711 SE Lawrence St

Topeka, KS 66607

$35,000B

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,132 sqft · Built 1942 · SingleFamily · Active · 27 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $883/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$184
• Tax + insurance: −$473
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$186
• Net cashflow: $41/mo
• Annual: $493/yr
• Cap rate: 22.33%
• Cash-on-cash: 57.26%
• DSCR: 3.55
• 1% rule: 2.52%
• Cash to close: $9,800

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $35k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $41 ($493/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($883 rent vs $35k).
• It's been on market 27 days — a 2% lower offer ($34k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $34k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $155 of equity ($242 loan paydown + $-87 appreciation (-0.2% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#195 in KS) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment C-, crime F, commute F.
• Topeka Public Schools (urban): math 17% / reading 23% proficiency, ranked #158 of 169 in KS (top 94%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 69% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Scott Dual Language Magnet (math 22% / reading 17%, grade F, #593 of 684 statewide, top 89%, 391 students, 87% FRL); Chase Middle School (math 11% / reading 15%, grade F, #188 of 219 statewide, top 87%, 378 students, 93% FRL); Topeka High (math 11% / reading 20%, grade F, #248 of 327 statewide, top 76%, 1,514 students, 72% FRL) — zoned schools average 84% FRL vs 69% district-wide (15 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $427/mo; built in 1942 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 22 active listings in the ZIP; 11 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 219 units permitted in Shawnee County in 2024 (25 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Shawnee County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 6 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.
• Current owner paid $25k; 40% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (-0.2% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $10k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone AE (mandatory federal flood insurance); extreme-heat days projected 7→17/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 22.3% vs local median 4.3% in Topeka — 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 1942 — 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 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.
• 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.