2 Benkert Ave · Baltimore, MD 21229

$79,500

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,313 sqft · Townhouse public records · 96 Days on market

Built 1927 1,306 sqft lot $61/sqft · 37% below area Est $127k · 37% under ↓ 12% since listing

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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
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Rent growth +3.8/5.0
• Livability +3.8/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.0/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Southwest Baltimore over here in Saint Joseph’s, and we’re talking a covered front porch, end of group home on a tidy street near the intersection of Hilton Street, Baltimore Street & Frederick Avenue. Say what you want, but if this place has one thing going for it, it’s convenient. Even Amtrak is just a short walk down the street. And there's pride of ownership in these parts. A classic Baltimore home featuring a formal foyer, hardwood floors, and old world grand sized rooms that could tell quite a story I’m sure. Act two is you taking this place and bringing it back to its former glory and creating your own stories between these walls. For a row home this place actually has a ton of room and there’s even an old-school bar in the basement. Buyer to determine if ground rent exists, seller will not redeem.

Key facts

• Covered front porch
• End of group home
• Formal foyer

Tags

• COVERED FRONT PORCH
• END OF GROUP HOME
• SHORT WALK TO AMTRAK
• FORMAL FOYER
• HARDWOOD FLOORS
• OLD SCHOOL BAR IN BASEMENT

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $80k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $785 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $80k).
• Recommended offer: $72k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 18.1% vs local median 6.0% in Baltimore — 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 76/100 on livability (#90 in MD, #3,396 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F.
• Baltimore City Public Schools (urban): math 7% / reading 16% proficiency, ranked #24 of 24 in MD (top 100%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 79% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership (math 2% / reading 16%, grade F, #650 of 860 statewide, top 77%, 642 students, 80% FRL); Vanguard Collegiate Middle (math 3% / reading 15%, grade F, #212 of 225 statewide, top 95%, 343 students, 84% FRL); Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (math 71% / reading 84%, grade A-, #22 of 222 statewide, top 10%, 1,555 students, 43% FRL).
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 32% at this address vs 12% district-wide (+20 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Baltimore City Public Schools average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.4%/yr); 256 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 55% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,273 units permitted in Baltimore city in 2024 (1,104 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 36% of the median local income ($60k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $550 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Baltimore County population projected to shrink 4% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.4% rent growth), your $22k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 96 days — a 9% lower offer ($72k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.9% of price; built in 1927 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $72,345 (9.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 96 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1927 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
4. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
5. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
6. Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
7. 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?
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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: 2.27% ✓
• Cap rate: 18.14%
• Cash-on-cash: 42.32%
• DSCR: 2.88
• GRM: 3.7

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $127,093
• List price: $79,500
• Delta: -37.45%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
125 S Morley St S	0.15mi	3/1.5	1,350 (+3%)	2mo	$70,000	$52	84
28 S Bernice Ave	0.23mi	3/1.0	1,280 (-2%)	1mo	$147,000	$115	84
156 S Hilton St	0.20mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,320 (+0%)	2mo	$195,000	$148	81
5 Rosedale St S	0.28mi	3/2.0	1,280 (-2%)	1mo	$110,000	$86	78
38 N Monastery Ave	0.22mi	3/2.0	1,260 (-4%)	3mo	$90,000	$71	77
21 Culver St	0.14mi	2/2.0 (-1)	1,260 (-4%)	1mo	$210,000	$167	76
300 Denison St	0.34mi	3/2.0	1,260 (-4%)	2mo	$205,000	$163	72
222 N Hilton St	0.24mi	3/1.0	1,120 (-15%)	1mo	$89,775	$80	64
3017 Frederick Ave	0.55mi	4/3.0 (+1)	1,260 (-4%)	2mo	$217,000	$172	53
517 N Edgewood St	0.51mi	4/2.5 (+1)	1,430 (+9%)	2mo	$90,000	$63	49
509 Normandy Ave	0.62mi	4/2.5 (+1)	1,458 (+11%)	1mo	$212,000	$145	40
537 Longwood St	0.72mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,176 (-10%)	0mo	$60,000	$51	40

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 · 5.38% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 41.9%
• Equity multiple: 2.87×
• Total profit: $41,631
• Equity at exit: $11,854

10-year hold

• IRR: 49.3%
• Equity multiple: 6.39×
• Total profit: $120,058
• Equity at exit: $6,874

Cash invested: $22,260 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (CITY): 12 Strongly Tenant-Friendly
• State Maryland: 27 Tenant-Leaning · D+14
• County: — inherits STATE
• City Baltimore: 12 Strongly Tenant-Friendly · D+58

Just-cause for tenancies > 1 yr.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 21229

• Rents YoY: 5.4%
• Active inventory: 256
• Price-to-rent: 3.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,807 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$417
• Tax from tax record: −$192 /mo · $2,305/yr
• Insurance: −$33
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$379
• Net cashflow: $785

Break-even live

Break-even rent $813

Max offer price $79,500

Occupancy floor 52%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $830	-5% $808	+0% $785	+5% $763	+10% $740
Rent	-10% $642	-5% $714	+0% $785	+5% $856	+10% $928
Rate	-1.0pp $825	-0.5pp $805	base $785	+0.5pp $764	+1.0pp $743

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: $19,875
• Closing costs: $2,385
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 40 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
3336 W Caton Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1236	$1,625	$1.31	25d	1	0.05mi
3310 Elbert St Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	920	$1,550	$1.68	25d	1	0.09mi
41 N Kossuth St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1216	$1,800	$1.48	25d	1	0.15mi
202 N Edgewood St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1710	$2,250	$1.32	25d	1	0.33mi
3607 W Lexington St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1050	$1,895	$1.80	6d	1	0.33mi
405 N Edgewood St Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.0	1408	$2,750	$1.95	0d	1	0.43mi
3706 W Saratoga St Unit 1 Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1540	$1,350	$0.88	45d	1	0.43mi
212 S Loudon Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1310	$1,550	$1.18	45d	1	0.48mi
117 Collins Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	3.0	1617	$2,350	$1.45	45d	1	0.50mi
4018 Massachusetts Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1050	$1,400	$1.33	25d	1	0.51mi
3130 Stafford St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1200	$1,500	$1.25	22d	1	0.52mi
3423 Edmondson Ave Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.5	1400	$1,710	$1.22	45d	1	0.54mi
3507 Edmondson Ave Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.0	1428	$2,300	$1.61	45d	1	0.55mi
409 Normandy Ave Baltimore, MD	4.0	1.0	1640	$1,500	$0.91	25d	1	0.57mi
304 Collins Ave Unit 2 Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1016	$2,100	$2.07	45d	1	0.62mi
623 N Grantley St Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.0	1250	$2,000	$1.60	25d	1	0.65mi
730 Linnard St Unit 1 Baltimore, MD	4.0	1.0	1360	$1,750	$1.29	25d	1	0.70mi
3712 Gelston Dr Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1250	$2,500	$2.00	25d	1	0.74mi
2922 Edmondson Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1620	$1,900	$1.17	45d	1	0.74mi
2815 W Mulberry St Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.0	1040	$2,050	$1.97	45d	1	0.75mi
780 Linnard St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1224	$1,590	$1.30	45d	1	0.76mi
787 N Grantley St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1116	$1,575	$1.41	25d	1	0.78mi
3015 Rayner Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1152	$1,350	$1.17	45d	1	0.80mi
798 N Grantley St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1360	$2,295	$1.69	25d	1	0.80mi
4020 Gelston Dr Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1270	$1,875	$1.48	45d	1	0.84mi
111 Upmanor Rd Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1224	$2,163	$1.77	45d	1	0.87mi
2537 Hollins St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1200	$1,450	$1.21	25d	1	0.89mi
4301 Parkton St Baltimore, MD	1.0–3.0	1.0	730	$1,550	$2.12	45d	1	0.90mi
2516 Hollins St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1100	$1,700	$1.55	45d	1	0.92mi
2636 Lauretta Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.5	1232	$1,900	$1.54	45d	1	0.92mi
2657 Lehman St Unit 1 Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1056	$1,000	$0.95	45d	1	0.93mi
2609 Lauretta Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1286	$1,675	$1.30	25d	1	0.93mi
2540 Frederick Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1075	$1,400	$1.30	25d	1	0.94mi
2738 Wilkens Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1183	$1,500	$1.27	45d	1	0.95mi
110 S Catherine St Unit 1 Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1330	$1,500	$1.13	45d	1	0.95mi
2737 Wilkens Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1232	$1,650	$1.34	6d	1	0.97mi
2671 Saint Benedict St Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1144	$1,325	$1.16	45d	1	0.99mi
1042 Ellicott Dr Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	900	$1,450	$1.61	45d	1	1.03mi
3238 Westmont Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1280	$1,600	$1.25	45d	1	1.06mi
4520 Scarlet Oak Ln Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1025	$1,500	$1.46	45d	1	1.06mi

Listing history 5 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $79,500 Active 96 DOM
2. 2026-06-19
   status $79,500 Active 93 DOM
3. 2026-05-08
   price $79,500 852-char remark

   Show marketing remark (852 chars)

   Southwest Baltimore over here in Saint Joseph’s, and we’re talking a covered front porch, end of group home on a tidy street near the intersection of Hilton Street, Baltimore Street & Frederick Avenue. Say what you want, but if this place has one thing going for it, it’s convenient. Even Amtrak is just a short walk down the street. And there's pride of ownership in these parts. A classic Baltimore home featuring a formal foyer, hardwood floors, and old world grand sized rooms that could tell quite a story I’m sure. Act two is you taking this place and bringing it back to its former glory and creating your own stories between these walls. For a row home this place actually has a ton of room and there’s even an old-school bar in the basement. Buyer to determine if ground rent exists, seller will not redeem.

4. 2026-04-01
   price $84,900 852-char remark

   Show marketing remark (852 chars)

   Southwest Baltimore over here in Saint Joseph’s, and we’re talking a covered front porch, end of group home on a tidy street near the intersection of Hilton Street, Baltimore Street & Frederick Avenue. Say what you want, but if this place has one thing going for it, it’s convenient. Even Amtrak is just a short walk down the street. And there's pride of ownership in these parts. A classic Baltimore home featuring a formal foyer, hardwood floors, and old world grand sized rooms that could tell quite a story I’m sure. Act two is you taking this place and bringing it back to its former glory and creating your own stories between these walls. For a row home this place actually has a ton of room and there’s even an old-school bar in the basement. Buyer to determine if ground rent exists, seller will not redeem.

5. 2026-02-23
   listed $89,900 Active 852-char remark

   Show marketing remark (852 chars)

   Southwest Baltimore over here in Saint Joseph’s, and we’re talking a covered front porch, end of group home on a tidy street near the intersection of Hilton Street, Baltimore Street & Frederick Avenue. Say what you want, but if this place has one thing going for it, it’s convenient. Even Amtrak is just a short walk down the street. And there's pride of ownership in these parts. A classic Baltimore home featuring a formal foyer, hardwood floors, and old world grand sized rooms that could tell quite a story I’m sure. Act two is you taking this place and bringing it back to its former glory and creating your own stories between these walls. For a row home this place actually has a ton of room and there’s even an old-school bar in the basement. Buyer to determine if ground rent exists, seller will not redeem.

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

Tax reassessment forecast MD · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $2,305 · $192/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,305 · $192/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 2/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 7/10 Severe 7 d/yr ≥103°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 27% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 4 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $21,678
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,453
• − Property taxes: −$2,305
• − Insurance: −$398
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,734
• − Management: −$1,734
• − Depreciation: −$2,313
• Taxable income: $8,741
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$2,098
• After-tax cash flow: $7,323/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: Baltimore City Public Schools
• NCES district ID: 2400090
• Math proficiency: 7% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 16% ▼ -5.00%
• Median HH income: $42,108
• Composite: 10.08/100
• National rank: #9805
• State rank: #24 of 24 in MD

Livability — Baltimore

• Score: 76/100
• State rank: #90
• US rank: #3396

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Baltimore, MD
• County: Baltimore City · 558,601 people
• City population: 588,727
• Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
• Population (ZIP): 46,679
• Household income: $60,047
• Rent vs Own: 43.1% rent · 56.9% own
• Severe rent burden: 2776.0

Population outlook (Baltimore County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 624,249 people
• By 2030: 621,541 · -0.4%
• By 2040: 609,756 · -2.3%
• By 2050: 597,249 · -4.3%
• By 2075: 552,236 · -11.5%
• By 2100: 513,934 · -17.7%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly Black (73%)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 73% White 15% Hispanic / Latino 6% Two or more races 4% Asian 3%
• Common ancestry: Lithuanian 1% Romanian 1% Serbian 1%
• Foreign-born: 5% · Canada, Philippines
• Languages at home: 91% English-only · Spanish 4% Other Indo-European 2% Other Asian/Pacific 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Baltimore

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+73.0) · D 85.2% · R 12.2% · Other 2.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -2.5pp toward R · 2008: 75.5pp · 2024: 73.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+73.0 2020: D+76.6 2016: D+74.6 2012: D+76.4 2008: D+75.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -259.07%
• Current HPI: 226.896
• Rent YoY: ▲ 5.38%
• Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.97%
• F500 in state: 12

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MD)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Aerospace / Defense	1	$71B
▸Utilities	1	$25B
▸Hotels	1	$24B
▸Consumer Goods	1	$7B
▸Real Estate	1	$6B
▸Chemicals	1	$2B

Price history

-11.6% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-08 Price Changed $79,500 BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-04-01 Price Changed $84,900 BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-02-23 Listed $89,900 BRIGHT MLS

Property tax history

+1.4%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,305 · +35.1% YoY. Source: county tax records.