609 N 8th St · Estherville, IA 51334

$139,000

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,343 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 22 Days on market

Built 1905 8,729 sqft lot Est $190k · 27% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the C+ 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 +22.0/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• DSCR +7.0/10.0
• 1% rule +5.9/10.0
• Schools +5.2/10.0
• Livability +3.9/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Spacious two story home with lots of character. Neat and clean as it can be. Main floor master bedroom and bath, main floor laundry, eat in kitchen plus formal dining room. Deck plus patio. With four bedrooms this is a great family home that is priced to sell.

Key facts

• 8,729 sq ft lot
• Garage
• Built 1905

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached concrete garage with 1 garage space
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single family residence; One and one-half level (2 total stories)
• Construction: Vinyl siding
• Exterior features: Lot approximately 66 x 132 (0.2 acres)

Interior

• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom; 1 three-quarter bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Electric and natural gas forced air heating
• Interior features: Gas water heater; Partial basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $139k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $222 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $139k).
• Recommended offer: $137k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 8.2% vs local median 5.2% in Estherville — 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 77/100 on livability (#174 in IA, #3,136 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: amenities D-, commute F.
• Estherville Lincoln Central Community School District (town): math 57% / reading 67% proficiency, ranked #229 of 289 in IA (top 79%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Market conditions: 45 active listings in the ZIP; 11 units permitted in Emmet County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $961 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Emmet County population projected at -23% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 22 days — a 2% lower offer ($137k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts since 9y 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 $82k; list at $139k implies a 69% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1905 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $136,915 (1.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1905 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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: 1.09% ✓
• Cap rate: 8.21%
• Cash-on-cash: 6.83%
• DSCR: 1.30
• GRM: 7.6

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $189,783
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
609 N 8th St	0.00mi	4/2.0	2,343 (0%)	1mo	$139,000	$59	99
1002 7th Ave N	0.16mi	4/2.0	2,672 (+14%)	3mo	$250,000	$94	67
814 N 7th St	0.14mi	5/2.0 (+1)	2,195 (-6%)	18mo	$139,000	$63	63
1103 N 9th St	0.27mi	3/2.0 (-1)	2,064 (-12%)	1mo	$157,000	$76	62
33 Manor Circle Cir	0.50mi	4/3.0	2,501 (+7%)	1mo	$369,000	$148	61
709 N 10th St	0.14mi	5/2.5 (+1)	1,995 (-15%)	3mo	$154,900	$78	59
1021 N 13th St	0.40mi	4/1.5	2,211 (-6%)	13mo	$187,500	$85	59
1309 N 15th St	0.55mi	4/2.0	2,448 (+4%)	14mo	$180,000	$74	55
1521 Central Ave	0.63mi	4/2.5	2,512 (+7%)	5mo	$200,000	$80	52
808 N 14th St	0.42mi	4/1.5	2,152 (-8%)	18mo	$185,000	$86	49
333 N 17th St	0.64mi	4/2.0	2,111 (-10%)	13mo	$171,000	$81	43
621 18th Ave N	0.71mi	4/2.0	2,096 (-10%)	12mo	$191,500	$91	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 · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -5.8%
• Equity multiple: 0.78×
• Total profit: $-8,383
• Equity at exit: $20,725

10-year hold

• IRR: 3.9%
• Equity multiple: 1.28×
• Total profit: $11,000
• Equity at exit: $12,018

Cash invested: $38,920 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 51334

• Home prices YoY: -7.7%
• Active inventory: 45
• Price-to-rent: 7.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,516 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$729
• Tax from tax record: −$189 /mo · $2,272/yr
• Insurance: −$58
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$318
• Net cashflow: $222

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,236

Max offer price $139,000

Occupancy floor 80%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $300	-5% $261	+0% $222	+5% $182	+10% $143
Rent	-10% $102	-5% $162	+0% $222	+5% $281	+10% $341
Rate	-1.0pp $292	-0.5pp $257	base $222	+0.5pp $186	+1.0pp $149

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: $34,750
• Closing costs: $4,170
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 5 events

1. 2026-05-06
   historical Active Under Contract
2. 2026-05-05
   listed $139,000 Active
3. 2017-05-19
   soldstatus $82,375
4. 2017-05-18
   soldstatus $82,500 260-char remark

   Show marketing remark (260 chars)

   Spacious two story home with lots of character. Neat and clean as it can be. Main floor master bedroom and bath, main floor laundry, eat in kitchen plus formal dining room. Deck plus patio. With four bedrooms this is a great family home that is priced to sell.

5. 2017-01-23
   listed $82,500 260-char remark

   Show marketing remark (260 chars)

   Spacious two story home with lots of character. Neat and clean as it can be. Main floor master bedroom and bath, main floor laundry, eat in kitchen plus formal dining room. Deck plus patio. With four bedrooms this is a great family home that is priced to sell.

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

Tax reassessment forecast IA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $2,272 · $189/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,272 · $189/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 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥98°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $18,193
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,786
• − Property taxes: −$2,272
• − Insurance: −$695
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,455
• − Management: −$1,455
• − Depreciation: −$4,044
• Taxable income: $485
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$116
• After-tax cash flow: $2,542/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: Estherville Lincoln Central Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1911070
• Math proficiency: 57% ▼ -1.00%
• Reading proficiency: 67% ▲ 5.00%
• Median HH income: $46,185
• Composite: 52.33/100
• National rank: #1588
• State rank: #229 of 289 in IA

Livability — Estherville

• Score: 77/100
• State rank: #174
• US rank: #3136

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Estherville, IA
• Population (ZIP): 6,827

Population outlook (Emmet County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 9,084 people
• By 2030: 8,626 · -5.0%
• By 2040: 7,751 · -14.7%
• By 2050: 6,991 · -23.0%
• By 2075: 5,854 · -35.6%
• By 2100: 5,563 · -38.8%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (83%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 83% Hispanic / Latino 13% Two or more races 8% Black 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 8%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 10% Iranian 3% Romanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 5% · Canada
• Languages at home: 90% English-only · Spanish 8% German/W. Germanic 0%

Political lean MEDSL · Emmet

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+44.0) · D 27.5% · R 71.5% · Other 1.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -48.0pp toward R · 2008: 3.9pp · 2024: -44.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+44.0 2020: R+36.0 2016: R+37.5 2012: R+8.9 2008: D+3.9

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -17.14%
• Current HPI: 207.0155
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

+68.5% since first listed

5 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-06 Contingent — Iowa Great Lakes BOR
• 2026-05-05 Listed $139,000 Iowa Great Lakes BOR
• 2017-05-19 Sold (Public Records) $82,375 Public Records
• 2017-05-18 Sold (MLS) $82,500 Iowa Great Lakes BOR
• 2017-01-23 Listed $82,500 Iowa Great Lakes BOR

Property tax history

+7.5%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,272 · +3.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.