3803 17th St SW #217

Puyallup, WA 98373

$175,000F

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,360 sqft · Built 2022 · Condo · Active · 55 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,336/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$918
• Tax + insurance: −$292
• HOA: −$2,400
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$491
• Net cashflow: $-1,764/mo
• Annual: $-21,169/yr
• Cap rate: -5.80%
• Cash-on-cash: -43.20%
• DSCR: -0.92
• 1% rule: 1.33%
• 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 $-2k ($-21k/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 55 days — a 3% lower offer ($170k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $170k (3.0% 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.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 103% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.9%/yr); 171 active listings in the ZIP; 26 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 19d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 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 -5.8% vs local median 2.6% 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 55 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% 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 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?
• 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?