3654 Ave A

Council Bluffs, IA 51501

$55,000B

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 656 sqft · Built 1920 · SingleFamily · Pending · 10 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,322/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$288
• Tax + insurance: −$115
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$278
• Net cashflow: $641/mo
• Annual: $7,697/yr
• Cap rate: 20.29%
• Cash-on-cash: 49.98%
• DSCR: 3.22
• 1% rule: 2.40%
• Cash to close: $15,400

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $55k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $641 ($8k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $55k).
• Only 10 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $380 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• 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.
• Watch-outs: built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents flat; 140 active listings in the ZIP; 17 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 4d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 679 units permitted in Pottawattamie County in 2024 (566 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Pottawattamie County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 3 sale attempts since 22y 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 $32k; list at $55k implies a 75% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 0.6% rent growth), your $15k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 20.3% 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.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1920 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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?
• 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.