3256 Prairie Bend Cir

Marion, IA 52302

$257,900D-

3 bd · 3.0 ba · 1,277 sqft · Built 2008 · Condo · Active · 26 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,972/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,352
• Tax + insurance: −$409
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$414
• Net cashflow: $-204/mo
• Annual: $-2,446/yr
• Cap rate: 5.34%
• Cash-on-cash: -3.39%
• DSCR: 0.85
• 1% rule: 0.76%
• Cash to close: $72,212

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/3.0-bath condo listed at $258k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-204 ($-2k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $222k (14.0% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $197k (23.5% below list).
• It's been on market 26 days — a 2% lower offer ($254k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $197k (23.5% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $8k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 84/100 on livability (#19 in IA, #633 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities D-, commute F.
• Linn-Mar Community School District (suburban): math 75% / reading 76% proficiency, ranked #44 of 289 in IA (top 15%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical; only 16% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Zoned schools: Linn-Mar High School (math 73% / reading 78%, grade A-, #79 of 336 statewide, top 25%, 2,271 students, 23% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+8.4%/yr); 461 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 15d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 1,023 units permitted in Linn County in 2024 (456 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Linn County population projected at +16% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 4 sale attempts since 8y 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.
• Cap rate 5.3% vs local median 2.8% in Marion — 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.

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?
• 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 A-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?
• 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?
• 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.