1007 7th St

Grundy Center, IA 50638

$80,000B

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,320 sqft · Built 1896 · SingleFamily · Active · 18 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,182/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$420
• Tax + insurance: −$204
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$248
• Net cashflow: $311/mo
• Annual: $3,730/yr
• Cap rate: 10.96%
• Cash-on-cash: 16.65%
• DSCR: 1.74
• 1% rule: 1.48%
• Cash to close: $22,400

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $80k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $311 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $80k).
• It's been on market 18 days — a 2% lower offer ($79k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $79k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $553 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 81/100 on livability (#68 in IA, #1,503 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F.
• Grundy Center Community School District (rural): math 80% / reading 85% proficiency, ranked #17 of 289 in IA (top 6%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Zoned schools: Grundy Center Elementary School (math 82% / reading 77%, grade A, #71 of 616 statewide, top 15%, 277 students, 34% FRL); Grundy Center Middle School (math 80% / reading 87%, grade A+, #11 of 246 statewide, top 4%, 212 students, 21% FRL); Grundy Center High School (math 77% / reading 87%, grade A, #20 of 336 statewide, top 7%, 235 students, 28% FRL).
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.6% of price; built in 1896 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 35 active listings in the ZIP; 14 units permitted in Grundy County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 3 sale attempts since 5y 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $22k cash investment doubles in ~8 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1896 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
• 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.