220 Sierra St · Cartago, CA 93549

$85,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,087 sqft · SingleFamily · 20 Days on market

Built 1963 Fair condition

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Why this score? — see what drove the B 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 +30.0/30.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +9.1/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Appreciation +5.0/10.0
• Schools +4.0/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.2/5.0
• Livability +2.1/5.0

Listing remarks

This property is a true fixer and is being sold as-is, cash only. The home was in the process of being remodeled, but work has stopped, leaving the next buyer to take it from here. Ideal for a contractor, investor, or hands-on buyer looking for an affordable project. Home does have double-pane windows and a wood-burning stove. The property also features a detached 2-car garage with roll-up door, offering excellent storage, parking, or workshop potential. The sale includes the adjacent lot, giving you two separate parcels of approximately 0.13 acre each - a combined total of about 0.26 acre. Enjoy wide-open Sierra views and the peaceful, small-town setting of Cartago. Priced at just $85,000,

Key facts

• Wood-burning stove
• Excellent storage
• Parking potential

Tags

• DOUBLE-PANE WINDOWS
• WOOD-BURNING STOVE
• DETACHED 2-CAR GARAGE
• EXCELLENT STORAGE
• PARKING POTENTIAL
• WORKSHOP POTENTIAL

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Located in the Cartago subdivision; Directions: At the base of the Sierras, approx. 3 hours north of Los Angeles and 2 hours south of Mammoth Lakes. From Hwy 395 turn East on Whitney St, then right on Sierra St.

Exterior

• Home design: Single-family residence; One story; Residential zoning (R-1)
• Construction: Wood siding construction
• Exterior features: Composition roof; Has a view

Interior

• Flooring: Laminate
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Wood stove heating
• Interior features: Laminate flooring; Crawl space basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $85k. Condition is rated fair.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $361 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $85k).
• Recommended offer: $84k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 43/100 on livability (#1,351 in CA) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: crime A, employment B+; Watch: schools F, amenities F, commute F.
• Lone Pine Unified (rural): math 40% / reading 50% proficiency, ranked #608 of 1,400 in CA (top 43%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: 16 active listings in the ZIP; 18 units permitted in Inyo County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $3k of equity ($588 loan paydown + $3k appreciation (3.0% local appreciation)).
• Inyo County population projected at -18% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $24k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 10, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$30k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 20 days — a 2% lower offer ($84k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: moderate wildfire risk; extreme-heat days projected 13→37/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $83,725 (1.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
2. Built in 1963 — 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. Schools are F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
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: 1.41% ✓
• Cap rate: 11.39%
• Cash-on-cash: 18.20%
• DSCR: 1.81
• GRM: 5.9

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 24.6%
• Equity multiple: 2.40×
• Total profit: $33,242
• Equity at exit: $38,220

10-year hold

• IRR: 25.4%
• Equity multiple: 4.62×
• Total profit: $86,164
• Equity at exit: $58,901

Cash invested: $23,800 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 18 Strongly Tenant-Friendly
• State California: 18 Strongly Tenant-Friendly · D+13
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

AB1482 statewide rent cap (10% + CPI). Cities (SF/LA/Berkeley) layer stricter rules. Just-cause statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 93549

• Active inventory: 16
• Price-to-rent: 5.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,200 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$446
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$106 /mo · $1,275/yr
• Insurance: −$35
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$252
• Net cashflow: $361

Break-even live

Break-even rent $744

Max offer price $85,000

Occupancy floor 65%

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: $21,250
• Closing costs: $2,550
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 1 events

1. 2026-05-02
   listed $85,000 Active 827-char remark

ⓘ 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 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 5/10 Major
• 🌡 Heat 7/10 Severe 13 d/yr ≥100°F today · 37 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 1/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 10/10 Extreme 27 unhealthy d/yr today · 33 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $14,404
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,761
• − Property taxes: −$1,275
• − Insurance: −$425
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,152
• − Management: −$1,152
• − Depreciation: −$2,473
• Taxable income: $3,166
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$760
• After-tax cash flow: $3,571/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 · 13 photos

Fair 45/100 Moderate rehab

This property requires moderate renovations, including painting, updating the interior and exterior, and landscaping. The home has potential for significant value increase with these improvements.

Repairs flagged

• Major Bathroom — Exposed plumbing and no fixtures indicate a major repair is needed.
• Moderate Exterior siding — Weathered appearance suggests repainting or replacement is needed.
• Minor Interior walls — Signs of wear but not severe enough to require immediate action.

Value-add opportunities

• Both Painting and updating the interior and exterior — Painting can significantly improve the home's appearance and value.
• Both Landscaping — Landscaping can enhance curb appeal and add value to the property.
• Resale Bathroom renovation — A functional and updated bathroom is crucial for resale.

Renovation cost estimate screening

Repair item	Severity	Est. cost
Bathroom · Exposed plumbing and no fixtures indicate a major repair is needed.	Major	$15,000–50,000
Exterior siding · Weathered appearance suggests repainting or replacement is needed.	Moderate	$3,000–15,000
Interior walls · Signs of wear but not severe enough to require immediate action.	Minor	$500–3,000
Total estimated repair cost · 3 items		$18,500–68,000

Value-add ROI direction

• Both Painting and updating the interior and exterior — Painting can significantly improve the home's appearance and value. ↑
• Both Landscaping — Landscaping can enhance curb appeal and add value to the property. ↑
• Resale Bathroom renovation — A functional and updated bathroom is crucial for resale. ↑

ⓘ 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: Lone Pine Unified
• NCES district ID: 0622440
• Math proficiency: 40% ▲ 10.00%
• Reading proficiency: 50% ▲ 10.00%
• Median HH income: $39,397
• Composite: 39.83/100
• National rank: #7956
• State rank: #608 of 1400 in CA

Livability — Cartago

• Score: 43/100
• State rank: #1351
• US rank: #26879

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Cartago, CA
• Population (ZIP): 244

Population outlook (Inyo County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 17,399 people
• By 2030: 16,824 · -3.3%
• By 2040: 15,543 · -10.7%
• By 2050: 14,332 · -17.6%
• By 2075: 12,213 · -29.8%
• By 2100: 9,997 · -42.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (78%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 78% Hispanic / Latino 19% Asian 3%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 19%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 7% Iranian 3%
• Foreign-born: 5%
• Languages at home: 95% English-only · Chinese 3% Spanish 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Inyo

• 2024 margin: Toss-up / Even · D 46.9% · R 49.9% · Other 3.1%
• 2008→2024 swing: +6.2pp toward D · 2008: -9.2pp · 2024: -3.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+3.0 2020: D+0.1 2016: R+13.7 2012: R+11.8 2008: R+9.2

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: —
• Current HPI: —
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.21%
• F500 in state: 116

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in CA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Technology	27	$1,492B
▸Financial Services	3	$174B
▸Retail	3	$44B
▸Insurance	3	$26B
▸Media / Entertainment	2	$115B
▸Pharmaceuticals / Biotech	2	$62B

Price history

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-23 Pending — IMLS
• 2026-05-02 Listed $85,000 IMLS