32 Alder Way Unit 4C

Whitefish, MT 59937

$19,900D+

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,162 sqft · Built 1975 · Condo · Active · 15 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,620/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$104
• Tax + insurance: −$33
• HOA: −$158
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$550
• Net cashflow: $1,774/mo
• Annual: $21,290/yr
• Cap rate: 113.28%
• Cash-on-cash: 382.09%
• DSCR: 18.00
• 1% rule: 13.17%
• Cash to close: $5,572

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath condo listed at $20k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($21k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $20k).
• It's been on market 15 days — a 2% lower offer ($20k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $20k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $138 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $597 of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 83/100 on livability (#3 in MT, #951 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, health & safety A+, schools A; Watch: employment C-, cost of living F.
• Whitefish H S (town): math 50% / reading 60% proficiency, ranked #41 of 339 in MT (top 12%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.5%/yr); 410 active listings in the ZIP; solid renter incomes; 281 units permitted in Flathead County in 2024 (80 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Flathead County population projected at +20% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 5 sale attempts since 2y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $6k (22%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.5% rent growth), your $6k cash investment doubles in ~1 year — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk; moderate wildfire risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 113.3% vs local median 0.4% in Whitefish — 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.
• This rent runs 42% of the median local income ($75k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1975 — 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?
• 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.
• 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.