2545 Cecil Ave · Baltimore, MD 21218

$215,000

3 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,318 sqft · Townhouse · 12 Days on market

Built 1952 1,318 sqft lot Est $150k · 43% over

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Why this score? — see what drove the D- grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +17.1/30.0
• DSCR +5.3/10.0
• Livability +3.8/5.0
• 1% rule +3.4/10.0
• Rent growth +2.9/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.0/10.0
• ARV discount +0.0/15.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Welcome to 2545 Cecil Ave, a beautifully updated 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home offering a warm and inviting open concept layout. The main level features a bright living area with an electric fireplace that adds a cozy focal point, perfect for everyday living and entertaining. The open concept kitchen has a spacious island, all new stainless steel appliances. Upstairs includes two bedrooms, including a primary bedroom with its own private full bath, along with an additional full hall bathroom. The fully finished basement offers a third bedroom with an open layout, also providing flexible space for a guest room, home office, or additional living area, complete with a convenient half bath and washe

Key facts

• Spacious island
• Flexible space
• Electric fireplace

Tags

• OPEN CONCEPT LAYOUT
• ELECTRIC FIREPLACE
• SPACIOUS ISLAND
• STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES
• FULLY FINISHED BASEMENT
• FLEXIBLE SPACE

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Building not winterized
• Financial info: Ground rent paid annually; Ownership interest: Ground Rent

Exterior

• Parking: On-street parking
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electric for heating, cooling and hot water
• Home design: Interior townhouse/rowhouse; Ground rent ownership (annual ground rent); Property condition listed as Excellent/Very Good; In city limits (Baltimore City)
• Construction: Brick construction; Concrete perimeter foundation; Fully finished basement (100% finished)
• Exterior features: Not located in a federal flood zone; Municipal trash service; No tidal water

Interior

• Kitchen: Built-in microwave; Dishwasher; Electric range/oven; Stainless steel appliances; Water heater
• Bedrooms: Two bedrooms on the upper level; One bedroom on the lower level
• Flooring: Luxury vinyl plank
• Bathrooms: Two full bathrooms; One half bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Central heating (electric); Central air conditioning; Ceiling fans; Electric hot water
• Interior features: Open floor plan; Kitchen island; Recessed lighting; Ceiling fan(s); Tub/shower
• Laundry & utility: Washer/dryer hookups (basement); Laundry hookups in basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.5-bath townhouse listed at $215k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $150 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $181k (15.9% below list).
• Recommended offer: $181k (15.9% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#90 in MD, #3,396 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F.
• Baltimore City Public Schools (urban): math 7% / reading 16% proficiency, ranked #24 of 24 in MD (top 100%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 79% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership (math 2% / reading 16%, grade F, #650 of 860 statewide, top 77%, 642 students, 80% FRL); Baltimore Polytechnic Institute (math 71% / reading 84%, grade A-, #22 of 222 statewide, top 10%, 1,555 students, 43% FRL) — zoned schools average 62% FRL vs 79% district-wide (17 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 43% at this address vs 12% district-wide (+32 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Baltimore City Public Schools average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.6%/yr); 330 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 26d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,273 units permitted in Baltimore city in 2024 (1,104 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 35% of the median local income ($62k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Baltimore County population projected to shrink 4% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.

Negotiation context

• Only 12 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Current owner paid $57k; list at $215k implies a 277% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1952 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $180,712 (15.9% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1952 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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?
5. The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 0.84% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.13%
• Cash-on-cash: 2.99%
• DSCR: 1.13
• GRM: 9.9

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $150,252
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
2545 Cecil Ave	0.00mi	3/2.5	1,318 (0%)	1mo	$215,000	$163	99
2559 Garrett Ave	0.08mi	3/3.0	1,202 (-9%)	2mo	$205,000	$171	78
1120 Montpelier St	0.38mi	3/2.0	1,260 (-4%)	2mo	$70,000	$56	71
2540 Greenmount Ave	0.56mi	3/1.0	1,340 (+2%)	0mo	$79,000	$59	65
1632 E 31st St	0.60mi	3/1.0	1,280 (-3%)	0mo	$94,500	$74	61
1723 E 32nd St	0.66mi	3/2.0	1,280 (-3%)	2mo	$128,000	$100	61
1809 E 32nd St	0.69mi	3/1.5	1,280 (-3%)	1mo	$82,000	$64	58
1234 E Lafayette Ave E	0.62mi	3/2.5	1,225 (-7%)	2mo	$219,000	$179	58
1722 E Lanvale St	0.73mi	3/1.0	1,200 (-9%)	0mo	$125,000	$104	45
2956 Greenmount Ave	0.66mi	3/2.0	1,130 (-14%)	1mo	$209,395	$185	43
326 E 26th St	0.67mi	3/2.0	1,496 (+14%)	2mo	$170,000	$114	43
616 Montpelier St	0.65mi	3/1.0	1,120 (-15%)	2mo	$145,000	$129	37

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 1.63% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -13.0%
• Equity multiple: 0.54×
• Total profit: $-27,851
• Equity at exit: $32,057

10-year hold

• IRR: -6.0%
• Equity multiple: 0.63×
• Total profit: $-22,180
• Equity at exit: $18,589

Cash invested: $60,200 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (CITY): 12 Strongly Tenant-Friendly
• State Maryland: 27 Tenant-Leaning · D+14
• County: — inherits STATE
• City Baltimore: 12 Strongly Tenant-Friendly · D+58

Just-cause for tenancies > 1 yr.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 21218

• Rents YoY: 1.6%
• Active inventory: 330
• Price-to-rent: 9.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,807 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,127
• Tax from tax record: −$61 /mo · $728/yr
• Insurance: −$90
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$379
• Net cashflow: $150

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,617

Max offer price $215,000

Occupancy floor 87%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $272	-5% $211	+0% $150	+5% $89	+10% $28
Rent	-10% $7	-5% $79	+0% $150	+5% $221	+10% $293
Rate	-1.0pp $258	-0.5pp $205	base $150	+0.5pp $94	+1.0pp $37

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $53,750
• Closing costs: $6,450
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 40 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
2606 Cecil Ave Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.5	1200	$1,500	$1.25	45d	1	0.11mi
2624 Garrett Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1400	$1,750	$1.25	0d	1	0.12mi
2328 Aiken St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1406	$1,650	$1.17	0d	1	0.17mi
2310 Aisquith St Baltimore, MD	4.0	3.0	900	$2,000	$2.22	6d	1	0.21mi
1607 Cliftview Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1200	$1,475	$1.23	45d	1	0.32mi
1539 Abbotston St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1800	$1,995	$1.11	45d	1	0.35mi
1519 E 28th St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1100	$1,350	$1.23	45d	1	0.42mi
2915 Kirk Ave Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.5	1710	$2,200	$1.29	0d	1	0.47mi
936 Montpelier St Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1260	$1,450	$1.15	25d	1	0.48mi
646 Cokesbury Ave Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.5	1200	$1,299	$1.08	45d	1	0.49mi
1333 E North Ave Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.5	1860	$2,200	$1.18	25d	1	0.50mi
519 E 28th St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1500	$2,000	$1.33	6d	1	0.52mi
534 E 23rd St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.5	1700	$2,350	$1.38	45d	1	0.56mi
1803 N Dallas St Baltimore, MD	2.0	2.5	1250	$2,100	$1.68	25d	1	0.56mi
1802 E 28th St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1300	$1,600	$1.23	25d	1	0.57mi
1512 E Lafayette Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.5	1476	$1,950	$1.32	45d	1	0.58mi
1514 E Lafayette Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1215	$2,000	$1.65	25d	1	0.58mi
450 E Lorraine Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1344	$1,695	$1.26	45d	1	0.58mi
3012 Mathews St Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	996	$1,100	$1.10	19d	1	0.60mi
1832 E 28th St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1066	$1,495	$1.40	25d	1	0.61mi
3026 Mathews St Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	996	$1,350	$1.36	16d	1	0.61mi
428 E Lorraine Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1344	$1,875	$1.40	25d	1	0.61mi
428 E Lorraine Ave Unit 1 Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1344	$1,875	$1.40	45d	1	0.61mi
411 E Lorraine Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1344	$2,200	$1.64	25d	1	0.63mi
3213 The Alameda Baltimore, MD	2.0	1.0	1708	$1,295	$0.76	5d	1	0.64mi
400 E Lorraine Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1500	$1,800	$1.20	22d	1	0.65mi
3222 Ellerslie Ave Baltimore, MD	4.0	1.5	1550	$1,950	$1.26	45d	1	0.65mi
436 Ilchester Ave Unit 1 Baltimore, MD	2.0	2.0	1002	$1,350	$1.35	45d	1	0.66mi
1814 E Lafayette Ave Baltimore, MD	4.0	2.0	1200	$1,995	$1.66	25d	1	0.66mi
2516 Barclay St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	992	$1,375	$1.39	18d	1	0.66mi
1702 E 32nd St Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1344	$2,300	$1.71	45d	1	0.67mi
402 E 28th St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1436	$2,200	$1.53	45d	1	0.68mi
616 Montpelier St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.0	1150	$1,750	$1.52	12d	1	0.68mi
1243 E Lanvale St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1281	$1,750	$1.37	4d	1	0.68mi
1243 E Lanvale St Baltimore, MD	3.0	1.5	1281	$1,750	$1.37	18d	1	0.68mi
1627 Rutland Ave Unit 1 Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1200	$2,350	$1.96	45d	1	0.74mi
1627 Rutland Ave Baltimore, MD	3.0	2.0	1100	$1,950	$1.77	25d	1	0.74mi
1629 N Wolfe St Baltimore, MD	3.0	3.0	1561	$1,800	$1.15	25d	1	0.78mi
1040 E 33rd St Baltimore, MD	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	775	$1,525	$1.97	0d	9	0.80mi
2300 N Calvert St Baltimore, MD	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	1100	$1,995	$1.81	4d	2	0.86mi

Listing history 4 events

1. 2026-05-20
   status Pending
2. 2026-04-23
   historical Active Under Contract
3. 2026-04-10
   listed $215,000 Active
4. 2026-01-14
   soldstatus $57,000

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast MD · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $728 · $61/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,536 · $128/mo
• Expected delta: +$808/yr (+$67/mo · 110.9%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 7/10 Severe 7 d/yr ≥103°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 27% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 4/10 Moderate 6 unhealthy d/yr today · 7 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $21,685
• − Mortgage interest: −$12,043
• − Property taxes: −$728
• − Insurance: −$1,075
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,735
• − Management: −$1,735
• − Depreciation: −$6,255
• Taxable loss: −$1,885
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$452
• After-tax cash flow: $2,251/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Baltimore City Public Schools
• NCES district ID: 2400090
• Math proficiency: 7% ▼ -9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 16% ▼ -5.00%
• Median HH income: $42,108
• Composite: 10.08/100
• National rank: #9805
• State rank: #24 of 24 in MD

Livability — Baltimore

• Score: 76/100
• State rank: #90
• US rank: #3396

Category grades

Amenities A+ Commute A+ Cost of living A- Crime F Employment C Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings D-

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Baltimore, MD
• County: Baltimore City · 558,601 people
• City population: 588,727
• Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
• Population (ZIP): 44,014
• Household income: $62,488
• Rent vs Own: 51.9% rent · 48.1% own
• Severe rent burden: 2564.0

Population outlook (Baltimore County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 624,249 people
• By 2030: 621,541 · -0.4%
• By 2040: 609,756 · -2.3%
• By 2050: 597,249 · -4.3%
• By 2075: 552,236 · -11.5%
• By 2100: 513,934 · -17.7%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.58)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 60% White 26% Two or more races 6% Hispanic / Latino 5% Asian 5%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 2% Italian 1% Scotch-Irish 1%
• Foreign-born: 10% · Canada, China, South Korea
• Languages at home: 87% English-only · Spanish 4% French/Haitian/Cajun 2% Chinese 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Baltimore

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+73.0) · D 85.2% · R 12.2% · Other 2.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -2.5pp toward R · 2008: 75.5pp · 2024: 73.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+73.0 2020: D+76.6 2016: D+74.6 2012: D+76.4 2008: D+75.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -463.14%
• Current HPI: 292.3986
• Rent YoY: ▲ 1.63%
• Metro: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.97%
• F500 in state: 12

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MD)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Aerospace / Defense	1	$71B
▸Utilities	1	$25B
▸Hotels	1	$24B
▸Consumer Goods	1	$7B
▸Real Estate	1	$6B
▸Chemicals	1	$2B

Price history

+277.2% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-20 Pending — BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-04-23 Contingent — BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-04-10 Listed $215,000 BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-01-14 Sold (Public Records) $57,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+1.4%/yr

Latest (2025): $728 · +25.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.