978 Wooster Rd

Barberton, OH 44203

$132,900C

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,265 sqft · Built 1908 · SingleFamily · Active · 43 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,438/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$697
• Tax + insurance: −$213
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$302
• Net cashflow: $226/mo
• Annual: $2,714/yr
• Cap rate: 8.33%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.29%
• DSCR: 1.32
• 1% rule: 1.08%
• Cash to close: $37,212

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $133k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $226 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $133k).
• It's been on market 43 days — a 3% lower offer ($129k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $129k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $919 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 71/100 on livability (#428 in OH) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Barberton City (suburban): math 47% / reading 51% proficiency, ranked #466 of 656 in OH (top 71%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 62% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Watch-outs: built in 1908 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.9%/yr); 219 active listings in the ZIP; 11 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 22d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,114 units permitted in Summit County in 2024 (397 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Summit County population projected to shrink 6% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 4 sale attempts since 21y 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 $65k; list at $133k implies a 105% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.9% rent growth), your $37k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 8.3% vs local median 6.2% in Barberton — 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 43 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1908 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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.