4534 Margaretta Ave · St. Louis, MO 63115

$89,999

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,918 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 42 Days on market

Built 1910 5,972 sqft lot $47/sqft · 76% above area

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Why this score? — see what drove the B- 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 +30.0/30.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +8.3/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Appreciation +3.3/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Livability +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.2/10.0

Listing remarks

Welcome to a great opportunity in the heart of the Penrose neighborhood: this stately 2-story, 3-bedroom, 2-baths home at 4534 Margaretta Ave presents solid potential for both owner-occupants and investors alike. Step inside and you’ll be greeted by generous living space 1,918 sq ft with character details — from original woodwork and classic architectural touches to a layout that flows across two full levels. On the main level you’ll find the living room, dining area and convenient first-floor laundry; upstairs, three bedrooms and a bonus room or loft space offer flexible usage. This home is currently tenant-occupied on a month-to-month lease – providing immediate in

Key facts

• 5,972 sq ft lot
• Built 1910
• Listed 41 days

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Private ownership; No pool; No other structures; Home energy efficient HVAC
• Financial info: Lease not considered
• HOA & community: Street lights in neighborhood

Exterior

• Parking: On-site parking; Street parking; Alley access
• Security: Security system (owned)
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electric service: Ameren; Cable available
• Home design: Single-family residence; Two levels; Private ownership
• Construction: Brick construction; Shingle roof; Concrete perimeter foundation; Built (year per public records)
• Exterior features: Back yard with fencing; Private yard; Courtyard; Front porch

Interior

• Kitchen: Refrigerator; Gas water heater
• Bedrooms: 3 bedrooms (all on upper level)
• Flooring: Carpet; Hardwood
• Bathrooms: 1 full bath; 1 half bath
• Heating & cooling: Electric and natural gas heating; Central air; Ceiling fan(s)
• Interior features: Window coverings; Concrete basement; Security system (owned)
• Laundry & utility: Laundry inside on main level

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $90k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $408 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $90k).
• Recommended offer: $87k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 11.7% vs local median 5.0% in St. Louis — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads: area grade B — affects rentability + tenant quality, not the cash-flow math above.
• St. Louis City (urban): math 10% / reading 18% proficiency, ranked #312 of 324 in MO (top 96%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 80% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Hickey Elem. (math 2% / reading 8%, grade F, #1,072 of 1,115 statewide, top 98%, 273 students, 99% FRL); Sumner High (math 2% / reading 2%, grade F, #520 of 521 statewide, top 100%, 264 students, 99% FRL) — zoned schools average 99% FRL vs 80% district-wide (18 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 99 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 45d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 50% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 294 units permitted in St. Louis city in 2024 (227 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $1,201/mo this rent would consume 47% of the median local household income ($31k/yr) (locally 1655% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $622 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• St. Louis County population projected to shrink 6% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $25k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 42 days — a 3% lower offer ($87k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 6 sale attempts since 15y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1910 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→21/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $87,299 (3.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 42 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1910 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 1.33% ✓
• Cap rate: 11.74%
• Cash-on-cash: 19.44%
• DSCR: 1.86
• GRM: 6.2

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $51,039
• List price: $89,999
• Delta: 76.33%
• Verdict: OVERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 10 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
4739 Bessie Ct	0.43mi	3/1.5	1,851 (-4%)	2mo	$84,500	$46	70
4741 Greer Ave	0.55mi	3/2.0	1,766 (-8%)	0mo	$10,000	$6	57
4261 Red Bud Ave	0.66mi	4/1.0 (+1)	1,734 (-10%)	2mo	$89,900	$52	46
4339 Ashland Ave	0.42mi	3/1.0	1,726 (-10%)	21mo	$9,900	$6	46
4454 Holly Ave	0.71mi	3/1.0	1,716 (-10%)	4mo	$79,900	$47	46
4166 Farlin Ave	0.59mi	3/1.5	1,684 (-12%)	6mo	$15,000	$9	45
4418 Carter Ave	0.49mi	3/2.0	2,029 (+6%)	24mo	$190,000	$94	44
4118 N Kingshighway Blvd	0.68mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,971 (+3%)	14mo	$34,900	$18	42
4536 Bessie Ave	0.31mi	4/2.5 (+1)	1,741 (-9%)	23mo	$209,950	$121	40
4419 Holly Ave	0.63mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,700 (-11%)	7mo	$65,000	$38	39

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

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 11.4%
• Equity multiple: 1.45×
• Total profit: $11,385
• Equity at exit: $13,419

10-year hold

• IRR: 20.4%
• Equity multiple: 2.72×
• Total profit: $43,264
• Equity at exit: $7,781

Cash invested: $25,200 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 81 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Missouri: 81 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+10
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Generally landlord-friendly; St Louis has some habitability requirements.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 63115

• Home prices YoY: -2.6%
• Active inventory: 99
• Price-to-rent: 6.2×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,201 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$472
• Tax from tax record: −$31 /mo · $377/yr
• Insurance: −$37
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$252
• Net cashflow: $408

Break-even live

Break-even rent $685

Max offer price $89,999

Occupancy floor 61%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $459	-5% $434	+0% $408	+5% $383	+10% $357
Rent	-10% $313	-5% $361	+0% $408	+5% $456	+10% $503
Rate	-1.0pp $454	-0.5pp $431	base $408	+0.5pp $385	+1.0pp $361

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: $22,500
• Closing costs: $2,700
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 4 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
4247 Maffitt Ave St. Louis, MO	3.0	1.5	1700	$1,000	$0.59	5d	1	0.91mi
5223 Ashland Ave Saint Louis, MO	2.0	1.0	2200	$1,250	$0.57	45d	1	1.07mi
5223 Ashland Ave Unit 2 St. Louis, MO	3.0	1.0	2200	$1,450	$0.66	45d	1	1.07mi
4202 Gano Ave Saint Louis, MO	3.0	1.0	1650	$1,168	$0.71	24d	1	1.34mi

Listing history 27 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $89,999 Active 42 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $89,999 Active 39 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $89,999 Active 38 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $89,999 Active 37 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $89,999 Active 36 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $89,999 Active 34 DOM
7. 2026-06-09
   days on market $89,999 Active 30 DOM
8. 2026-06-08
   days on market $89,999 Active 29 DOM
9. 2026-06-07
   days on market $89,999 Active 28 DOM
10. 2026-06-05
    days on market $89,999 Active 25 DOM
11. 2026-06-03
    days on market $89,999 Active 24 DOM
12. 2026-06-02
    days on market $89,999 Active 23 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    days on market $89,999 Active 22 DOM
14. 2026-05-31
    days on market $89,999 Active 21 DOM
15. 2026-05-10
    listed $89,999 Active 1179-char remark
16. 2025-10-31
    listed $79,000 Active
17. 2025-03-24
    price $89,900
18. 2025-02-04
    listed $95,000 Active
19. 2024-12-14
    historical
20. 2024-08-28
    price $105,000
21. 2024-07-15
    status Active
22. 2024-06-21
    historical Active Under Contract
23. 2024-06-13
    listed $110,000 Active
24. 2024-06-11
    historical
25. 2012-01-20
    soldstatus
26. 2011-12-15
    listed $15,000
27. 2001-06-12
    soldstatus

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

Tax reassessment forecast MO · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $377 · $31/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $873 · $73/mo
• Expected delta: +$496/yr (+$41/mo · 131.5%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥107°F today · 21 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 100% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 4/10 Moderate 5 unhealthy d/yr today · 6 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $14,417
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,041
• − Property taxes: −$377
• − Insurance: −$450
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,153
• − Management: −$1,153
• − Depreciation: −$2,618
• Taxable income: $3,624
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$870
• After-tax cash flow: $4,029/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: St. Louis City
• NCES district ID: 2929280
• Math proficiency: 10% ▼ -6.00%
• Reading proficiency: 18% ▼ -3.00%
• Median HH income: $35,685
• Composite: 11.54/100
• National rank: #9699
• State rank: #312 of 324 in MO

Livability — St. Louis

No livability data for this city. (Only ~50 U.S. cities are tracked.)

Census & demographics

• Census place: St. Louis, MO
• County: Saint Louis City · 254,015 people
• City population: 283,259
• Metro: St. Louis, MO-IL
• Population (ZIP): 14,488
• Household income: $30,622
• Rent vs Own: 57.7% rent · 42.3% own
• Severe rent burden: 1655.0

Population outlook (St. Louis County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 315,737 people
• By 2030: 313,865 · -0.6%
• By 2040: 305,439 · -3.3%
• By 2050: 296,529 · -6.1%
• By 2075: 271,028 · -14.2%
• By 2100: 255,359 · -19.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly Black (95%)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 95% White 2% Two or more races 2%
• Foreign-born: 0%

Political lean MEDSL · St. Louis

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+64.7) · D 81.4% · R 16.7% · Other 2.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -3.5pp toward R · 2008: 68.2pp · 2024: 64.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+64.7 2020: D+66.2 2016: D+63.7 2012: D+66.6 2008: D+68.2

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -3.42%
• Current HPI: 127.3403
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: St. Louis, MO-IL
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.84%
• F500 in state: 20

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MO)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	1	$163B
▸Insurance	1	$21B
▸Industrial Technology	1	$17B
▸Retail	1	$16B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$10B
▸Utilities	1	$9B

Price history

+500.0% since first listed

13 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-10 Listed $89,999 MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-10-31 Listed $79,000 MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-03-24 Price Changed $89,900 MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-02-04 Listed $95,000 MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-12-14 Delisted — MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-08-28 Price Changed $105,000 MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-07-15 Relisted — MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-06-21 Contingent — MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-06-13 Listed $110,000 MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2024-06-11 Coming Soon — MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2012-01-20 Sold (MLS) — MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2011-12-15 Listed $15,000 MARIS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2001-06-12 Sold (Public Records) — Public Records

Property tax history

-0.1%/yr

Latest (2024): $377 · +4.8% YoY. Source: county tax records.