715 Main Street East

Hartselle, AL 35640

$279,000D

4 bd · 1.0 ba · 2,065 sqft · Built 1930 · MultiFamily · Active · 361 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,525/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,463
• Tax + insurance: −$251
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$530
• Net cashflow: $281/mo
• Annual: $3,373/yr
• Cap rate: 7.50%
• Cash-on-cash: 4.32%
• DSCR: 1.19
• 1% rule: 0.91%
• Cash to close: $78,120

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $279k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $281 ($3k/yr) — positive. Per door: $141/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $252k (9.5% below list).
• It's been on market 361 days — a 12% lower offer ($246k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $246k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• 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 72/100 on livability (#32 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F.
• Hartselle City (other): math 41% / reading 64% proficiency, ranked #10 of 129 in AL (top 8%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Crestline Elementary School (math 32% / reading 57%, grade F, #171 of 627 statewide, top 31%, 550 students, 49% FRL); Hartselle Junior High School (math 33% / reading 63%, grade C-, #29 of 257 statewide, top 12%, 527 students, 38% FRL); Hartselle High School (math 44% / reading 48%, grade D-, #18 of 305 statewide, top 6%, 1,031 students, 34% FRL) — zoned schools average 40% FRL vs 25% district-wide (16 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: built in 1930 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 193 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 231 units permitted in Morgan County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Morgan County population projected at -11% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 3 sale attempts since 12y 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 $104k; list at $279k implies a 169% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 7.5% vs local median 4.0% in Hartselle — 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

• It's been on market 361 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1930 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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.
• 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.