3900 W Jefferson Ave

Trenton, MI 48183

$74,000B

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,500 sqft · Built 1978 · Manufactured · Active · 224 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,820/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$388
• Tax + insurance: −$123
• HOA: −$510
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$382
• Net cashflow: $417/mo
• Annual: $5,001/yr
• Cap rate: 13.05%
• Cash-on-cash: 24.14%
• DSCR: 2.07
• 1% rule: 2.46%
• Cash to close: $20,720

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath manufactured listed at $74k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $417 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $74k).
• It's been on market 224 days — a 12% lower offer ($65k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $65k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $512 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 88/100 on livability (#15 in MI, #250 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+.
• Trenton Public Schools (suburban): math 44% / reading 53% proficiency, ranked #109 of 540 in MI (top 20%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 28% of rent.
• Market conditions: 180 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 6d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 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.
• 14 sale attempts since 6y ago; this cycle's ask is 17% above the opening price — seller raised mid-cycle; expect resistance to lowballs.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $21k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 13.1% vs local median 3.9% in Trenton — 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 224 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Built in 1978 — 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?
• 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 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?
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Major: kitchen cabinets — severe wear and tear
• Major: kitchen appliances — outdated and non-functional
• Major: exterior siding — missing and damaged
• Major: flooring — damaged and uneven
• Major: interior walls — peeling wallpaper
• Major: windows — old and possibly drafty