612 Clinton Ave · Ottumwa, IA 52501

$64,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 906 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 129 Days on market

Built 1900 6,970 sqft lot Est $82k · 22% under ↓ 15% since listing

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Why this score? — see what drove the B+ grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +30.0/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Schools +4.3/10.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Check out this 2-bedroom, 1-bath home conveniently located on the Southside of Ottumwa—close to Farney Elementary, Liberty, and Evans Middle School. With 906 sq ft, this property offers cozy living and plenty of potential to make it your own. Inside, you’ll find a nice size dining room, central air, and an enclosed porch that makes the perfect spot for morning coffee, plant space, or even a “kick your shoes off” zone. The roof and siding are believed to have been updated about 7 years ago, and a Trane furnace keeps things comfortable year-round. We all know its hard to stop a Trane! One of the bedrooms is currently pulling double duty as a laundry room (because who d

Key facts

• Close to liberty
• Enclosed porch
• 6,970 sq ft lot

Tags

• CLOSE TO FARNEY ELEMENTARY
• CLOSE TO LIBERTY
• CLOSE TO EVANS MIDDLE SCHOOL
• NICE SIZE DINING ROOM
• ENCLOSED PORCH
• UPDATED ROOF AND SIDING

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $64k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $429 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $64k).
• Recommended offer: $56k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 14.3% vs local median 5.9% in Ottumwa — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 80/100 on livability (#91 in IA, #1,900 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime D-, employment D-.
• Ottumwa Community School District (town): math 50% / reading 54% proficiency, ranked #277 of 289 in IA (top 96%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Market conditions: 192 active listings in the ZIP; 44 units permitted in Wapello County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $442 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Wapello County population projected at +5% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $18k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 129 days — a 12% lower offer ($56k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 3 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $11k (15%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $56,320 (12.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 129 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. 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?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.71% ✓
• Cap rate: 14.34%
• Cash-on-cash: 28.73%
• DSCR: 2.28
• GRM: 4.9

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $81,540
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
612 Clinton Ave	0.00mi	2/1.0	906 (0%)	1mo	$57,000	$63	99
513 S Sheridan Ave	0.12mi	2/1.0	867 (-4%)	3mo	$50,000	$58	85
924 Clinton Ave. Ave	0.26mi	3/1.0 (+1)	912 (+1%)	0mo	$105,000	$115	82
809 Ellis Ave	0.26mi	2/1.0	960 (+6%)	2mo	$73,000	$76	76
518 Tuttle St	0.21mi	3/2.0 (+1)	864 (-5%)	1mo	$160,000	$185	73
312 S Moore St	0.17mi	2/1.0	812 (-10%)	5mo	$59,500	$73	71
425 S Davis St	0.27mi	3/1.0 (+1)	816 (-10%)	0mo	$164,000	$201	66
711 Elma St	0.61mi	2/1.0	872 (-4%)	1mo	$78,500	$90	64
927 E Mary St	0.31mi	2/1.0	1,008 (+11%)	5mo	$72,000	$71	62
559 S Moore St	0.38mi	2/1.0	800 (-12%)	5mo	$115,000	$144	58
422 W Finley Ave	0.67mi	2/1.0	832 (-8%)	1mo	$125,000	$150	54
182 N Moore St	0.54mi	2/1.0	796 (-12%)	2mo	$63,500	$80	53

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 23.0%
• Equity multiple: 1.95×
• Total profit: $16,963
• Equity at exit: $9,543

10-year hold

• IRR: 31.0%
• Equity multiple: 3.79×
• Total profit: $49,999
• Equity at exit: $5,534

Cash invested: $17,920 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 52501

• Active inventory: 192
• Price-to-rent: 4.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,093 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$336
• Tax from tax record: −$72 /mo · $866/yr
• Insurance: −$27
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$230
• Net cashflow: $429

Break-even live

Break-even rent $550

Max offer price $64,000

Occupancy floor 56%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $465	-5% $447	+0% $429	+5% $411	+10% $393
Rent	-10% $343	-5% $386	+0% $429	+5% $472	+10% $515
Rate	-1.0pp $461	-0.5pp $445	base $429	+0.5pp $412	+1.0pp $396

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $16,000
• Closing costs: $1,920
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 7 events

1. 2026-04-06
   status Pending
2. 2026-03-27
   status Active
3. 2026-03-19
   status Active
4. 2026-01-21
   status Pending
5. 2026-01-07
   price $64,000
6. 2025-10-13
   price $74,000
7. 2025-09-22
   listed $75,000 Active

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast IA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $866 · $72/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $935 · $78/mo
• Expected delta: +$69/yr (+$6/mo · 8.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥106°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $13,115
• − Mortgage interest: −$3,585
• − Property taxes: −$866
• − Insurance: −$320
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,049
• − Management: −$1,049
• − Depreciation: −$1,862
• Taxable income: $4,384
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,052
• After-tax cash flow: $4,096/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Ottumwa Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1922110
• Math proficiency: 50% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 54% ▲ 1.00%
• Median HH income: $39,864
• Composite: 43.46/100
• National rank: #3004
• State rank: #277 of 289 in IA

Livability — Ottumwa

• Score: 80/100
• State rank: #91
• US rank: #1900

Category grades

Amenities C Commute A Cost of living A+ Crime D- Employment D- Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings C-

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Ottumwa, IA
• Population (ZIP): 30,341

Population outlook (Wapello County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 35,472 people
• By 2030: 35,563 · +0.3%
• By 2040: 36,083 · +1.7%
• By 2050: 37,287 · +5.1%
• By 2075: 43,898 · +23.8%
• By 2100: 52,973 · +49.3%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (74%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 74% Hispanic / Latino 14% Two or more races 7% Black 4% Pacific Islander 2% Asian 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 9%
• Common ancestry: Iranian 4% Italian 1% Slovak 1%
• Foreign-born: 11% · Canada
• Languages at home: 84% English-only · Spanish 10% Other Asian/Pacific 3% Tagalog/Filipino 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Wapello

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+31.4) · D 33.6% · R 65.0% · Other 1.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: -45.0pp toward R · 2008: 13.5pp · 2024: -31.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+31.4 2020: R+23.6 2016: R+20.8 2012: D+11.8 2008: D+13.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -94.66%
• Current HPI: 174.6021
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

-14.7% since first listed

7 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-06 Pending — IAR
• 2026-03-27 Relisted — IAR
• 2026-03-19 Relisted — IAR
• 2026-01-21 Pending — IAR
• 2026-01-07 Price Changed $64,000 IAR
• 2025-10-13 Price Changed $74,000 IAR
• 2025-09-22 Listed $75,000 IAR

Property tax history

+0.5%/yr

Latest (2025): $866 · -9.2% YoY. Source: county tax records.