157 Merlo Rd · Vinco, PA 15942

$23,000

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,100 sqft · SingleFamily · 67 Days on market

Built 1920 0.26 ac lot $21/sqft · 75% below area

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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 +15.0/30.0
• Appreciation +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• 1% rule +5.0/10.0
• DSCR +5.0/10.0
• Schools +3.6/10.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks MLS

Check out this fixer-upper in East Taylor Township featuring 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. This home offers a very open floor plan and sits on over a quarter-acre lot, providing plenty of space both inside and out. While it does need some improvements, it presents a great opportunity to bring your vision to life and create the home you've been looking for.

Key facts

• Open floor plan
• Quarter-acre lot
• 0.26 acre lot

Tags

• OPEN FLOOR PLAN
• QUARTER-ACRE LOT

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $23k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $554 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $23k).
• Recommended offer: $22k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 67/100 on livability (#1,005 in PA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: schools F, amenities F, commute F.
• Conemaugh Valley SD (rural): math 30% / reading 56% proficiency, ranked #313 of 539 in PA (top 58%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: 11 active listings in the ZIP; 64 units permitted in Cambria County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $2k of equity ($159 loan paydown + $2k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Cambria County population projected at -28% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $6k cash investment doubles in ~1 year — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 67 days — a 6% lower offer ($22k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Current owner paid $16k; 44% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.9% of price; flood insurance adds $56/mo; built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $21,620 (6.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 67 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1920 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
4. What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
5. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
6. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
7. Schools are F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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: 4.38% ✓
• Cap rate: 38.10%
• Cash-on-cash: 113.61%
• DSCR: 6.05
• GRM: 1.9

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $92,765
• List price: $23,000
• Delta: -75.21%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 9 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 1 sale within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
754 Mineral Point Rd	0.67mi	2/1.0	1,014 (-8%)	6mo	$24,900	$25	46

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

10.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: —
• Equity multiple: 8.44×
• Total profit: $47,887
• Equity at exit: $20,720

10-year hold

• IRR: —
• Equity multiple: 18.61×
• Total profit: $113,394
• Equity at exit: $44,684

Cash invested: $6,440 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 62 Landlord-Friendly
• State Pennsylvania: 62 Landlord-Friendly · EVEN
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; Philadelphia has eviction-court diversion + some protections; otherwise moderate.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 15942

• Home prices YoY: 7.3%
• Active inventory: 11
• Price-to-rent: 1.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,007 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$121
• Tax from tax record: −$56 /mo · $666/yr
• Insurance: −$10
• Flood insurance flood zone: −$56 /mo · $666/yr
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$211
• Net cashflow: $554

Break-even live

Break-even rent $305

Max offer price $23,000

Occupancy floor 40%

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: $5,750
• Closing costs: $690
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 17 events

1. 2026-06-19
   days on market $23,000 Active 67 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $23,000 Active 66 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $23,000 Active 65 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $23,000 Active 64 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $23,000 Active 63 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   days on market $23,000 Active 61 DOM
7. 2026-06-12
   days on market $23,000 Active 60 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $23,000 Active 57 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $23,000 Active 56 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $23,000 Active 55 DOM
11. 2026-06-02
    days on market $23,000 Active 50 DOM
12. 2026-06-01
    days on market $23,000 Active 49 DOM
13. 2026-05-31
    days on market $23,000 Active 48 DOM
14. 2026-05-30
    days on market $23,000 Active 47 DOM
15. 2026-05-14
    price $23,000 352-char remark

    Show marketing remark (352 chars)

    Check out this fixer-upper in East Taylor Township featuring 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. This home offers a very open floor plan and sits on over a quarter-acre lot, providing plenty of space both inside and out. While it does need some improvements, it presents a great opportunity to bring your vision to life and create the home you've been looking for.

16. 2026-04-13
    listed $25,000 Active 352-char remark

    Show marketing remark (352 chars)

    Check out this fixer-upper in East Taylor Township featuring 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. This home offers a very open floor plan and sits on over a quarter-acre lot, providing plenty of space both inside and out. While it does need some improvements, it presents a great opportunity to bring your vision to life and create the home you've been looking for.

17. 1999-11-01
    soldstatus $16,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast PA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $666 · $56/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $666 · $56/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 8/10 Severe FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 99% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥92°F today · 18 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 4 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $12,082
• − Mortgage interest: −$1,288
• − Property taxes: −$666
• − Insurance: −$782
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$967
• − Management: −$967
• − Depreciation: −$669
• Taxable income: $6,744
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,619
• After-tax cash flow: $5,031/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: Conemaugh Valley SD
• NCES district ID: 4206430
• Math proficiency: 30% ▼ -18.00%
• Reading proficiency: 56% ▼ -11.00%
• Median HH income: $42,523
• Composite: 36.16/100
• National rank: #4739
• State rank: #313 of 539 in PA

Livability — Vinco

• Score: 67/100
• State rank: #1005
• US rank: #11078

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Population (ZIP): 2,134

Population outlook (Cambria County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 122,754 people
• By 2030: 115,827 · -5.6%
• By 2040: 101,309 · -17.5%
• By 2050: 88,379 · -28.0%
• By 2075: 65,237 · -46.9%
• By 2100: 46,909 · -61.8%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (98%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 98% Hispanic / Latino 1%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 8% Italian 6% Iranian 4%
• Foreign-born: 0% · South Korea

Political lean MEDSL · Cambria

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+39.7) · D 29.8% · R 69.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -40.4pp toward R · 2008: 0.7pp · 2024: -39.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+39.7 2020: R+37.3 2016: R+37.8 2012: R+17.8 2008: D+0.7

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 11.02%
• Current HPI: 161.1142
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.68%
• F500 in state: 34

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in PA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	2	$309B
▸Insurance	2	$27B
▸Telecommunications / Media	1	$124B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$22B
▸Financial Services	1	$20B
▸Chemicals / Materials	1	$18B

Price history

+43.8% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-14 Price Changed $23,000 AHARMLS
• 2026-04-13 Listed $25,000 AHARMLS
• 1999-11-01 Sold (Public Records) $16,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+0.5%/yr

Latest (2026): $666 · +0.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.