5220 Fagan St

Chattanooga, TN 37410

$82,000B+

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 744 sqft · Built 1955 · SingleFamily · Active · 112 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,060/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$430
• Tax + insurance: −$59
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$223
• Net cashflow: $348/mo
• Annual: $4,180/yr
• Cap rate: 11.39%
• Cash-on-cash: 18.20%
• DSCR: 1.81
• 1% rule: 1.29%
• Cash to close: $22,960

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $82k. Condition is rated poor.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $348 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $82k).
• It's been on market 112 days — a 9% lower offer ($75k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $75k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $2k of equity ($567 loan paydown + $1k appreciation (1.3% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 78/100 on livability (#3 in TN, #2,582 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: employment D+, crime F.
• Hamilton County (urban): math 31% / reading 31% proficiency, ranked #42 of 139 in TN (top 30%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: East Lake Elementary (math 12% / reading 6%, grade F, #839 of 952 statewide, top 88%, 590 students, 0% FRL); East Lake Academy of Fine Arts (math 4% / reading 6%, grade F, #295 of 333 statewide, top 91%, 528 students, 0% FRL); The Howard School (math 3% / reading 8%, grade F, #309 of 332 statewide, top 93%, 1,485 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 52% district-wide (52 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 6% at this address vs 31% district-wide (-25 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Hamilton County average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Watch-outs: built in 1955 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 104 active listings in the ZIP; 15 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 6d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 40% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 2,133 units permitted in Hamilton County in 2024 (405 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Hamilton County population projected at +23% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 3 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $7k (8%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (1.3% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $23k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 11.4% vs local median 3.5% in Chattanooga — 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

• It's been on market 112 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Built in 1955 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Major: roof — Severe damage and missing shingles
• Major: exterior siding — Peeling paint and siding
• Major: flooring — Worn hardwood flooring
• Major: interior walls — Painted walls with visible damage
• Major: landscaping — Overgrown and debris
• Major: fencing — In poor condition