1 bd · 1.0 ba ·
746 sqft ·
Built 1967
· Condo
· Pending
· 31 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$2,048/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$813
Tax + insurance
−$198
HOA
−$570
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$430
Net cashflow
$37/mo
Annual
$446/yr
Cap rate
6.58%
Cash-on-cash
1.03%
DSCR
1.05
1% rule
1.32%
Cash to close
$43,400
Investor read
This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $155k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $37 ($446/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $155k).
It's been on market 31 days — a 3% lower offer ($150k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $150k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
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.
Location reads 80/100 on livability (#51 in MD, #1,939 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, employment A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities C-, cost of living F.
Howard County Public Schools (suburban): math 34% / reading 49% proficiency, ranked #1 of 24 in MD (top 4%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; only 15% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
Watch-outs: HOA is 28% of rent.
Market conditions: Rents flat; 145 active listings in the ZIP; 13 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 2d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); high-income renter base; 881 units permitted in Howard County in 2024 (285 in 5+ unit buildings).
Howard County population projected at +33% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
10 sale attempts since 21y 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 $131k; 18% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 6.6% vs local median 3.2% in Columbia — 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.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 31 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1967 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
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?
Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
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?
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?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-DJZHW5CWCWQ0R0
· Data 2 days agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29