3 bd · 1.5 ba ·
1,527 sqft ·
Built 1900
· SingleFamily
· Active
· 57 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$942/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$414
Tax + insurance
−$124
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$198
Net cashflow
$205/mo
Annual
$2,465/yr
Cap rate
9.41%
Cash-on-cash
11.14%
DSCR
1.50
1% rule
1.19%
Cash to close
$22,120
Investor read
This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $79k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $205 ($2k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($942 rent vs $79k).
It's been on market 57 days — a 3% lower offer ($77k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $77k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
In year one you build about $4k of equity ($546 loan paydown + $3k appreciation (4.4% local appreciation)).
Location reads 77/100 on livability (#158 in IA, #2,881 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, amenities F, commute F.
Union Community School District (rural): math 77% / reading 75% proficiency, ranked #53 of 289 in IA (top 18%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical; only 20% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
Zoned schools: La Porte City Elementary School (math 92% / reading 82%, grade A+, #16 of 616 statewide, top 3%, 273 students, 23% FRL); Union High School (math 69% / reading 75%, grade B+, #117 of 336 statewide, top 39%, 316 students, 28% FRL).
Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: 27 active listings in the ZIP; 17 units permitted in Tama County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
Tama County population projected at -15% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
Current owner paid $55k; 44% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
At projected returns (4.4% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $22k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
By year 8, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$30k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 57 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
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?
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.
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.
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-J08Y2ME4DG8KGD
· Data 2 days agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29