723 Hemlock St

Salisbury, MD 21804

$159,000C+

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,152 sqft · Built 1989 · Townhouse · Pending · 3 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,684/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$834
• Tax + insurance: −$141
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$354
• Net cashflow: $356/mo
• Annual: $4,273/yr
• Cap rate: 8.98%
• Cash-on-cash: 9.60%
• DSCR: 1.43
• 1% rule: 1.06%
• Cash to close: $44,520

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath townhouse listed at $159k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $356 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $159k).
• Only 3 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 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 60/100 on livability (#351 in MD) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: health & safety A+, cost of living A, housing A; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Wicomico County Public Schools (urban): math 16% / reading 26% proficiency, ranked #19 of 24 in MD (top 79%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Prince Street School (math 5% / reading 8%, grade F, #740 of 860 statewide, top 87%, 854 students, 64% FRL); Bennett Middle (math 13% / reading 29%, grade F, #134 of 225 statewide, top 62%, 906 students, 48% FRL); James M. Bennett High (math 55% / reading 66%, grade C+, #71 of 222 statewide, top 32%, 1,343 students, 44% FRL) — zoned schools at 52% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.8%/yr); 201 active listings in the ZIP; 23 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 48% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 278 units permitted in Wicomico County in 2024 (44 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Wicomico County population projected at +14% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 8 sale attempts since 25y 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 $118k; 35% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.8% rent growth), your $45k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 78% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 9.0% vs local median 4.8% in Salisbury — 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

• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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?
• 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.