126 Arnett St · Rutherfordton, NC 28139

$119,900

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 2,006 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 62 Days on market

Built 1946 9,583 sqft lot

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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 +29.0/30.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +7.6/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +3.7/5.0
• Schools +3.6/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Three bedroom , 1 bath home with an unfinished basement. It is walking distance to Food Lion , drug store and the walking trail gives easy access to Spindale or Rutherfordton business district.

Key facts

• Unfinished basement
• 9,583 sq ft lot
• Built 1946

Tags

• UNFINISHED BASEMENT
• WALKING DISTANCE TO FOOD LION
• WALKING DISTANCE TO DRUG STORE

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Zoned C2
• HOA & community: No HOA

Exterior

• Parking: Driveway
• Utilities: City water; Public sewer; Electricity connected; Propane available; Cable available
• Home design: Single-family residence (residential); Site-built construction; One level
• Construction: Vinyl exterior; Composition roof; Foundation includes basement and slab; Built on site (site built)
• Exterior features: Covered front porch; Roads are gravel and paved; publicly maintained

Interior

• Kitchen: Electric range
• Bedrooms: Three bedrooms on the main level
• Bathrooms: One full bathroom (main level)
• Heating & cooling: Propane heating; Space heater; No central cooling
• Interior features: 6 total rooms; Basement with exterior entry, partial finish, and storage space
• Laundry & utility: Laundry located on the main level

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $120k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $412 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $120k).
• Recommended offer: $113k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 10.4% vs local median 3.0% in Rutherfordton — 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 73/100 on livability (#67 in NC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime D, amenities F, commute F.
• Rutherford County Schools (rural): math 43% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #98 of 178 in NC (top 55%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 60% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Rutherfordton Elementary School (math 37% / reading 47%, grade F, #633 of 1,410 statewide, top 48%, 390 students, 99% FRL); R-S Central High School (math 62% / reading 42%, grade D+, #292 of 535 statewide, top 56%, 758 students, 100% FRL) — zoned schools average 99% FRL vs 60% district-wide (39 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 312 active listings in the ZIP; 193 units permitted in Rutherford County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $829 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Rutherford County population projected at -17% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $34k cash investment doubles in ~8 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 62 days — a 6% lower offer ($113k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts 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 $82k; 46% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1946 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→17/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $112,706 (6.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 62 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1946 — 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. 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?
6. 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?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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: 1.26% ✓
• Cap rate: 10.42%
• Cash-on-cash: 14.73%
• DSCR: 1.66
• GRM: 6.6

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 5.2%
• Equity multiple: 1.20×
• Total profit: $6,815
• Equity at exit: $17,877

10-year hold

• IRR: 14.7%
• Equity multiple: 2.18×
• Total profit: $39,712
• Equity at exit: $10,367

Cash invested: $33,572 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State North Carolina: 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable but court speed varies.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 28139

• Home prices YoY: -21.6%
• Active inventory: 312
• Price-to-rent: 6.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,512 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$629
• Tax from tax record: −$104 /mo · $1,245/yr
• Insurance: −$50
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$318
• Net cashflow: $412

Break-even live

Break-even rent $990

Max offer price $119,900

Occupancy floor 68%

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: $29,975
• Closing costs: $3,597
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 19 events

1. 2026-06-19
   days on market $119,900 Active 62 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $119,900 Active 61 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $119,900 Active 60 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $119,900 Active 59 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $119,900 Active 58 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   days on market $119,900 Active 56 DOM
7. 2026-06-13
   days on market $119,900 Active 55 DOM
8. 2026-06-10
   days on market $119,900 Active 53 DOM
9. 2026-06-09
   days on market $119,900 Active 52 DOM
10. 2026-06-08
    days on market $119,900 Active 51 DOM
11. 2026-06-07
    days on market $119,900 Active 50 DOM
12. 2026-06-02
    days on market $119,900 Active 45 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    days on market $119,900 Active 44 DOM
14. 2026-05-31
    days on market $119,900 Active 43 DOM
15. 2026-05-30
    days on market $119,900 Active 42 DOM
16. 2026-05-02
    status Active
17. 2026-04-23
    historical Active Under Contract
18. 2026-04-18
    listed $119,900 Active
19. 2006-05-25
    soldstatus $82,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast NC · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $1,245 · $104/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,245 · $104/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 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥105°F today · 17 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $18,146
• − Mortgage interest: −$6,716
• − Property taxes: −$1,245
• − Insurance: −$600
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,452
• − Management: −$1,452
• − Depreciation: −$3,488
• Taxable income: $3,194
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$767
• After-tax cash flow: $4,179/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: Rutherford County Schools
• NCES district ID: 3704080
• Math proficiency: 43% ▼ -1.00%
• Reading proficiency: 44% ▼ -2.00%
• Median HH income: $36,490
• Composite: 36.11/100
• National rank: #4753
• State rank: #98 of 178 in NC

Livability — Rutherfordton

• Score: 73/100
• State rank: #67
• US rank: #5114

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Rutherfordton, NC
• Population (ZIP): 18,887

Population outlook (Rutherford County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 63,695 people
• By 2030: 61,670 · -3.2%
• By 2040: 57,212 · -10.2%
• By 2050: 52,763 · -17.2%
• By 2075: 44,493 · -30.1%
• By 2100: 38,127 · -40.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (86%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 86% Black 6% Two or more races 5% Hispanic / Latino 4%
• Common ancestry: Serbian 3% Slovak 2% Lithuanian 1%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada
• Languages at home: 96% English-only · Spanish 3%

Political lean MEDSL · Rutherford

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+47.8) · D 25.8% · R 73.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -16.0pp toward R · 2008: -31.8pp · 2024: -47.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+47.8 2020: R+45.8 2016: R+47.9 2012: R+33.5 2008: R+31.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -68.65%
• Current HPI: 249.7007
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.28%
• F500 in state: 26

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in NC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	2	$213B
▸Retail	2	$95B
▸Industrial Conglomerate	1	$38B
▸Metals / Steel	1	$35B
▸Utilities	1	$30B
▸Industrial Machinery	1	$19B

Price history

+46.2% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-02 Relisted — CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-04-23 Contingent — CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-04-18 Listed $119,900 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2006-05-25 Sold (Public Records) $82,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+8.1%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,245 · +7.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.