131 Sumter St

Hartsville, SC 29550

$35,000B-

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,189 sqft · Built 1961 · Other · Active · 77 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $930/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$184
• Tax + insurance: −$65
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$195
• Net cashflow: $486/mo
• Annual: $5,836/yr
• Cap rate: 22.97%
• Cash-on-cash: 59.55%
• DSCR: 3.65
• 1% rule: 2.66%
• Cash to close: $9,800

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath other listed at $35k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $486 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($930 rent vs $35k).
• It's been on market 77 days — a 6% lower offer ($33k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $33k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $242 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 60/100 on livability (#224 in SC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety B+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Darlington 01 (town): math 27% / reading 37% proficiency, ranked #52 of 80 in SC (top 65%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 75% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Thornwell School For The Arts (math 12% / reading 12%, grade F, #572 of 597 statewide, top 97%, 181 students, 100% FRL); Hartsville Middle (math 23% / reading 31%, grade F, #153 of 229 statewide, top 68%, 921 students, 100% FRL); Hartsville High (math 42% / reading 80%, grade C+, #105 of 196 statewide, top 54%, 1,133 students, 100% FRL) — zoned schools average 100% FRL vs 75% district-wide (25 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 156 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 195 units permitted in Darlington County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Darlington County population projected at -18% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $10k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 74% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 23.0% vs local median 3.7% in Hartsville — 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 77 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1961 — 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.
• 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?
• 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 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.