1300 E Lafayette #2409

Detroit, MI 48207

$179,900D

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,305 sqft · Built 1964 · Condo · Active · 111 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,308/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$943
• Tax + insurance: −$300
• HOA: −$1,924
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$485
• Net cashflow: $-1,344/mo
• Annual: $-16,127/yr
• Cap rate: -2.67%
• Cash-on-cash: -32.01%
• DSCR: -0.42
• 1% rule: 1.28%
• Cash to close: $50,372

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath condo listed at $180k. Condition is rated excellent.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-1k ($-16k/yr) — negative.
• Rent doesn't cover operating costs at any purchase price — skip.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $180k).
• It's been on market 111 days — a 9% lower offer ($164k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $164k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-2.8%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 73/100 on livability (#218 in MI) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: crime F, employment F.
• Detroit Public Schools Community District (urban): math 10% / reading 24% proficiency, ranked #499 of 540 in MI (top 92%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 90% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Chrysler Elementary School (math 75% / reading 75%, grade A, #34 of 1,397 statewide, top 3%, 136 students, 78% FRL); Martin Luther King Jr Senior High School (math 10% / reading 30%, grade F, #596 of 713 statewide, top 86%, 821 students, 73% FRL).
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 48% at this address vs 17% district-wide (+30 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Detroit Public Schools Community District average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 83% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.5%/yr); 276 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 30d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 48% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 2,639 units permitted in Wayne County in 2024 (1,216 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Wayne County population projected at -17% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 6 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.
• Current owner paid $30k; list at $180k implies a 510% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Cap rate -2.7% vs local median 9.8% in Detroit — below-typical yield; the buyer is paying a premium for something (appreciation thesis, condition, location) that the cap rate doesn't capture.
• At $2,308/mo this rent would consume 58% of the median local household income ($48k/yr) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
• It's been on market 111 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1964 — 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?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• 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?