620 W Cedar St · Allentown, PA 18102

$199,900

5 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,440 sqft · Townhouse public records · 14 Days on market

Built 1901 1,476 sqft lot Est $215k · 7% under

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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 +22.3/30.0
• ARV discount +10.6/15.0
• DSCR +7.1/10.0
• 1% rule +5.2/10.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• Rent growth +3.9/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.2/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Discover an exceptional investment opportunity in Allentown City. This five-bedroom, one-bathroom residence offers significant potential for various strategies, whether for a primary home, rental, or a fix-and-flip project. The first floor features a spacious living area flowing into the kitchen. Upper levels include the bedrooms and the full bathroom. A decent-sized backyard and off-street parking enhance this property. Delivered vacant, it provides a clean slate for the new owner. This property is being sold as-is and requires a cash-only transaction due to its current condition and disconnected utilities.

Key facts

• Spacious living area
• Off-street parking
• Parking

Tags

• SPACIOUS LIVING AREA
• DECENT-SIZED BACKYARD
• OFF-STREET PARKING

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Property tax and assessed value available in listing (financial details excluded per instructions)
• Financial info: Operating expense reported: $2,877; Insurance expense reported: $1,000

Exterior

• Parking: Off-street and on-street parking available; 1 total parking space
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electric service (heating)
• Home design: 3-story building; Brick and vinyl siding exterior
• Construction: Brick and vinyl siding construction
• Exterior features: Public water; Public sewer; Zoned R-MH

Interior

• Bedrooms: No bedroom details provided
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Baseboard heating (electric)
• Interior features: Baseboard electric heating

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 5-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $200k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $328 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $200k).
• Cap rate 8.3% vs local median 5.3% in Allentown — 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 (#171 in PA, #1,440 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: schools D+, employment D.
• Allentown City SD (urban): math 10% / reading 20% proficiency, ranked #513 of 539 in PA (top 95%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 73% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.5%/yr); 167 active listings in the ZIP; 24 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 20d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 765 units permitted in Lehigh County in 2024 (286 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $2,046/mo this rent would consume 57% of the median local household income ($43k/yr) (locally 4313% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

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.
• Lehigh County population projected at +21% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.5% rent growth), your $56k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 14 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 4 sale attempts since 20y 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 $55k; list at $200k implies a 261% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1901 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $199,900

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1901 — 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. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 8.26%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.04%
• DSCR: 1.31
• GRM: 8.1

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $214,560
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
534 W Cedar St	0.08mi	5/1.5	1,578 (+10%)	2mo	$255,000	$162	77
613 W Allen St	0.26mi	4/1.5 (-1)	1,480 (+3%)	1mo	$220,000	$149	76
732 W Whitehall St	0.18mi	4/1.0 (-1)	1,524 (+6%)	3mo	$230,000	$151	74
634 N New St	0.41mi	4/1.0 (-1)	1,391 (-3%)	2mo	$216,000	$155	69
736 N Lumber St	0.25mi	4/1.0 (-1)	1,330 (-8%)	2mo	$196,000	$147	69
318 N Lumber	0.57mi	4/1.0 (-1)	1,440 (0%)	2mo	$132,000	$92	67
904 N 5th St	0.16mi	4/1.5 (-1)	1,595 (+11%)	3mo	$229,000	$144	65
622 Park St	0.22mi	5/1.5	1,638 (+14%)	1mo	$210,000	$128	64
816 W Allen St	0.34mi	4/2.0 (-1)	1,328 (-8%)	0mo	$165,000	$124	62
732 N 10th St	0.43mi	4/1.5 (-1)	1,310 (-9%)	1mo	$245,000	$187	57
408 N 2nd St	0.74mi	4/1.5 (-1)	1,380 (-4%)	0mo	$202,500	$147	51
215 N 10th St	0.75mi	4/2.0 (-1)	1,590 (+10%)	1mo	$267,000	$168	38

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 · 5.48% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -2.9%
• Equity multiple: 0.89×
• Total profit: $-6,265
• Equity at exit: $29,806

10-year hold

• IRR: 9.2%
• Equity multiple: 1.79×
• Total profit: $43,967
• Equity at exit: $17,284

Cash invested: $55,972 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 62 Landlord-Friendly
• State Pennsylvania: 62 Landlord-Friendly · EVEN
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; Philadelphia has eviction-court diversion + some protections; otherwise moderate.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 18102

• Rents YoY: 5.5%
• Active inventory: 167
• Price-to-rent: 8.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,046 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,048
• Tax from tax record: −$156 /mo · $1,877/yr
• Insurance: −$83
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$430
• Net cashflow: $328

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,630

Max offer price $199,900

Occupancy floor 79%

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: $49,975
• Closing costs: $5,997
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 24 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
913 N 6th St Allentown, PA	4.0	1.0	1476	$1,698	$1.15	14d	1	0.14mi
535 Tilghman St Unit 2ND Allentown, PA	4.0	2.0	1500	$1,750	$1.17	3d	1	0.15mi
622 Park St Allentown, PA	5.0	1.5	1638	$2,300	$1.40	3d	1	0.19mi
856 N 8th St Allentown, PA	5.0	1.5	1499	$1,975	$1.32	19d	1	0.20mi
814 Washington St #2 Allentown, PA	4.0	1.0	1200	$1,600	$1.33	3d	1	0.20mi
631 W Allen St Allentown, PA	5.0	1.5	1695	$2,100	$1.24	44d	1	0.22mi
823 W Washington St Allentown, PA	4.0	1.0	1400	$1,950	$1.39	14d	1	0.23mi
432 N Law St Allentown, PA	4.0	1.0	1328	$1,500	$1.13	14d	1	0.38mi
828 W Gordon St Allentown, PA	4.0	2.5	1628	$2,250	$1.38	3d	1	0.50mi
626 N 11th St Allentown, PA	4.0	1.5	1642	$2,200	$1.34	3d	1	0.56mi
164 W Tilghman St Allentown, PA	5.0	2.0	1801	$2,250	$1.25	23d	1	0.70mi
213 Chew St Allentown, PA	5.0	1.0	1725	$2,100	$1.22	44d	1	0.77mi
1111 Fullerton Ave Allentown, PA	5.0	1.5	1670	$2,200	$1.32	44d	1	0.83mi
1338 W Liberty St Allentown, PA	4.0	1.0	1526	$2,000	$1.31	14d	1	0.89mi
1348 W Liberty St Allentown, PA	5.0	1.0	1561	$1,900	$1.22	23d	1	0.91mi
208 Ridge Ave Allentown, PA	4.0	1.0	1396	$1,700	$1.22	23d	1	0.93mi
208 Ridge Ave Allentown, PA	4.0	1.0	1396	$1,600	$1.15	3d	1	0.93mi
1455 W Tilghman St Allentown, PA	4.0	1.5	1520	$1,850	$1.22	44d	1	0.98mi
111 Ridge Ave Allentown, PA	4.0	1.0	1658	$1,650	$1.00	44d	1	1.01mi
1538 Chew St Allentown, PA	5.0	1.0	1874	$2,800	$1.49	19d	1	1.19mi
144 S 12th St Allentown, PA	4.0	2.0	1242	$2,000	$1.61	3d	1	1.20mi
216 S 14th St Allentown, PA	4.0	1.5	1640	$2,300	$1.40	3d	1	1.37mi
1542 Walnut St Apt 2 Allentown, PA	4.0	1.0	1132	$1,850	$1.63	21d	1	1.44mi
450 Hanover Ave Allentown, PA	5.0	1.0	1692	$2,200	$1.30	23d	1	1.48mi

Listing history 10 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $199,900 Active 14 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $199,900 Active 13 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $199,900 Active 12 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $199,900 Active 11 DOM
5. 2026-06-14
   days on market $199,900 Active 9 DOM
6. 2026-06-10
   days on market $199,900 Active 6 DOM
7. 2026-06-09
   days on market $199,900 Active 5 DOM
8. 2026-06-08
   days on market $199,900 Active 4 DOM
9. 2026-06-07
   remarks 615-char remark
10. 2026-06-07
    listed $199,900 Active 3 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast PA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,877 · $156/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,518 · $210/mo
• Expected delta: +$641/yr (+$53/mo · 34.1%)

ⓘ 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 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥99°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 4/10 Moderate 15% 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: $24,554
• − Mortgage interest: −$11,198
• − Property taxes: −$1,877
• − Insurance: −$1,000
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,964
• − Management: −$1,964
• − Depreciation: −$5,815
• Taxable income: $736
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$177
• After-tax cash flow: $3,765/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: Allentown City SD
• NCES district ID: 4202280
• Math proficiency: 10% ▼ -10.00%
• Reading proficiency: 20% ▼ -15.00%
• Median HH income: $36,337
• Composite: 12.43/100
• National rank: #9630
• State rank: #513 of 539 in PA

Livability — Allentown

• Score: 81/100
• State rank: #171
• US rank: #1440

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Allentown, PA
• County: Lehigh County · 333,019 people
• City population: 172,996
• Metro: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
• Population (ZIP): 51,001
• Household income: $43,085
• Rent vs Own: 67.9% rent · 32.1% own
• Severe rent burden: 4313.0

Population outlook (Lehigh County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 392,957 people
• By 2030: 408,319 · +3.9%
• By 2040: 440,007 · +12.0%
• By 2050: 475,940 · +21.1%
• By 2075: 590,448 · +50.3%
• By 2100: 690,314 · +75.7%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly Hispanic (69%)
• Race & ethnicity: Hispanic / Latino 69% Two or more races 28% White 18% Black 10%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 3% Puerto Rican 38% Dominican 22%
• Common ancestry: Polish 1% Romanian 1% Hispanic 1%
• Foreign-born: 22% · Canada, Jamaica
• Languages at home: 45% English-only · Spanish 52% Arabic 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Lehigh

• 2024 margin: Toss-up / Even · D 50.7% · R 48.0% · Other 1.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -12.9pp toward R · 2008: 15.6pp · 2024: 2.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+2.7 2020: D+7.6 2016: D+4.4 2012: D+7.5 2008: D+15.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -227.01%
• Current HPI: 404.834
• Rent YoY: ▲ 5.48%
• Metro: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.68%
• F500 in state: 34

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in PA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	2	$309B
▸Insurance	2	$27B
▸Telecommunications / Media	1	$124B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$22B
▸Financial Services	1	$20B
▸Chemicals / Materials	1	$18B

Price history

+316.5% since first listed

7 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-04 Listed $199,900 GLVRMLS
• 2026-06-04 Listed $199,900 GLVRMLS
• 2009-11-01 Listing Removed — GLVRMLS
• 2009-08-20 Listed $77,500 GLVRMLS
• 2007-02-05 Sold (MLS) $55,300 GLVRMLS
• 2006-12-15 Listed $55,000 GLVRMLS
• 1994-07-01 Sold (Public Records) $48,000 Public Records

Property tax history

-2.0%/yr

Latest (2026): $1,877 · +0.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.