143 S Elk Run Rd

Waterloo, IA 50707

$148,000C

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,664 sqft · Built 1869 · SingleFamily · Active · 14 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,527/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$776
• Tax + insurance: −$164
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$321
• Net cashflow: $266/mo
• Annual: $3,189/yr
• Cap rate: 8.45%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.70%
• DSCR: 1.34
• 1% rule: 1.03%
• Cash to close: $41,440

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $148k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $266 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $148k).
• Only 14 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 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.
• Location reads 81/100 on livability (#74 in IA, #1,589 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, employment D-.
• Waterloo Community School District (urban): math 50% / reading 54% proficiency, ranked #276 of 289 in IA (top 96%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Highland Elementary School (math 51% / reading 45%, grade D, #528 of 616 statewide, top 86%, 477 students, 85% FRL); Bunger Middle School (math 48% / reading 47%, grade C-, #226 of 246 statewide, top 92%, 431 students, 75% FRL); East High School (math 39% / reading 58%, grade D, #317 of 336 statewide, top 94%, 1,022 students, 73% FRL) — zoned schools average 78% FRL vs 58% district-wide (20 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: built in 1869 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 64 active listings in the ZIP; 287 units permitted in Black Hawk County in 2024 (67 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Black Hawk County population projected at +10% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• Cap rate 8.4% vs local median 4.2% in Waterloo — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1869 — 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.
• Crime grade is F in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
• 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.