1201 4th Ave · Berwick, PA 18603

$73,000

4 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,820 sqft · Other public records · 3 Days on market

Built 1900

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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
• Livability +3.8/5.0
• Schools +3.7/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

2 story home with 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, corner lot.

Key facts

• Listed 3 days

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/1.5-bath other listed at $73k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $692 ($8k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $73k).
• Cap rate 17.7% vs local median 5.4% in Berwick — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#412 in PA, #3,762 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Berwick Area SD (other): math 32% / reading 57% proficiency, ranked #291 of 539 in PA (top 54%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: 86 active listings in the ZIP; 82 units permitted in Columbia County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $505 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Columbia County population projected at -12% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $20k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 3 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $73,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1900 — 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. Schools are B-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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 2.17% ✓
• Cap rate: 17.66%
• Cash-on-cash: 40.60%
• DSCR: 2.81
• GRM: 3.8

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 37.1%
• Equity multiple: 2.58×
• Total profit: $32,275
• Equity at exit: $10,885

10-year hold

• IRR: 43.7%
• Equity multiple: 5.16×
• Total profit: $85,052
• Equity at exit: $6,312

Cash invested: $20,440 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

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

10-day notice; Philadelphia has eviction-court diversion + some protections; otherwise moderate.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 18603

• Active inventory: 86
• Price-to-rent: 3.8×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,581 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$383
• Tax from tax record: −$144 /mo · $1,728/yr
• Insurance: −$30
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$332
• Net cashflow: $692

Break-even live

Break-even rent $705

Max offer price $73,000

Occupancy floor 51%

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: $18,250
• Closing costs: $2,190
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 5 events

1. 2026-04-20
   status Pending
2. 2026-04-10
   listed $73,000 Active
3. 2010-09-14
   soldstatus $84,800
4. 2007-09-04
   soldstatus $110,000
5. 1997-01-17
   soldstatus $55,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast PA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,728 · $144/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,728 · $144/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ 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 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥97°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 3/10 Moderate 4% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $18,969
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,089
• − Property taxes: −$1,728
• − Insurance: −$365
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,518
• − Management: −$1,518
• − Depreciation: −$2,124
• Taxable income: $7,629
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,831
• After-tax cash flow: $6,468/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: Berwick Area SD
• NCES district ID: 4203480
• Math proficiency: 32% ▼ -14.00%
• Reading proficiency: 57% ▼ -6.00%
• Median HH income: $41,964
• Composite: 37.36/100
• National rank: #4433
• State rank: #291 of 539 in PA

Livability — Berwick

• Score: 76/100
• State rank: #412
• US rank: #3762

Category grades

Amenities F Commute F Cost of living A+ Crime A+ Employment F Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings A

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Berwick, PA
• Population (ZIP): 18,985

Population outlook (Columbia County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 65,170 people
• By 2030: 64,054 · -1.7%
• By 2040: 61,131 · -6.2%
• By 2050: 57,526 · -11.7%
• By 2075: 50,259 · -22.9%
• By 2100: 44,756 · -31.3%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (91%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 91% Hispanic / Latino 4% Two or more races 3% Black 3%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 6% Polish 4% Iranian 3%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada
• Languages at home: 97% English-only · Spanish 2% Russian/Polish/Slavic 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Columbia

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+31.0) · D 34.0% · R 65.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -26.6pp toward R · 2008: -4.5pp · 2024: -31.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+31.0 2020: R+30.7 2016: R+32.8 2012: R+12.4 2008: R+4.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -123.40%
• Current HPI: 211.5643
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.68%
• F500 in state: 34

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in PA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	2	$309B
▸Insurance	2	$27B
▸Telecommunications / Media	1	$124B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$22B
▸Financial Services	1	$20B
▸Chemicals / Materials	1	$18B

Price history

+32.7% since first listed

5 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-20 Pending — LCAR
• 2026-04-10 Listed $73,000 LCAR
• 2010-09-14 Sold (Public Records) $84,800 Public Records
• 2007-09-04 Sold (Public Records) $110,000 Public Records
• 1997-01-17 Sold (Public Records) $55,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+2.7%/yr

Latest (2026): $1,728 · +2.2% YoY. Source: county tax records.