166 President St

Charleston, SC 29403

$800,000C+

6 bd · 3.0 ba · 2,256 sqft · Built 1935 · MultiFamily · Active · 38 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $8,479/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$4,195
• Tax + insurance: −$920
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,781
• Net cashflow: $1,583/mo
• Annual: $18,996/yr
• Cap rate: 9.31%
• Cash-on-cash: 10.77%
• DSCR: 1.48
• 1% rule: 1.06%
• Cash to close: $224,000

Investor read

• This is a 6-bed/3.0-bath multifamily listed at $800k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($19k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($8k rent vs $800k).
• It's been on market 38 days — a 3% lower offer ($776k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $776k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $6k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $24k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#22 in SC, #3,336 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime D+, commute F, cost of living D-.
• Charleston 01 (urban): math 48% / reading 53% proficiency, ranked #7 of 80 in SC (top 9%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Mitchell Elementary (math 22% / reading 8%, grade F, #549 of 597 statewide, top 92%, 222 students, 100% FRL); Simmons Pinckney Middle (math 3% / reading 13%, grade F, #226 of 229 statewide, top 99%, 219 students, 100% FRL); Burke High (math 32% / reading 67%, grade D, #151 of 196 statewide, top 79%, 352 students, 100% FRL) — zoned schools average 100% FRL vs 44% district-wide (56 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 24% at this address vs 50% district-wide (-26 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Charleston 01 average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $427/mo; built in 1935 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.6%/yr); 151 active listings in the ZIP; 4,156 units permitted in Charleston County in 2024 (857 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Charleston County population projected at +44% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 2 sale attempts 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 + 4.6% rent growth), your $224k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone AE (mandatory federal flood insurance); severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→18/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 9.3% vs local median 2.4% in Charleston — 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 38 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1935 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are A-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?
• 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.