112 N Merrill St

Fortville, IN 46040

$179,000B

4 bd · 1.0 ba · 2,084 sqft · Built 1908 · SingleFamily · Active · 15 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,412/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$939
• Tax + insurance: −$462
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$507
• Net cashflow: $505/mo
• Annual: $6,061/yr
• Cap rate: 9.68%
• Cash-on-cash: 12.09%
• DSCR: 1.54
• 1% rule: 1.35%
• Cash to close: $50,120

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $179k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $505 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $179k).
• It's been on market 15 days — a 2% lower offer ($176k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $176k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#189 in IN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, health & safety F.
• Mt Vernon Community School Corporation (rural): math 43% / reading 48% proficiency, ranked #70 of 301 in IN (top 23%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; only 18% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Zoned schools: Fortville Elementary School (math 50% / reading 46%, grade D, #314 of 994 statewide, top 32%, 719 students, 31% FRL); Mt Vernon High School (math 41% / reading 71%, grade C, #73 of 369 statewide, top 20%, 1,431 students, 27% FRL).
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.6% of price; built in 1908 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 303 active listings in the ZIP; 5 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 3d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,091 units permitted in Hancock County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Hancock County population projected at +7% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 3 sale attempts since 16y 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 $18k; list at $179k implies a 923% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $50k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 9.7% vs local median 4.2% in Fortville — 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

• Built in 1908 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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.