550 NW 78th Ter #205

Margate, FL 33063

$55,000B

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 735 sqft · Built 1974 · Condo · Pending · 12 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,547/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$288
• Tax + insurance: −$67
• HOA: −$495
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$325
• Net cashflow: $372/mo
• Annual: $4,467/yr
• Cap rate: 14.42%
• Cash-on-cash: 29.01%
• DSCR: 2.29
• 1% rule: 2.81%
• Cash to close: $15,400

Investor read

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $55k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $372 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $55k).
• Only 12 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $380 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 81/100 on livability (#85 in FL, #1,398 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: amenities F.
• Broward (suburban): math 42% / reading 53% proficiency, ranked #46 of 73 in FL (top 63%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Atlantic West Elementary School (math 28% / reading 42%, grade F, #1,697 of 2,144 statewide, top 80%, 622 students, 77% FRL); Margate Middle School (math 25% / reading 34%, grade F, #469 of 571 statewide, top 84%, 1,094 students, 77% FRL); Coconut Creek High School (math 13% / reading 26%, grade F, #562 of 667 statewide, top 85%, 1,892 students, 72% FRL) — zoned schools average 76% FRL vs 51% district-wide (24 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 28% at this address vs 48% district-wide (-20 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Broward average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 32% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.9%/yr); 560 active listings in the ZIP; 22 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 24d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 2,111 units permitted in Broward County in 2024 (1,265 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Broward County population projected at +34% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 2 sale attempts 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 $33k; list at $55k implies a 67% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 1.9% rent growth), your $15k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→27/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 14.4% vs local median 4.3% in Margate — 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 1974 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• 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 apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.