1796 Deaton Dr

Lancaster, SC 29720

$160,000C+

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,440 sqft · Built 1998 · Manufactured · Active · 23 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,762/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$839
• Tax + insurance: −$98
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$370
• Net cashflow: $455/mo
• Annual: $5,457/yr
• Cap rate: 9.70%
• Cash-on-cash: 12.18%
• DSCR: 1.54
• 1% rule: 1.10%
• Cash to close: $44,800

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath manufactured listed at $160k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $455 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $160k).
• It's been on market 23 days — a 2% lower offer ($158k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $158k (1.5% 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 $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 55/100 on livability (#301 in SC) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing B+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Lancaster 01 (rural): math 41% / reading 47% proficiency, ranked #26 of 80 in SC (top 32%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Erwin Elementary (math 17% / reading 17%, grade F, #515 of 597 statewide, top 89%, 411 students, 100% FRL); Lancaster High (math 17% / reading 70%, grade F, #171 of 196 statewide, top 87%, 1,463 students, 86% FRL) — zoned schools average 93% FRL vs 47% district-wide (46 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 30% at this address vs 44% district-wide (-14 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Lancaster 01 average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Market conditions: 684 active listings in the ZIP; 976 units permitted in Lancaster County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Lancaster County population projected at +40% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $45k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 51% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 9.7% vs local median 3.5% in Lancaster — 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.
• This rent runs 34% of the median local income ($63k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• 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.