422 Wellington Ave · Level Park-Oak Park, MI 49037

$65,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 763 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 13 Days on market

Built 1954 8,712 sqft lot $85/sqft · 51% below 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
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Rent growth +5.0/5.0
• Livability +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.1/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Affordable brick ranch in Battle Creek's 49037 -- priced right for a flip or buy-and-hold. 2 bed, 1 bath, 763 sq ft on a deep lot with an outbuilding and a covered front porch. Prepped and ready for finishing -- vinyl replacement windows, gas water heater, well with softener. Median sale in 49037 is well north of $100K -- sharpen your pencil. Cash or rehab loan; sold as-is.

Key facts

• Covered front porch
• Outbuilding
• Gas water heater

Tags

• BRICK RANCH
• DEEP LOT
• OUTBUILDING
• COVERED FRONT PORCH
• VINYL REPLACEMENT WINDOWS
• GAS WATER HEATER

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached 1-car garage
• Utilities: Natural gas water heater; Public water service
• Home design: Single-family residence; Residential property; Built in 1954
• Construction: Block construction; Asphalt roof; Crawl space foundation
• Exterior features: Public water; 0.2-acre lot

Interior

• Kitchen: Range; Refrigerator
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating
• Interior features: Replacement windows; Fireplace; Total of 5 rooms

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $65k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $435 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $65k).

Location & tenants

• Location reads: area grade B — affects rentability + tenant quality, not the cash-flow math above.
• Battle Creek Public Schools (urban): math 8% / reading 19% proficiency, ranked #510 of 540 in MI (top 94%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 75% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+11.8%/yr); 236 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 132 units permitted in Calhoun County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 31% of the median local income ($43k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $449 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Calhoun County population projected at -16% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $18k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 13 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 3 sale attempts 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.
• Current owner paid $50k; 30% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1954 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $65,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1954 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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: 1.68% ✓
• Cap rate: 14.33%
• Cash-on-cash: 28.71%
• DSCR: 2.28
• GRM: 5.0

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $132,140
• List price: $65,000
• Delta: -50.81%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
196 Morgan Ave W	0.35mi	2/1.0	757 (-1%)	2mo	$145,000	$192	81
647 Stephanie St	0.45mi	2/1.0	768 (+1%)	3mo	$131,000	$171	76
213 Broadway Blvd	0.34mi	2/1.0	720 (-6%)	2mo	$122,736	$170	73
180 N Woodlawn Ave	0.40mi	2/1.0	720 (-6%)	4mo	$153,000	$213	69
134 Creekview Dr	0.54mi	2/1.0	720 (-6%)	4mo	$156,000	$217	62
232 N Woodlawn Ave	0.32mi	2/1.0	672 (-12%)	7mo	$137,900	$205	60
244 N Woodlawn Ave N	0.30mi	2/1.0	672 (-12%)	8mo	$132,500	$197	60
88 N Cedar Ave	0.30mi	3/1.0 (+1)	864 (+13%)	10mo	$126,000	$146	51
247 N Woodlawn Ave	0.29mi	3/1.0 (+1)	864 (+13%)	12mo	$165,000	$191	50
60 Kellogg St	0.74mi	2/1.0	806 (+6%)	10mo	$160,000	$199	48
182 Broadway Blvd	0.42mi	3/1.0 (+1)	864 (+13%)	10mo	$160,000	$185	45
33 N Mason Ave	0.52mi	3/1.0 (+1)	864 (+13%)	8mo	$160,000	$185	42

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 · 8.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 28.4%
• Equity multiple: 2.26×
• Total profit: $22,955
• Equity at exit: $9,692

10-year hold

• IRR: 38.6%
• Equity multiple: 5.50×
• Total profit: $81,896
• Equity at exit: $5,620

Cash invested: $18,200 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

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

7-day pay-or-quit; mixed climate; Detroit/AA have some protections.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 49037

• Home prices YoY: -29.0%
• Rents YoY: 11.8%
• Active inventory: 236
• Price-to-rent: 5.0×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,089 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$341
• Tax from tax record: −$57 /mo · $682/yr
• Insurance: −$27
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$229
• Net cashflow: $435

Break-even live

Break-even rent $538

Max offer price $65,000

Occupancy floor 55%

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: $16,250
• Closing costs: $1,950
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 1 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
55 Stringham Rd Battle Creek, MI	1.0–2.0	1.0–1.5	850	$1,075	$1.26	13d	7	0.91mi

Listing history 4 events

1. 2026-05-15
   price $65,000 376-char remark

   Show marketing remark (376 chars)

   Affordable brick ranch in Battle Creek's 49037 -- priced right for a flip or buy-and-hold. 2 bed, 1 bath, 763 sq ft on a deep lot with an outbuilding and a covered front porch. Prepped and ready for finishing -- vinyl replacement windows, gas water heater, well with softener. Median sale in 49037 is well north of $100K -- sharpen your pencil. Cash or rehab loan; sold as-is.

2. 2026-05-15
   listed $699,000 Active 376-char remark

   Show marketing remark (376 chars)

   Affordable brick ranch in Battle Creek's 49037 -- priced right for a flip or buy-and-hold. 2 bed, 1 bath, 763 sq ft on a deep lot with an outbuilding and a covered front porch. Prepped and ready for finishing -- vinyl replacement windows, gas water heater, well with softener. Median sale in 49037 is well north of $100K -- sharpen your pencil. Cash or rehab loan; sold as-is.

3. 2026-05-15
   listed $65,000 Active 376-char remark

   Show marketing remark (376 chars)

   Affordable brick ranch in Battle Creek's 49037 -- priced right for a flip or buy-and-hold. 2 bed, 1 bath, 763 sq ft on a deep lot with an outbuilding and a covered front porch. Prepped and ready for finishing -- vinyl replacement windows, gas water heater, well with softener. Median sale in 49037 is well north of $100K -- sharpen your pencil. Cash or rehab loan; sold as-is.

4. 2026-05-15
   listed $65,000 Active

   Show marketing remark (376 chars)

   Affordable brick ranch in Battle Creek's 49037 -- priced right for a flip or buy-and-hold. 2 bed, 1 bath, 763 sq ft on a deep lot with an outbuilding and a covered front porch. Prepped and ready for finishing -- vinyl replacement windows, gas water heater, well with softener. Median sale in 49037 is well north of $100K -- sharpen your pencil. Cash or rehab loan; sold as-is.

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

Tax reassessment forecast MI · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $682 · $57/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $842 · $70/mo
• Expected delta: +$159/yr (+$13/mo · 23.3%)

ⓘ 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 2/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥97°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $13,067
• − Mortgage interest: −$3,641
• − Property taxes: −$682
• − Insurance: −$325
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,045
• − Management: −$1,045
• − Depreciation: −$1,891
• Taxable income: $4,437
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,065
• After-tax cash flow: $4,160/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: Battle Creek Public Schools
• NCES district ID: 2600005
• Math proficiency: 8% ▼ -2.00%
• Reading proficiency: 19% ▬ 0.00%
• Median HH income: $31,697
• Composite: 10.73/100
• National rank: #9769
• State rank: #510 of 540 in MI

Livability — Level Park-Oak Park

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

Census & demographics

• Census place: Level Park-Oak Park, MI
• County: Calhoun County · 91,590 people
• Metro: Battle Creek, MI
• Population (ZIP): 20,550
• Household income: $42,690
• Rent vs Own: 40.7% rent · 59.3% own
• Severe rent burden: 717.0

Population outlook (Calhoun County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 130,157 people
• By 2030: 126,691 · -2.7%
• By 2040: 118,517 · -8.9%
• By 2050: 109,855 · -15.6%
• By 2075: 90,486 · -30.5%
• By 2100: 70,766 · -45.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.60)
• Race & ethnicity: White 58% Black 23% Two or more races 11% Hispanic / Latino 7% Asian 3%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 5% Puerto Rican 1%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 3% Romanian 2% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada, Philippines
• Languages at home: 92% English-only · Spanish 4% Other Asian/Pacific 2% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Calhoun

• 2024 margin: R (+14.1) · D 42.3% · R 56.4% · Other 1.3%
• 2008→2024 swing: -23.4pp toward R · 2008: 9.4pp · 2024: -14.1pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+14.1 2020: R+11.1 2016: R+12.5 2012: D+1.6 2008: D+9.4

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -111.62%
• Current HPI: 273.2446
• Rent YoY: ▲ 11.76%
• Metro: Battle Creek, MI
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.37%
• F500 in state: 28

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MI)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Automotive Parts	3	$48B
▸Automotive	2	$372B
▸Chemicals	1	$45B
▸Automotive Retail	1	$29B
▸Healthcare / Medical Devices	1	$23B
▸Automotive Technology	1	$20B

Price history

-92.8% since first listed

10 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-15 Sold (MLS) $50,000 REALCOMP
• 2026-06-15 Sold (MLS) $50,000 MiRealSource-MiMLS
• 2026-06-15 Sold (MLS) $50,000 SW Michigan MLS
• 2026-05-28 Pending — REALCOMP
• 2026-05-28 Pending — MiRealSource-MiMLS
• 2026-05-28 Pending — SW Michigan MLS
• 2026-05-15 Price Changed $65,000 SW Michigan MLS
• 2026-05-15 Listed $65,000 REALCOMP
• 2026-05-15 Listed $65,000 MiRealSource-MiMLS
• 2026-05-15 Listed $699,000 SW Michigan MLS

Property tax history

-10.6%/yr

Latest (2025): $682 · -45.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.