1408 3rd Ave · Council Bluffs, IA 51501

$10,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 460 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 10 Days on market

Built 1910 5,720 sqft lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the D+ 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 +15.0/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• 1% rule +5.0/10.0
• DSCR +5.0/10.0
• Schools +4.5/10.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Rent growth +2.6/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Many updates here, including a kitchen that has been totally redone, new carpet, fresh paint, with a main floor laundry. Would make a good investment property, as the current tenants were paying $725/ month. Call for details.

Key facts

• 5,720 sq ft lot
• Built 1910
• Listed 10 days

Property features AI

Finance

• HOA & community: Sidewalks in the community

Exterior

• Security: Smoke detectors installed
• Utilities: Natural gas available; Electricity available; Cable available; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; One story
• Construction: Frame construction; Composition roof; Partial basement
• Exterior features: Patio; Concrete road frontage; Lot dimensions approximately 44' x 130'

Interior

• Kitchen: Eat-in kitchen
• Bedrooms: Bedrooms on main level
• Heating & cooling: Natural gas heating with forced air; Ceiling fans; Window air conditioning units
• Interior features: Ceiling fans throughout; Eat-in kitchen
• Laundry & utility: Washer hookup on main level; Electric dryer hookup on main level

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $10k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $589 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $10k).
• Cap rate 95.3% vs local median 3.3% in Council Bluffs — 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 70/100 on livability (#368 in IA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety B+; Watch: employment C-, amenities D, crime D-.
• Council Bluffs Community School District (urban): math 52% / reading 55% proficiency, ranked #272 of 289 in IA (top 94%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Edison Elementary School (math 54% / reading 43%, grade D, #526 of 616 statewide, top 86%, 432 students, 63% FRL); Woodrow Wilson Middle School (math 54% / reading 51%, grade C+, #209 of 246 statewide, top 85%, 900 students, 75% FRL); Thomas Jefferson High School (math 40% / reading 53%, grade D-, #321 of 336 statewide, top 96%, 1,243 students, 65% FRL) — zoned schools average 68% FRL vs 51% district-wide (17 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: Rents flat; 140 active listings in the ZIP; 679 units permitted in Pottawattamie County in 2024 (566 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $69 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $300 of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Pottawattamie County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 0.6% rent growth), your $3k cash investment doubles in ~1 year — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 10 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 3 sale attempts since 10y 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $152/mo; built in 1910 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone AH (mandatory federal flood insurance) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $10,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1910 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 10.26% ✓
• Cap rate: 95.27%
• Cash-on-cash: 317.76%
• DSCR: 15.14
• GRM: 0.8

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 0.56% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: —
• Equity multiple: 12.99×
• Total profit: $33,569
• Equity at exit: $1,491

10-year hold

• IRR: —
• Equity multiple: 25.43×
• Total profit: $68,402
• Equity at exit: $865

Cash invested: $2,800 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 51501

• Rents YoY: 0.6%
• Active inventory: 140
• Price-to-rent: 0.8×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,026 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$52
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$12 /mo · $150/yr
• Insurance: −$4
• Flood insurance flood zone: −$152 /mo · $1,824/yr
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$215
• Net cashflow: $589

Break-even live

Break-even rent $280

Max offer price $10,000

Occupancy floor 38%

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: $2,500
• Closing costs: $300
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 8 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $10,000 Active 10 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $10,000 Active 9 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $10,000 Active 8 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $10,000 Active 7 DOM
5. 2026-06-13
   days on market $10,000 Active 5 DOM
6. 2026-06-10
   days on market $10,000 Active 2 DOM
7. 2026-06-08
   remarks 699-char remark
8. 2026-06-08
   listed $10,000 Active 1 DOM

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone AH · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥104°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $12,312
• − Mortgage interest: −$560
• − Property taxes: −$150
• − Insurance: −$1,874
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$985
• − Management: −$985
• − Depreciation: −$291
• Taxable income: $7,467
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,792
• After-tax cash flow: $5,281/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: Council Bluffs Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1908220
• Math proficiency: 52% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 55% ▼ -1.00%
• Median HH income: $45,259
• Composite: 45.23/100
• National rank: #2665
• State rank: #272 of 289 in IA

Livability — Council Bluffs

• Score: 70/100
• State rank: #368
• US rank: #7695

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Council Bluffs, IA
• County: Pottawattamie County · 72,590 people
• City population: 72,590
• Metro: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
• Population (ZIP): 34,618
• Household income: $59,843
• Rent vs Own: 36.2% rent · 63.8% own
• Severe rent burden: 1110.0

Population outlook (Pottawattamie County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 93,683 people
• By 2030: 92,772 · -1.0%
• By 2040: 89,917 · -4.0%
• By 2050: 86,994 · -7.1%
• By 2075: 82,756 · -11.7%
• By 2100: 79,097 · -15.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (79%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 79% Hispanic / Latino 14% Two or more races 8% Asian 2% Black 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 13%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 2% Romanian 2% Iranian 1%
• Foreign-born: 6% · Canada, China
• Languages at home: 90% English-only · Spanish 8% Chinese 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Pottawattamie

• 2024 margin: R (+20.0) · D 39.3% · R 59.3% · Other 1.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: -18.1pp toward R · 2008: -1.9pp · 2024: -20.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+20.0 2020: R+16.8 2016: R+21.6 2012: R+5.8 2008: R+1.9

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -187.49%
• Current HPI: 215.2532
• Rent YoY: ▲ 0.56%
• Metro: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

-80.0% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-05 Listed $10,000 SWIAR
• 2017-09-26 Sold (MLS) $45,000 SWIAR
• 2017-08-27 Listed $47,500 SWIAR
• 2016-11-05 Listed $49,900 SWIAR

Property tax history

+6.1%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,276 · -11.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.