1718 Madison Rd #20

Forest Acres, SC 29206

$175,000F

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,434 sqft · Built 1963 · Condo · Pending · 5 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,619/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$918
• Tax + insurance: −$124
• HOA: −$737
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$340
• Net cashflow: $-500/mo
• Annual: $-5,995/yr
• Cap rate: 2.87%
• Cash-on-cash: -12.23%
• DSCR: 0.46
• 1% rule: 0.93%
• Cash to close: $49,000

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath condo listed at $175k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-500 ($-6k/yr) — negative.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $162k (7.5% below list).
• Only 5 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Recommended offer: $162k (7.5% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• 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 73/100 on livability (#39 in SC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: housing A+, cost of living A, employment A-; Watch: crime D, amenities F, commute F.
• Richland 01 (urban): math 26% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #54 of 80 in SC (top 68%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 64% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Bradley Elementary (math 22% / reading 32%, grade F, #421 of 597 statewide, top 73%, 437 students, 100% FRL); Crayton Middle (math 48% / reading 64%, grade B-, #23 of 229 statewide, top 10%, 905 students, 100% FRL); A. C. Flora High (math 42% / reading 92%, grade B, #73 of 196 statewide, top 41%, 1,352 students, 100% FRL) — zoned schools average 100% FRL vs 64% district-wide (36 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 50% at this address vs 31% district-wide (+19 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Richland 01 average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 46% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.8%/yr); 117 active listings in the ZIP; 13 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 25d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 3,472 units permitted in Richland County in 2024 (1,096 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Richland County population projected at +30% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• Current owner paid $60k; list at $175k implies a 192% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 68% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
• Built in 1963 — 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 A-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?
• Crime grade is D in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
• 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?