1614 1st Ave

Terre Haute, IN 47807

$39,000A-

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,095 sqft · Built 1895 · SingleFamily · Active · 96 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $996/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$205
• Tax + insurance: −$103
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$209
• Net cashflow: $479/mo
• Annual: $5,746/yr
• Cap rate: 21.03%
• Cash-on-cash: 52.62%
• DSCR: 3.34
• 1% rule: 2.55%
• Cash to close: $10,920

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $39k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $479 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($996 rent vs $39k).
• It's been on market 96 days — a 9% lower offer ($35k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $35k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $2k of equity ($270 loan paydown + $2k appreciation (4.1% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 75/100 on livability (#63 in IN, #4,186 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: schools D-, crime F, employment F.
• Vigo County School Corporation (urban): math 32% / reading 37% proficiency, ranked #202 of 301 in IN (top 67%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.7% of price; built in 1895 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.7%/yr); 78 active listings in the ZIP; 10 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 45d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 60 units permitted in Vigo County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Vigo County population projected to shrink 5% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 4 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 (4.1% appreciation + 3.7% rent growth), your $11k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 21.0% vs local median 4.6% in Terre Haute — 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.
• At $996/mo this rent would consume 48% of the median local household income ($25k/yr) (locally 1836% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 96 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1895 — 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?
• 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 D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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.