927/929 Fairchild St

Iowa City, IA 52240

$200,000B-

None bd · 6.0 ba · 1,200 sqft · Built 1960 · MultiFamily · Active · 157 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,172/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,049
• Tax + insurance: −$333
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$456
• Net cashflow: $334/mo
• Annual: $4,005/yr
• Cap rate: 8.30%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.15%
• DSCR: 1.32
• 1% rule: 1.09%
• Cash to close: $56,000

Investor read

• This is a 1×1bd/1ba + 1×2bd/1ba units multifamily listed at $200k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $334 ($4k/yr) — positive. Per door: $167/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $200k).
• It's been on market 157 days — a 12% lower offer ($176k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $176k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 86/100 on livability (#13 in IA, #450 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+.
• Iowa City Community School District (urban): math 65% / reading 70% proficiency, ranked #174 of 289 in IA (top 60%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Horace Mann Elementary School (math 57% / reading 67%, grade B, #363 of 616 statewide, top 62%, 213 students, 35% FRL); Southeast Junior High School (math 64% / reading 68%, grade A-, #152 of 246 statewide, top 62%, 812 students, 50% FRL); Iowa City High School (math 62% / reading 73%, grade B, #186 of 336 statewide, top 57%, 1,599 students, 40% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.3%/yr); 261 active listings in the ZIP; 12 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 83% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 714 units permitted in Johnson County in 2024 (158 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Johnson County population projected at +60% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.3% rent growth), your $56k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 8.3% vs local median 2.7% in Iowa City — 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.
• At $2,172/mo this rent would consume 49% of the median local household income ($53k/yr) (locally 2852% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 157 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Built in 1960 — 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.
• Schools are A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Major: kitchen cabinets — dated and in poor condition
• Major: kitchen appliances — outdated and in poor condition
• Minor: bathroom fixtures — basic and slightly worn
• Minor: exterior siding — some debris