98 Union St #514

Seattle, WA 98101

$565,000D

2 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,262 sqft · Built 1985 · Condo · Pending · 50 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $4,901/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,963
• Tax + insurance: −$768
• HOA: −$1,904
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,029
• Net cashflow: $-1,763/mo
• Annual: $-21,157/yr
• Cap rate: 2.55%
• Cash-on-cash: -13.37%
• DSCR: 0.40
• 1% rule: 0.87%
• Cash to close: $158,200

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.5-bath condo listed at $565k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-2k ($-21k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $254k (55.1% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $490k (13.3% below list).
• It's been on market 50 days — a 3% lower offer ($548k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $254k (55.1% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.
• In year one you build about $958 of equity ($4k loan paydown + $-3k appreciation (-0.5% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 75/100 on livability (#166 in WA, #4,033 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: crime F, cost of living F.
• Seattle Public Schools (urban): math 64% / reading 72% proficiency, ranked #19 of 291 in WA (top 6%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Hazel Wolf K-8 (720 students, 22% FRL); Mcclure Middle School (429 students, 19% FRL); Garfield High School (1,642 students, 40% FRL) — zoned schools at 27% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 39% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents soft (-0.3%/yr); 155 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 0d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); high-income renter base; 10,555 units permitted in King County in 2024 (7,119 in 5+ unit buildings).
• King County population projected at +44% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 4 sale attempts since 20y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• Current owner paid $368k; list at $565k implies a 54% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• By year 10, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$34k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Cap rate 2.5% vs local median 1.6% in Seattle — 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.
• At $4,901/mo this rent would consume 46% of the median local household income ($129k/yr) (locally 1840% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

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?
• It's been on market 50 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 55% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• 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 F 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?