274 Snow Hill Ridge Rd · Murphy, NC 28906

$150,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 996 sqft · Land public records · 5 Days on market

Built 1965 5.99 ac lot

---

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 +20.8/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• DSCR +6.6/10.0
• 1% rule +4.1/10.0
• Schools +3.7/10.0
• Livability +3.3/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Opportunity awaits with this 5.99-acre property in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina, just a short drive from Murphy, NC. Featuring mostly flat to gently rolling wooded terrain, this unrestricted parcel offers an excellent setting for a private mountain retreat, future homesite, or investment opportunity. The property includes a home built in 1965 that is currently occupied but is in need of substantial renovation and repair. Several additional structures are located on the property and will likely require removal. The true value of this offering lies in the desirable acreage itself, with its usable topography, mature trees, and peaceful mountain setting. Whether you're look

Key facts

• 5.99-acre property
• Future homesite
• Wooded terrain

Tags

• 5.99-ACRE PROPERTY
• WOODED TERRAIN
• PRIVATE MOUNTAIN RETREAT
• FUTURE HOMESITE
• INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
• SUBSTANTIAL RENOVATION

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Unpaved parking
• Utilities: Utilities: Other
• Home design: Single family residence; One-story entry (entry level: 1)
• Construction: Log construction; Other foundation
• Exterior features: No patio or porch; No fencing; Shingle roof; Road frontage on a city street and a state road; Approximately 5.99 acres (listed as 1.5 acres in dimensions; see remarks for frontage)

Interior

• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Has heating (type: Other); Has cooling (type: Other)
• Interior features: Other interior features

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath land listed at $150k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $205 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $137k (8.8% below list).
• Recommended offer: $137k (8.8% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 7.9% vs local median 2.6% in Murphy — 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 66/100 on livability (#292 in NC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+; Watch: health & safety C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Cherokee County Schools (rural): math 42% / reading 47% proficiency, ranked #90 of 178 in NC (top 51%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Ranger Elementary/Middle (math 37% / reading 47%, grade F, #633 of 1,410 statewide, top 48%, 258 students, 99% FRL); Murphy Middle (math 42% / reading 48%, grade D, #160 of 475 statewide, top 35%, 316 students, 64% FRL); Murphy High (math 42% / reading 57%, grade D, #311 of 535 statewide, top 60%, 489 students, 55% FRL) — zoned schools average 72% FRL vs 56% district-wide (16 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 1130 active listings in the ZIP; 232 units permitted in Cherokee County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Cherokee County population projected at -24% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• Only 5 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Current owner paid $10k; list at $150k implies a 1400% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: moderate wildfire risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $136,750 (8.8% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1965 — 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. 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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 0.91% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.93%
• Cash-on-cash: 5.84%
• DSCR: 1.26
• GRM: 9.1

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: -7.3%
• Equity multiple: 0.73×
• Total profit: $-11,357
• Equity at exit: $22,365

10-year hold

• IRR: 2.2%
• Equity multiple: 1.16×
• Total profit: $6,569
• Equity at exit: $12,969

Cash invested: $42,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State North Carolina: 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable but court speed varies.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 28906

• Home prices YoY: -18.3%
• Active inventory: 1130
• Price-to-rent: 9.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,368 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$787
• Tax from tax record: −$27 /mo · $320/yr
• Insurance: −$62
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$287
• Net cashflow: $205

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,109

Max offer price $150,000

Occupancy floor 80%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $289	-5% $247	+0% $205	+5% $162	+10% $-60
Rent	-10% $97	-5% $151	+0% $205	+5% $259	+10% $313
Rate	-1.0pp $280	-0.5pp $243	base $205	+0.5pp $166	+1.0pp $126

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: $37,500
• Closing costs: $4,500
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 5 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $150,000 Active 5 DOM
2. 2026-06-21
   days on market $150,000 Active 4 DOM
3. 2026-06-18
   days on market $150,000 Active 2 DOM
4. 2026-06-17
   remarks 699-char remark
5. 2026-06-17
   listed $150,000 Active 1 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast NC · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $320 · $27/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,230 · $102/mo
• Expected delta: +$910/yr (+$76/mo · 284.5%)

ⓘ 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 5/10 Major
• 🌡 Heat 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥100°F today · 19 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $16,410
• − Mortgage interest: −$8,402
• − Property taxes: −$320
• − Insurance: −$750
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,313
• − Management: −$1,313
• − Depreciation: −$4,364
• Taxable loss: −$51
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$12
• After-tax cash flow: $2,467/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: Cherokee County Schools
• NCES district ID: 3700780
• Math proficiency: 42% ▲ 1.00%
• Reading proficiency: 47% ▼ -2.00%
• Median HH income: $36,424
• Composite: 36.91/100
• National rank: #4542
• State rank: #90 of 178 in NC

Livability — Murphy

• Score: 66/100
• State rank: #292
• US rank: #12327

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Population (ZIP): 19,712

Population outlook (Cherokee County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 25,672 people
• By 2030: 24,504 · -4.5%
• By 2040: 21,955 · -14.5%
• By 2050: 19,592 · -23.7%
• By 2075: 15,128 · -41.1%
• By 2100: 11,203 · -56.4%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (91%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 91% Two or more races 4% Hispanic / Latino 4% Black 1%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 4% Serbian 3% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 98% English-only · Spanish 2% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Cherokee

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+57.5) · D 20.8% · R 78.2% · Other 1.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -18.9pp toward R · 2008: -38.6pp · 2024: -57.5pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+57.5 2020: R+55.1 2016: R+57.0 2012: R+46.2 2008: R+38.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -47.19%
• Current HPI: 211.1795
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.28%
• F500 in state: 26

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in NC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	2	$213B
▸Retail	2	$95B
▸Industrial Conglomerate	1	$38B
▸Metals / Steel	1	$35B
▸Utilities	1	$30B
▸Industrial Machinery	1	$19B

Price history

+1400.0% since first listed

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-16 Listed $150,000 Hive MLS
• 1992-03-01 Sold (Public Records) $10,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+0.1%/yr

Latest (2025): $320 · -23.8% YoY. Source: county tax records.