1219 12th St NW · Mason City, IA 50401

$147,500

1 bd · 3.0 ba · 1,165 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 56 Days on market

Built 1954 5,850 sqft lot Est $126k · 17% over

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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 +23.5/30.0
• DSCR +7.6/10.0
• 1% rule +5.2/10.0
• Schools +4.5/10.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• ARV discount +0.0/15.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

This move-in ready 3-bedroom, 1.75-bath home at 1219 12th St NW in Mason City offers 1,380 sq ft of well-maintained living space filled with natural light. Freshly painted interiors and refurbished hardwood floors create a warm, inviting atmosphere, while an updated bathroom brings modern touches throughout. The industrial-style finished basement expands your options with a third bedroom, flexible family area, workout space, and convenient laundry room with a 3/4 bath. Outside, generous entertaining space sets the stage for memorable gatherings, and a spacious 2-car detached garage includes a dedicated workshop for projects and hobbies. Situated near Hoover Elementary School, MacNider's Woo

Key facts

• Entertaining space
• Finished basement
• Dedicated workshop

Tags

• FINISHED BASEMENT
• UPDATED BATHROOM
• DETACHED GARAGE
• DEDICATED WORKSHOP
• ENTERTAINING SPACE

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached garage with 2 garage spaces; Concrete and gravel surfaces; Garage door opener
• Security: Smoke detectors
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; Single-story
• Construction: Vinyl siding; Asphalt/composition roof
• Exterior features: Patio; Lot roughly 45 x 130; Zoned RG (General Residential)

Interior

• Kitchen: Gas range; Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: 2 main-level bedrooms
• Flooring: Vinyl flooring; Wood flooring
• Bathrooms: 1 main-level bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating (natural gas); Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Eat-in kitchen; Pantry; Finished full basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 1-bed/3.0-bath single-family listed at $148k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $276 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $148k).
• Recommended offer: $143k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 8.5% vs local median 5.2% in Mason City — 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 81/100 on livability (#67 in IA, #1,477 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F.
• Mason City Community School District (town): math 50% / reading 58% proficiency, ranked #271 of 289 in IA (top 94%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Market conditions: 153 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 54 units permitted in Cerro Gordo County in 2024 (6 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 $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Cerro Gordo County population projected at -18% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 56 days — a 3% lower offer ($143k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1954 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $143,075 (3.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 56 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1954 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
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: 1.02% ✓
• Cap rate: 8.54%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.01%
• DSCR: 1.36
• GRM: 8.2

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $125,820
• Comps found: 8

Show comp detail 8 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
227 N Crescent Dr Dr	0.53mi	2/1.8 (+1)	1,200 (+3%)	6mo	$129,000	$108	55
822 9th St NW	0.37mi	2/1.5 (+1)	1,160 (-0%)	19mo	$127,500	$110	55
1025 2nd St NW	0.65mi	2/1.8 (+1)	1,188 (+2%)	5mo	$84,000	$71	52
1022 N Monroe Ave	0.58mi	2/2.0 (+1)	1,322 (+14%)	5mo	$123,000	$93	37
712 N Jackson Ave	0.51mi	2/1.8 (+1)	1,313 (+13%)	12mo	$159,500	$121	35
147 N Crescent Dr Dr	0.67mi	2/1.0 (+1)	1,022 (-12%)	3mo	$112,500	$110	33
312 14th St NW	0.69mi	2/1.5 (+1)	1,288 (+11%)	14mo	$120,000	$93	28
321 14th St NW	0.67mi	2/1.0 (+1)	1,014 (-13%)	23mo	$80,000	$79	15

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: -4.1%
• Equity multiple: 0.85×
• Total profit: $-6,388
• Equity at exit: $21,993

10-year hold

• IRR: 5.5%
• Equity multiple: 1.41×
• Total profit: $16,874
• Equity at exit: $12,753

Cash invested: $41,300 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 50401

• Active inventory: 153
• Price-to-rent: 8.2×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,507 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$774
• Tax from tax record: −$80 /mo · $958/yr
• Insurance: −$61
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$316
• Net cashflow: $276

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,158

Max offer price $147,500

Occupancy floor 77%

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: $36,875
• Closing costs: $4,425
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 2 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
12 2nd St NE Unit 6 Mason City, IA	2.0	1.0	1296	$1,600	$1.23	44d	1	1.17mi
110 N Delaware Ave Unit 211 Mason City, IA	2.0	1.0	919	$1,395	$1.52	44d	1	1.24mi

Listing history 12 events

1. 2026-06-12
   statusdays on market $147,500 Pending 56 DOM
2. 2026-06-09
   days on market $147,500 Active Under Contract 53 DOM
3. 2026-06-08
   days on market $147,500 Active Under Contract 52 DOM
4. 2026-06-07
   days on market $147,500 Active Under Contract 51 DOM
5. 2026-06-07
   days on market $147,500 Active Under Contract 50 DOM
6. 2026-06-04
   days on market $147,500 Active Under Contract 47 DOM
7. 2026-06-02
   days on market $147,500 Active Under Contract 46 DOM
8. 2026-06-01
   days on market $147,500 Active Under Contract 45 DOM
9. 2026-05-31
   days on market $147,500 Active Under Contract 44 DOM
10. 2026-05-31
    days on market $147,500 Active Under Contract 43 DOM
11. 2026-04-25
    historical Active Under Contract
12. 2026-04-17
    listed $147,500 Active

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

Tax reassessment forecast IA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $958 · $80/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,637 · $136/mo
• Expected delta: +$679/yr (+$57/mo · 70.9%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥101°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $18,082
• − Mortgage interest: −$8,262
• − Property taxes: −$958
• − Insurance: −$738
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,447
• − Management: −$1,447
• − Depreciation: −$4,291
• Taxable income: $941
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$226
• After-tax cash flow: $3,082/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: Mason City Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1918780
• Math proficiency: 50% ▼ -1.00%
• Reading proficiency: 58% ▼ -7.00%
• Median HH income: $43,668
• Composite: 45.47/100
• National rank: #2614
• State rank: #271 of 289 in IA

Livability — Mason City

• Score: 81/100
• State rank: #67
• US rank: #1477

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Mason City, IA
• City population: 28,818
• Population (ZIP): 28,818

Population outlook (Cerro Gordo County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 41,080 people
• By 2030: 39,746 · -3.2%
• By 2040: 36,608 · -10.9%
• By 2050: 33,682 · -18.0%
• By 2075: 29,702 · -27.7%
• By 2100: 27,399 · -33.3%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (87%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 87% Hispanic / Latino 6% Two or more races 5% Black 3% Asian 1%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 5%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 12% Iranian 2% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada, Vietnam
• Languages at home: 96% English-only · Spanish 3% Other Asian/Pacific 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Cerro Gordo

• 2024 margin: R (+11.7) · D 43.4% · R 55.0% · Other 1.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -32.5pp toward R · 2008: 20.8pp · 2024: -11.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+11.7 2020: R+6.3 2016: R+7.7 2012: D+13.2 2008: D+20.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -130.01%
• Current HPI: 199.1966
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-25 Contingent — Greater Mason BOR
• 2026-04-17 Listed $147,500 Greater Mason BOR

Property tax history

-0.7%/yr

Latest (2025): $958 · -7.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.