3803 17th St SW #217

Puyallup, WA 98373

$175,000D+

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,360 sqft · Built 2022 · Condo · Active · 103 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,289/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$918
• Tax + insurance: −$292
• HOA: −$2,400
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$481
• Net cashflow: $-1,801/mo
• Annual: $-21,618/yr
• Cap rate: -6.06%
• Cash-on-cash: -44.12%
• DSCR: -0.96
• 1% rule: 1.31%
• Cash to close: $49,000

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath condo listed at $175k. Condition is rated good.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-2k ($-22k/yr) — negative.
• Rent doesn't cover operating costs at any purchase price — skip.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $175k).
• It's been on market 103 days — a 9% lower offer ($159k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $159k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• 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 82/100 on livability (#70 in WA, #1,234 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: crime F, cost of living F.
• Puyallup School District (suburban): math 53% / reading 66% proficiency, ranked #52 of 291 in WA (top 18%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Woodland Elementary (571 students, 48% FRL); Ballou Jr High (890 students, 49% FRL); Gov John Rogers High School (1,730 students, 42% FRL) — zoned schools average 47% FRL vs 27% district-wide (20 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 105% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.9%/yr); 245 active listings in the ZIP; 34 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 48d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 56% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; solid renter incomes; 3,209 units permitted in Pierce County in 2024 (1,269 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Pierce County population projected at +26% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• Cap rate -6.1% vs local median 2.7% in Puyallup — below-typical yield; the buyer is paying a premium for something (appreciation thesis, condition, location) that the cap rate doesn't capture.

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 103 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% 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?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are B-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?