2218 Lawndale Ave · Columbus, OH 43207

$125,000

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,626 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 1 Days on market

Built 1965 0.51 ac lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the C+ 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 +25.5/30.0
• 1% rule +8.7/10.0
• DSCR +8.4/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• Rent growth +3.1/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.7/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Nice investment property with great potential. 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Ranch with 2 car attached garage. Fireplace and Fenced in backyard. Additional bedroom and bath located in basement.

Key facts

• 0.51 acre lot
• 2 garage spots
• Built 1965

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Attached 2-car garage
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; One level; No common walls; Built in 1965
• Construction: Block foundation
• Exterior features: Fenced lot

Interior

• Bedrooms: 3 main-level bedrooms
• Flooring: Carpet; Ceramic/Porcelain; Vinyl
• Bathrooms: 3 bathrooms
• Interior features: Full basement; One fireplace

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $125k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $291 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $125k).
• Cap rate 9.1% vs local median 3.8% in Columbus — 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 81/100 on livability (#97 in OH, #1,491 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, crime F.
• Columbus City School District (urban): math 15% / reading 26% proficiency, ranked #626 of 656 in OH (top 95%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 72% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+2.3%/yr); 196 active listings in the ZIP; 11 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 15d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 8,139 units permitted in Franklin County in 2024 (5,940 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 32% of the median local income ($63k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $864 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Franklin County population projected at +34% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• Only 1 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.4% of price.

Recommended offer $125,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1965 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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: 1.37% ✓
• Cap rate: 9.09%
• Cash-on-cash: 9.98%
• DSCR: 1.44
• GRM: 6.1

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $250,404
• Comps found: 7

Show comp detail 7 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
2218 Lawndale Ave	0.00mi	4/3.0 (+1)	1,626 (0%)	1mo	$125,000	$77	90
2300 Lawndale Ave	0.11mi	3/1.5	1,524 (-6%)	22mo	$235,000	$154	64
1684 Burley Dr	0.75mi	3/1.5	1,618 (-0%)	7mo	$157,000	$97	56
2475 Koebel Rd	0.42mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,704 (+5%)	13mo	$270,000	$158	55
2572 Edencreek Ln	0.66mi	3/2.5	1,440 (-11%)	2mo	$236,000	$164	47
2555 Tealwater Trail Dr	0.69mi	3/2.5	1,680 (+3%)	18mo	$279,000	$166	45
2548 Edencreek Ln	0.64mi	4/2.5 (+1)	1,704 (+5%)	24mo	$262,900	$154	35

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 · 2.32% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -2.1%
• Equity multiple: 0.92×
• Total profit: $-2,729
• Equity at exit: $18,638

10-year hold

• IRR: 6.8%
• Equity multiple: 1.50×
• Total profit: $17,391
• Equity at exit: $10,808

Cash invested: $35,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 73 Landlord-Friendly
• State Ohio: 73 Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day notice; Cleveland / Columbus have some habitability code enforcement; otherwise landlord-leaning.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 43207

• Rents YoY: 2.3%
• Active inventory: 196
• Price-to-rent: 6.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,709 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$656
• Tax from tax record: −$351 /mo · $4,213/yr
• Insurance: −$52
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$359
• Net cashflow: $291

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,340

Max offer price $125,000

Occupancy floor 78%

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: $31,250
• Closing costs: $3,750
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 11 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
2475 Lawndale Ave Columbus, OH	3.0	2.0	1362	$1,945	$1.43	23d	1	0.33mi
2500 Waters Edge Blvd Unit 042 Columbus, OH	2.0	2.0	1057	$1,635	$1.55	3d	1	1.01mi
1686 Smith Rd Columbus, OH	3.0	1.5	1200	$1,400	$1.17	43d	1	1.20mi
2645 Travis Rd Columbus, OH	1.0–3.0	1.0–1.5	1100	$1,725	$1.57	43d	6	1.20mi
1386 Faber Ave Columbus, OH	3.0	1.0	1250	$1,649	$1.32	7d	1	1.23mi
1648 Smith Rd Columbus, OH	2.0	1.0	1250	$1,000	$0.80	43d	1	1.24mi
3611 Bill of Rights Sq Columbus, OH	3.0	1.5	1200	$1,885	$1.57	14d	1	1.37mi
2737 Proclamation Way Columbus, OH	3.0	2.5	1356	$1,873	$1.38	43d	1	1.37mi
1559 Orson Dr Columbus, OH	4.0	2.0	1374	$2,000	$1.46	2d	1	1.42mi
1776 Nason Ave Columbus, OH	3.0	1.0	1300	$1,500	$1.15	3d	1	1.43mi
1776 Nason Ave Columbus, OH	3.0	1.0	1300	$1,500	$1.15	7d	1	1.43mi

Listing history 2 events

1. 2026-04-07
   status Pending
2. 2026-04-07
   listed $125,000 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 OH · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $4,213 · $351/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $4,213 · $351/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ 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 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥100°F today · 18 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 100% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $20,503
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,002
• − Property taxes: −$4,213
• − Insurance: −$625
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,640
• − Management: −$1,640
• − Depreciation: −$3,636
• Taxable income: $1,747
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$419
• After-tax cash flow: $3,074/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: Columbus City School District
• NCES district ID: 3904380
• Math proficiency: 15% ▼ -17.00%
• Reading proficiency: 26% ▼ -12.00%
• Median HH income: $38,483
• Composite: 17.19/100
• National rank: #9105
• State rank: #626 of 656 in OH

Livability — Columbus

• Score: 81/100
• State rank: #97
• US rank: #1491

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Columbus, OH
• County: Franklin County · 1,351,780 people
• City population: 612,189
• Metro: Columbus, OH
• Population (ZIP): 47,272
• Household income: $63,310
• Rent vs Own: 41.0% rent · 59.0% own
• Severe rent burden: 1679.0

Population outlook (Franklin County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 1,456,139 people
• By 2030: 1,556,890 · +6.9%
• By 2040: 1,757,349 · +20.7%
• By 2050: 1,950,539 · +34.0%
• By 2075: 2,376,171 · +63.2%
• By 2100: 2,636,796 · +81.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.57)
• Race & ethnicity: White 59% Black 28% Two or more races 7% Hispanic / Latino 5% Asian 1%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 3%
• Common ancestry: Italian 2% Romanian 2% Slovak 1%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada
• Languages at home: 95% English-only · Spanish 3% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Franklin

• 2024 margin: Strong D (+28.4) · D 63.7% · R 35.3% · Other 1.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: +7.7pp toward D · 2008: 20.7pp · 2024: 28.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+28.4 2020: D+31.4 2016: D+25.9 2012: D+21.7 2008: D+20.7

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -244.33%
• Current HPI: 268.3028
• Rent YoY: ▲ 2.32%
• Metro: Columbus, OH
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.98%
• F500 in state: 48

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in OH)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Insurance	3	$145B
▸Industrial Machinery	3	$49B
▸Financial Services	3	$24B
▸Consumer Goods	2	$93B
▸Aerospace / Defense	2	$47B
▸Utilities	2	$33B

Price history

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-07 Pending — CBRMLS
• 2026-04-07 Listed $125,000 CBRMLS

Property tax history

+6.4%/yr

Latest (2024): $4,213 · +0.6% YoY. Source: county tax records.