4452 Gene Terry Rd · Cottonwood, AL 36320

$92,500

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,152 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 16 Days on market

Built 2008 0.80 ac lot ↓ 16% 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
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Schools +3.1/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Discover this beautifully updated 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home situated on a sprawling 0.80-acre lot in Cottonwood. Spanning 1,450 sq. ft. , this residence features a modern layout with a dedicated home office, formal dining, and a spacious family room. The master suite offers a private bath and walk-in closet, while the home boasts energy-efficient double-pane windows, hardwood and laminate flooring, and a 2023 interior refresh.

Key facts

• Formal dining
• Private bath
• Updated home

Tags

• UPDATED HOME
• SPRAWLING LOT
• DEDICATED HOME OFFICE
• FORMAL DINING
• SPACIOUS FAMILY ROOM
• PRIVATE BATH

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $92k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $596 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $92k).
• Recommended offer: $91k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 67/100 on livability (#82 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+, housing A; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Houston County (rural): math 25% / reading 49% proficiency, ranked #38 of 129 in AL (top 30%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Cottonwood Elementary School (481 students, 73% FRL); Cottonwood High School (math 14% / reading 39%, grade F, #107 of 305 statewide, top 36%, 398 students, 69% FRL) — zoned schools average 71% FRL vs 52% district-wide (19 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 39 active listings in the ZIP; 463 units permitted in Houston County in 2024 (96 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $640 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Houston County population projected at +7% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $26k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 16 days — a 2% lower offer ($91k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 7 sale attempts since 2y 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→19/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $91,112 (1.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
2. 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?
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: 1.61% ✓
• Cap rate: 14.02%
• Cash-on-cash: 27.60%
• DSCR: 2.23
• GRM: 5.2

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 21.7%
• Equity multiple: 1.89×
• Total profit: $22,936
• Equity at exit: $13,792

10-year hold

• IRR: 29.7%
• Equity multiple: 3.66×
• Total profit: $68,765
• Equity at exit: $7,998

Cash invested: $25,900 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Alabama: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+15
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Right-to-evict in 7 days for non-payment; no rent control; preempted statewide; courts move quickly.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 36320

• Home prices YoY: -10.7%
• Active inventory: 39
• Price-to-rent: 5.2×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,486 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$485
• Tax from tax record: −$54 /mo · $654/yr
• Insurance: −$39
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$312
• Net cashflow: $596

Break-even live

Break-even rent $732

Max offer price $92,500

Occupancy floor 55%

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: $23,125
• Closing costs: $2,775
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 12 events

1. 2026-03-08
   status Pending
2. 2026-02-20
   listed $92,500 Active
3. 2025-08-10
   status Active
4. 2025-08-02
   status Active
5. 2025-07-02
   status Active Under Contract
6. 2025-06-30
   historical Active Under Contract
7. 2025-05-24
   status Active
8. 2025-05-16
   price $100,000
9. 2025-04-14
   price $107,500
10. 2025-02-21
    status Active
11. 2025-02-10
    status Pending
12. 2024-11-19
    listed $110,000 Active

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

Tax reassessment forecast AL · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $654 · $54/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $654 · $54/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 8/10 Severe 7 d/yr ≥108°F today · 19 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 9/10 Extreme 99% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $17,830
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,181
• − Property taxes: −$654
• − Insurance: −$462
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,426
• − Management: −$1,426
• − Depreciation: −$2,691
• Taxable income: $5,988
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,437
• After-tax cash flow: $5,711/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: Houston County
• NCES district ID: 0101770
• Math proficiency: 25% ▼ -33.00%
• Reading proficiency: 49% ▼ -1.00%
• Median HH income: $40,530
• Composite: 31.01/100
• National rank: #6092
• State rank: #38 of 129 in AL

Livability — Cottonwood

• Score: 67/100
• State rank: #82
• US rank: #10682

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• City population: 3,137
• Population (ZIP): 3,137

Population outlook (Houston County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 110,280 people
• By 2030: 112,668 · +2.2%
• By 2040: 116,149 · +5.3%
• By 2050: 117,805 · +6.8%
• By 2075: 118,577 · +7.5%
• By 2100: 110,940 · +0.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (78%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 78% Black 14% Hispanic / Latino 4% Two or more races 3%
• Common ancestry: Iranian 2% Italian 2% Serbian 1%
• Foreign-born: 1% · Canada
• Languages at home: 97% English-only · Spanish 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Houston

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+47.8) · D 25.7% · R 73.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -7.0pp toward R · 2008: -40.8pp · 2024: -47.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+47.8 2020: R+42.7 2016: R+47.6 2012: R+40.3 2008: R+40.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -19.25%
• Current HPI: 160.737
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.94%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in AL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$8B
▸Healthcare	1	$5B

Price history

-15.9% since first listed

12 events — show timeline

• 2026-03-08 Pending — SAMLS
• 2026-02-20 Listed $92,500 SAMLS
• 2025-08-10 Relisted — SAMLS
• 2025-08-02 Relisted — SAMLS
• 2025-07-02 Relisted — SAMLS
• 2025-06-30 Contingent — SAMLS
• 2025-05-24 Relisted — SAMLS
• 2025-05-16 Price Changed $100,000 SAMLS
• 2025-04-14 Price Changed $107,500 SAMLS
• 2025-02-21 Relisted — SAMLS
• 2025-02-10 Pending — SAMLS
• 2024-11-19 Listed $110,000 SAMLS

Property tax history

+18.8%/yr

Latest (2024): $654 · +262.4% YoY. Source: county tax records.