721 Olive St

Cedar Falls, IA 50613

$165,000C+

2 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,392 sqft · Built 1920 · MultiFamily · Active · 141 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,910/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$865
• Tax + insurance: −$252
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$401
• Net cashflow: $391/mo
• Annual: $4,694/yr
• Cap rate: 9.14%
• Cash-on-cash: 10.16%
• DSCR: 1.45
• 1% rule: 1.16%
• Cash to close: $46,200

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 1-bed/1-bath units multifamily listed at $165k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $391 ($5k/yr) — positive. Per door: $196/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $165k).
• It's been on market 141 days — a 12% lower offer ($145k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $145k (12.0% 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 81/100 on livability (#60 in IA, #1,357 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: schools A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities D, commute F.
• Cedar Falls Community School District (urban): math 76% / reading 79% proficiency, ranked #45 of 289 in IA (top 16%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical; only 18% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Watch-outs: built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+2.0%/yr); 387 active listings in the ZIP; 15 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 44d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 60% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; solid renter incomes; 287 units permitted in Black Hawk County in 2024 (67 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Black Hawk County population projected at +10% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• Cap rate 9.1% vs local median 3.1% in Cedar Falls — 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 141 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1920 — 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.
• 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?
• 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.