918 Gulf St · Lake Charles, LA 70601

$40,000

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 642 sqft · SingleFamily · 318 Days on market

Built 1958 6,534 sqft lot $62/sqft · 52% below area

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Why this score? — see what drove the B 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 +30.0/30.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Rent growth +4.0/5.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Schools +3.1/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Investors, make this your next property! Investment Property-Bring an Offer! Sold "AS-IS"! All measurements and age are more or less.

Key facts

• 6,534 sq ft lot
• Built 1958
• Listed 317 days

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $40k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $407 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($828 rent vs $40k).
• Recommended offer: $35k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 18.5% vs local median 4.3% in Lake Charles — 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 68/100 on livability (#95 in LA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, employment D-.
• Calcasieu Parish (other): math 30% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #29 of 98 in LA (top 30%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.2%/yr); 363 active listings in the ZIP; 7 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 21d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,298 units permitted in Calcasieu Parish in 2024 (526 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $277 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Calcasieu County population projected at +11% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.2% rent growth), your $11k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 318 days — a 12% lower offer ($35k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Current owner paid $12k; list at $40k implies a 233% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1958 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→22/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $35,200 (12.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 318 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1958 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. 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?
6. 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?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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: 2.07% ✓
• Cap rate: 18.50%
• Cash-on-cash: 43.58%
• DSCR: 2.94
• GRM: 4.0

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $84,180
• List price: $40,000
• Delta: -52.48%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 15 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 1 sale within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1017 Alamo St	0.13mi	2/1.0 (+1)	636 (-1%)	3mo	$95,000	$149	85

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 6.18% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 43.9%
• Equity multiple: 2.98×
• Total profit: $22,153
• Equity at exit: $5,964

10-year hold

• IRR: 51.2%
• Equity multiple: 6.77×
• Total profit: $64,604
• Equity at exit: $3,458

Cash invested: $11,200 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Louisiana: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+12
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

5-day notice; no state rent control; civil-law jurisdiction; landlord-favorable.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 70601

• Rents YoY: 6.2%
• Active inventory: 363
• Price-to-rent: 4.0×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $828 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$210
• Tax from tax record: −$21 /mo · $251/yr
• Insurance: −$17
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$174
• Net cashflow: $407

Break-even live

Break-even rent $313

Max offer price $40,000

Occupancy floor 46%

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: $10,000
• Closing costs: $1,200
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 7 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
720 Live Oak St Lake Charles, LA	1.0	1.0	450	$625	$1.39	43d	1	0.56mi
520 E Lagrange St Unit 12 Lake Charles, LA	1.0	1.0	700	$749	$1.07	21d	1	0.70mi
2700 Ernest St Lake Charles, LA	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	1054	$1,068	$1.01	13d	1	0.96mi
3619 Texas St Lake Charles, LA	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	950	$902	$0.95	13d	6	1.00mi
1300 Oklahoma St Lake Charles, LA	1.0	1.0	512	$800	$1.56	21d	1	1.08mi
200 W 11th St Unit 4 Lake Charles, LA	1.0	1.0	700	$875	$1.25	21d	1	1.17mi
1605 W Common St Unit 1 Lake Charles, LA	1.0	1.0	750	$925	$1.23	21d	1	1.22mi

Listing history 19 events

1. 2026-06-19
   days on market $40,000 Active 318 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $40,000 Active 317 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $40,000 Active 316 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $40,000 Active 315 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $40,000 Active 314 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   days on market $40,000 Active 312 DOM
7. 2026-06-13
   days on market $40,000 Active 311 DOM
8. 2026-06-10
   days on market $40,000 Active 309 DOM
9. 2026-06-09
   days on market $40,000 Active 308 DOM
10. 2026-06-08
    days on market $40,000 Active 307 DOM
11. 2026-06-07
    days on market $40,000 Active 306 DOM
12. 2026-06-05
    days on market $40,000 Active 303 DOM
13. 2026-06-02
    days on market $40,000 Active 301 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    days on market $40,000 Active 300 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $40,000 Active 299 DOM
16. 2026-05-30
    days on market $40,000 Active 298 DOM
17. 2026-01-28
    price $40,000 143-char remark

    Show marketing remark (143 chars)

    Investors, make this your next property! Investment Property-Bring an Offer! Sold "AS-IS"! All measurements and age are more or less.

18. 2024-02-02
    listed $45,000 Active 143-char remark

    Show marketing remark (143 chars)

    Investors, make this your next property! Investment Property-Bring an Offer! Sold "AS-IS"! All measurements and age are more or less.

19. 1997-08-26
    soldstatus $12,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast LA · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $251 · $21/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $251 · $21/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 9/10 Extreme 7 d/yr ≥109°F today · 22 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 9/10 Extreme 99% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $9,936
• − Mortgage interest: −$2,241
• − Property taxes: −$251
• − Insurance: −$200
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$795
• − Management: −$795
• − Depreciation: −$1,164
• Taxable income: $4,491
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,078
• After-tax cash flow: $3,803/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: Calcasieu Parish
• NCES district ID: 2200330
• Math proficiency: 30% ▼ -39.00%
• Reading proficiency: 44% ▼ -33.00%
• Median HH income: $44,700
• Composite: 31.45/100
• National rank: #5979
• State rank: #29 of 98 in LA

Livability — Lake Charles

• Score: 68/100
• State rank: #95
• US rank: #9820

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Lake Charles, LA
• County: Calcasieu Parish · 170,889 people
• City population: 133,538
• Metro: Lake Charles, LA
• Population (ZIP): 30,872
• Household income: $49,992
• Rent vs Own: 41.1% rent · 58.9% own
• Severe rent burden: 1304.0

Population outlook (Calcasieu County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 212,179 people
• By 2030: 218,199 · +2.8%
• By 2040: 228,486 · +7.7%
• By 2050: 236,208 · +11.3%
• By 2075: 251,696 · +18.6%
• By 2100: 247,848 · +16.8%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.55)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 59% White 31% Two or more races 7% Hispanic / Latino 5%
• Common ancestry: Lithuanian 7% Iranian 1% Serbian 1%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada
• Languages at home: 95% English-only · Spanish 2% French/Haitian/Cajun 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Calcasieu

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+39.6) · D 29.5% · R 69.0% · Other 1.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -15.0pp toward R · 2008: -24.6pp · 2024: -39.6pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+39.6 2020: R+35.2 2016: R+33.3 2012: R+28.7 2008: R+24.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -109.32%
• Current HPI: 55.6127
• Rent YoY: ▲ 6.18%
• Metro: Lake Charles, LA
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.29%
• F500 in state: 10

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in LA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Telecommunications	2	$23B
▸Utilities	1	$12B
▸Wholesale / Distribution	1	$5B
▸Advertising	1	$2B

Price history

+233.3% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-01-28 Price Changed $40,000 SWLAR
• 2024-02-02 Listed $45,000 SWLAR
• 1997-08-26 Sold (Public Records) $12,000 Public Records

Property tax history

-0.4%/yr

Latest (2025): $251 · +1.3% YoY. Source: county tax records.