1827 Hershey Ave

Muscatine, IA 52761

$28,000B

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,481 sqft · Built 1892 · SingleFamily · Pending · 93 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,023/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$147
• Tax + insurance: −$47
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$215
• Net cashflow: $615/mo
• Annual: $7,380/yr
• Cap rate: 32.65%
• Cash-on-cash: 94.14%
• DSCR: 5.19
• 1% rule: 3.66%
• Cash to close: $7,840

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $28k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $615 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $28k).
• It's been on market 93 days — a 9% lower offer ($25k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $25k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $194 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $840 of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 70/100 on livability (#358 in IA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, crime B; Watch: health & safety D+, amenities F, commute F.
• Muscatine Community School District (town): math 55% / reading 59% proficiency, ranked #257 of 289 in IA (top 89%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Watch-outs: built in 1892 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 191 active listings in the ZIP; 5 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 22d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 40% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 65 units permitted in Muscatine County in 2024 (45 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Muscatine County population projected at +8% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 3 sale attempts since 12y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $22k (44%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $8k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 93 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1892 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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.
• 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.