94 Washington St #14

Norwalk, CT 06854

$215,000C

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 429 sqft · Built 1982 · Condo · Under Contract · 27 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,636/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,127
• Tax + insurance: −$286
• HOA: −$242
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$553
• Net cashflow: $427/mo
• Annual: $5,121/yr
• Cap rate: 8.67%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.51%
• DSCR: 1.38
• 1% rule: 1.23%
• Cash to close: $60,200

Investor read

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $215k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $427 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $215k).
• It's been on market 27 days — a 2% lower offer ($212k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $212k (1.5% 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 $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 77/100 on livability (#41 in CT, #2,966 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: employment A+, health & safety A+, crime A; Watch: amenities C-, cost of living F.
• Norwalk School District (urban): math 29% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #104 of 153 in CT (top 68%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Brookside Elementary School (math 28% / reading 41%, grade F, #340 of 553 statewide, top 63%, 433 students, 59% FRL); Brien Mcmahon High School (math 30% / reading 58%, grade F, #97 of 194 statewide, top 50%, 1,711 students, 49% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents flat; 74 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; solid renter incomes; 1,151 units permitted in Western Connecticut Planning Region in 2024 (714 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 4 sale attempts since 20y 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 $171k; 26% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 75% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→17/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 8.7% vs local median 3.4% in Norwalk — 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.
• This rent runs 36% of the median local income ($87k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• 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.
• 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 apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.