131 Ships Watch Dr Lot 34

Duck, NC 27949

$48,000D

4 bd · 3.5 ba · 2,401 sqft · Built 1990 · Condo · Active · 48 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $5,400/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$252
• Tax + insurance: −$146
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,134
• Net cashflow: $3,868/mo
• Annual: $46,414/yr
• Cap rate: 104.65%
• Cash-on-cash: 351.28%
• DSCR: 16.63
• 1% rule: 11.25%
• Cash to close: $13,440

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/3.5-bath condo listed at $48k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $4k ($46k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($5k rent vs $48k).
• It's been on market 48 days — a 3% lower offer ($47k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $47k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $332 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#162 in NC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: employment A+, health & safety A+, crime A; Watch: amenities F, commute F, cost of living F.
• Dare County Schools (town): math 44% / reading 48% proficiency, ranked #77 of 178 in NC (top 43%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $66/mo.
• Market conditions: 126 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 371 units permitted in Dare County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Dare County population projected at +14% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 14 sale attempts since 6y 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $13k cash investment doubles in ~1 year — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk; severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→21/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 104.7% vs local median 1.2% in Duck — 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 48 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• 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.
• The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
• 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.