1531 15th Ave · Council Bluffs, IA 51501

$62,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 976 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 4 Days on market

Built 1910 8,220 sqft lot

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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
• Schools +4.5/10.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Rent growth +2.6/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

How about a ranch home on a good sized corner lot with a 2 car detached garage that needs you to make it a home again and put all your personal touches on it! Here is a great opportunity that hasn't came around in awhile. 2bdr , main floor laundry, Lr/Dr room combo and room in the kitchen. lots of possibilities. Just a few blocks from Katelman Pool/Park.

Key facts

• Main floor laundry
• Lr dr room combo
• Corner lot

Tags

• CORNER LOT
• DETACHED GARAGE
• MAIN FLOOR LAUNDRY
• LR DR ROOM COMBO

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached or attached 2-car garage; Off-street parking
• Utilities: Natural gas available; Electricity available; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; One story
• Construction: Frame construction; Composition roof; Partial basement
• Exterior features: Patio; Corner lot

Interior

• Heating & cooling: Has heating (other type); No central cooling
• Interior features: Additional interior features (other)
• Laundry & utility: Laundry on main level

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $62k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $524 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $62k).
• Cap rate 16.4% vs local median 3.3% in Council Bluffs — 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 70/100 on livability (#368 in IA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety B+; Watch: employment C-, amenities D, crime D-.
• Council Bluffs Community School District (urban): math 52% / reading 55% proficiency, ranked #272 of 289 in IA (top 94%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Longfellow Elementary School (math 57% / reading 38%, grade D, #529 of 616 statewide, top 86%, 481 students, 60% FRL); Gerald W Kirn Middle School (math 50% / reading 61%, grade B-, #199 of 246 statewide, top 81%, 956 students, 54% FRL); Abraham Lincoln High School (math 52% / reading 62%, grade C, #279 of 336 statewide, top 85%, 1,399 students, 52% FRL) — zoned schools at 56% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: Rents flat; 140 active listings in the ZIP; 13 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 24d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 46% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 679 units permitted in Pottawattamie County in 2024 (566 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $429 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Pottawattamie County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 0.6% rent growth), your $17k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 4 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.5% of price; built in 1910 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $62,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1910 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. Crime grade is D in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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: 2.05% ✓
• Cap rate: 16.44%
• Cash-on-cash: 36.23%
• DSCR: 2.61
• GRM: 4.1

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $171,776
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
2013 S 11th St	0.53mi	2/1.0	905 (-7%)	3mo	$169,900	$188	61
1703 15 Ave	0.10mi	2/2.0	1,120 (+15%)	8mo	$33,000	$29	60
1914 6 Ave	0.68mi	2/1.0	960 (-2%)	8mo	$168,500	$176	59
1921 S 7th St	0.73mi	2/1.0	936 (-4%)	1mo	$175,000	$187	58
1910 S 8th St	0.64mi	2/1.0	912 (-7%)	1mo	$140,000	$154	58
2303 S 12th St	0.66mi	2/1.0	912 (-7%)	1mo	$163,000	$179	58
1017 17th Ave	0.42mi	2/1.0	1,064 (+9%)	10mo	$160,000	$150	57
802 S 10th St	0.62mi	2/2.0	904 (-7%)	2mo	$109,000	$121	53
1429 10th Ave	0.35mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,108 (+14%)	4mo	$141,500	$128	53
1516 7th Ave	0.55mi	2/2.0	872 (-11%)	8mo	$180,000	$206	46
2308 S 10th St	0.72mi	3/1.0 (+1)	864 (-12%)	3mo	$185,000	$214	40
2111 S 10th St	0.63mi	1/1.0 (-1)	834 (-14%)	3mo	$60,000	$72	39

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 0.56% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 29.1%
• Equity multiple: 2.17×
• Total profit: $20,339
• Equity at exit: $9,244

10-year hold

• IRR: 34.9%
• Equity multiple: 3.82×
• Total profit: $48,988
• Equity at exit: $5,361

Cash invested: $17,360 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 51501

• Rents YoY: 0.6%
• Active inventory: 140
• Price-to-rent: 4.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,273 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$325
• Tax from tax record: −$130 /mo · $1,564/yr
• Insurance: −$26
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$267
• Net cashflow: $524

Break-even live

Break-even rent $609

Max offer price $62,000

Occupancy floor 54%

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: $15,500
• Closing costs: $1,860
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 13 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
1115 23rd Ave Council Bluffs, IA	3.0	1.0	720	$1,675	$2.33	1d	1	0.62mi
2301 S 9th St Council Bluffs, IA	2.0	1.0	1000	$1,350	$1.35	2d	1	0.74mi
1600 4th Ave #2 Council Bluffs, IA	3.0	1.0	1056	$1,800	$1.70	43d	1	0.78mi
1634 Avenue A Unit A Council Bluffs, IA	3.0	1.0	1105	$1,465	$1.33	14d	1	1.10mi
2436 3rd Ave Unit 04 Council Bluffs, IA	2.0	1.0	768	$950	$1.24	43d	1	1.10mi
2523 3rd Ave Unit 8 Council Bluffs, IA	2.0	1.0	720	$750	$1.04	43d	1	1.15mi
913 Avenue A Council Bluffs, IA	2.0	1.0	828	$795	$0.96	23d	1	1.17mi
2018 Avenue A Unit 2018 Council Bluffs, IA	1.0	1.0	560	$775	$1.38	23d	1	1.18mi
2018 Avenue A Unit 2018 Council Bluffs, IA	1.0	1.0	560	$750	$1.34	43d	1	1.18mi
8 S 6th St Council Bluffs, IA	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	850	$1,500	$1.76	1d	4	1.22mi
530 W Broadway Apt 302 Council Bluffs, IA	2.0	1.0	765	$1,220	$1.59	43d	1	1.29mi
2404 Avenue B Unit B Council Bluffs, IA	2.0	1.0	1014	$1,585	$1.56	43d	1	1.35mi
120 N 6th St Council Bluffs, IA	2.0	1.0–2.0	848	$1,000	$1.18	1d	1	1.36mi

Listing history 5 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $62,000 Active 4 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $62,000 Active 3 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $62,000 Active 2 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   remarks 356-char remark
5. 2026-06-15
   listed $62,000 Active 1 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast IA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,564 · $130/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,564 · $130/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 · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥104°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $15,273
• − Mortgage interest: −$3,473
• − Property taxes: −$1,564
• − Insurance: −$310
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,222
• − Management: −$1,222
• − Depreciation: −$1,804
• Taxable income: $5,679
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,363
• After-tax cash flow: $4,927/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: Council Bluffs Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1908220
• Math proficiency: 52% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 55% ▼ -1.00%
• Median HH income: $45,259
• Composite: 45.23/100
• National rank: #2665
• State rank: #272 of 289 in IA

Livability — Council Bluffs

• Score: 70/100
• State rank: #368
• US rank: #7695

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Council Bluffs, IA
• County: Pottawattamie County · 72,590 people
• City population: 72,590
• Metro: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
• Population (ZIP): 34,618
• Household income: $59,843
• Rent vs Own: 36.2% rent · 63.8% own
• Severe rent burden: 1110.0

Population outlook (Pottawattamie County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 93,683 people
• By 2030: 92,772 · -1.0%
• By 2040: 89,917 · -4.0%
• By 2050: 86,994 · -7.1%
• By 2075: 82,756 · -11.7%
• By 2100: 79,097 · -15.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (79%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 79% Hispanic / Latino 14% Two or more races 8% Asian 2% Black 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 13%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 2% Romanian 2% Iranian 1%
• Foreign-born: 6% · Canada, China
• Languages at home: 90% English-only · Spanish 8% Chinese 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Pottawattamie

• 2024 margin: R (+20.0) · D 39.3% · R 59.3% · Other 1.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: -18.1pp toward R · 2008: -1.9pp · 2024: -20.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+20.0 2020: R+16.8 2016: R+21.6 2012: R+5.8 2008: R+1.9

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -187.49%
• Current HPI: 215.2532
• Rent YoY: ▲ 0.56%
• Metro: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-06-12 Listed $62,000 SWIAR

Property tax history

+2.1%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,564 · -4.6% YoY. Source: county tax records.