $174,500 Active 26 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $174,500 Active 25 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $174,500 Active 24 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $174,500 Active 23 DOM
11. 2026-06-05
    days on market $174,500 Active 20 DOM
12. 2026-06-03
    days on market $174,500 Active 19 DOM
13. 2026-06-02
    days on market $174,500 Active 18 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    days on market $174,500 Active 17 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $174,500 Active 16 DOM
16. 2026-05-30
    days on market $174,500 Active 15 DOM
17. 2026-05-15
    listed $174,500 Active 411-char remark

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

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $18,662
• − Mortgage interest: −$9,775
• − Property taxes: −$2,618
• − Insurance: −$872
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,493
• − Management: −$1,493
• − Depreciation: −$5,076
• Taxable loss: −$2,665
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$640
• After-tax cash flow: $912/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.

Condition & rehab AI · 24 photos

Good 75/100 Cosmetic rehab

Move-in ready 1 BR villa in Plantation Point with good condition and minimal maintenance needed.

Value-add opportunities

• Both Paint exterior — Enhances curb appeal and value
• Both Replace carpets — Fresh carpeting improves comfort and value

Renovation cost estimate screening

Value-add ROI direction

• Both Paint exterior — Enhances curb appeal and value ↑
• Both Replace carpets — Fresh carpeting improves comfort and value ↑

ⓘ Cost ranges are severity-bucket heuristics (US national rule-of-thumb). Get contractor quotes + a written scope before underwriting a rehab budget.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Beaufort 01
• NCES district ID: 4501110
• Math proficiency: 42% ▼ -8.00%
• Reading proficiency: 51% ▲ 2.00%
• Median HH income: $57,430
• Composite: 40.56/100
• National rank: #3699
• State rank: #17 of 80 in SC

Livability — Bluffton

• Score: 68/100
• State rank: #76
• US rank: #8936

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Bluffton, SC
• County: Beaufort County · 163,770 people
• City population: 77,022
• Metro: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
• Population (ZIP): 53,019
• Household income: $98,912
• Rent vs Own: 22.8% rent · 77.2% own
• Severe rent burden: 1146.0

Population outlook (Beaufort County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 211,915 people
• By 2030: 227,272 · +7.2%
• By 2040: 253,861 · +19.8%
• By 2050: 275,126 · +29.8%
• By 2075: 311,022 · +46.8%
• By 2100: 321,286 · +51.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (70%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 70% Hispanic / Latino 18% Two or more races 8% Black 7%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 7% Puerto Rican 3%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 4% Slovak 3% Lithuanian 3%
• Foreign-born: 9% · Canada, Jamaica, Dominican Republic
• Languages at home: 84% English-only · Spanish 13% Other Indo-European 1% French/Haitian/Cajun 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Beaufort

• 2024 margin: R (+14.5) · D 42.1% · R 56.6% · Other 1.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -3.7pp toward R · 2008: -10.8pp · 2024: -14.5pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+14.5 2020: R+10.0 2016: R+14.3 2012: R+17.5 2008: R+10.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -72.80%
• Current HPI: 245.8086
• Rent YoY: ▲ 4.06%
• Metro: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton, SC
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 4.51%
• F500 in state: 2

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in SC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Packaging	1	$7B

Price history

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-05-15 Listed $174,500 RSMLS