129 Lester St

Ville Platte, LA 70586

$69,000B+

4 bd · 3.0 ba · 2,166 sqft · Built — · SingleFamily · Active · 136 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,259/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$362
• Tax + insurance: −$51
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$264
• Net cashflow: $582/mo
• Annual: $6,984/yr
• Cap rate: 16.41%
• Cash-on-cash: 36.15%
• DSCR: 2.61
• 1% rule: 1.82%
• Cash to close: $19,320

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/3.0-bath single-family listed at $69k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $582 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $69k).
• It's been on market 136 days — a 12% lower offer ($61k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $61k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $477 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 58/100 on livability (#287 in LA) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+; Watch: housing D+, crime F, amenities F.
• Evangeline Parish (rural): math 23% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #48 of 98 in LA (top 49%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 66% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: James Stephens Montessori School (math 32% / reading 42%, grade F, #251 of 646 statewide, top 41%, 442 students, 70% FRL) — zoned schools at 70% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: 75 active listings in the ZIP; 28 units permitted in Evangeline Parish in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Evangeline County population projected at -12% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 5 sale attempts since 17y 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 $50k; 38% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $19k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 16.4% vs local median 8.0% in Ville Platte — 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 136 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• 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.
• Crime grade is F 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?
• 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 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.