224 Hibiscus Ave #253

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL 33308

$224,900C

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 640 sqft · Built 1966 · Condo · Active · 7 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,312/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,179
• Tax + insurance: −$421
• HOA: −$625
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$696
• Net cashflow: $391/mo
• Annual: $4,692/yr
• Cap rate: 8.38%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.45%
• DSCR: 1.33
• 1% rule: 1.47%
• Cash to close: $62,972

Investor read

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $225k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $391 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $225k).
• Only 7 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads: area grade C — affects rentability + tenant quality, not the cash-flow math above.
• Broward (suburban): math 42% / reading 53% proficiency, ranked #46 of 73 in FL (top 63%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Bayview Elementary School (math 79% / reading 85%, grade A+, #79 of 2,144 statewide, top 4%, 552 students, 23% FRL); Sunrise Middle School (math 50% / reading 52%, grade C, #237 of 571 statewide, top 43%, 1,242 students, 64% FRL); Fort Lauderdale High School (math 38% / reading 67%, grade C-, #154 of 667 statewide, top 24%, 2,228 students, 57% FRL) — zoned schools at 48% FRL track the district average.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 62% at this address vs 48% district-wide (+14 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Broward average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.6%/yr); 739 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 6d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 2,111 units permitted in Broward County in 2024 (1,265 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Broward County population projected at +34% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 5 sale attempts since 20y ago; this cycle's ask is 11737% above the opening price — seller raised mid-cycle; expect resistance to lowballs.
• Current owner paid $190k; 18% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Climate carrying-cost: moderate flood risk; severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→26/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 8.4% vs local median 2.0% in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea — 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 42% of the median local income ($94k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1966 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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.