331 Washington St

McKees Rocks, PA 15136

$45,000B-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 936 sqft · Built 1929 · Townhouse · Active · 17 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,171/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$236
• Tax + insurance: −$150
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$246
• Net cashflow: $539/mo
• Annual: $6,466/yr
• Cap rate: 22.14%
• Cash-on-cash: 56.61%
• DSCR: 3.52
• 1% rule: 2.60%
• Cash to close: $12,600

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $45k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $539 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $45k).
• It's been on market 17 days — a 2% lower offer ($44k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $44k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $311 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 82/100 on livability (#143 in PA, #1,154 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: employment F.
• Sto-Rox SD (suburban): math 4% / reading 18% proficiency, ranked #532 of 539 in PA (top 99%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 77% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Sto-Rox Primary Ctr (math 8% / reading 27%, grade F, #1,295 of 1,518 statewide, top 86%, 328 students, 100% FRL); Sto-Rox Upper El Sch (math 3% / reading 20%, grade F, #492 of 512 statewide, top 96%, 218 students, 100% FRL); Sto-Rox Jshs (math 2% / reading 2%, grade F, #437 of 437 statewide, top 100%, 517 students, 92% FRL) — zoned schools average 98% FRL vs 77% district-wide (20 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $56/mo; built in 1929 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+13.1%/yr); 126 active listings in the ZIP; 25 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 26d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 44% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 2,996 units permitted in Allegheny County in 2024 (1,588 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 4 sale attempts since 16y 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.
• Current owner paid $30k; list at $45k implies a 50% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $13k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 22.1% vs local median 10.0% in McKees Rocks — 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

• Built in 1929 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• 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?
• 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.