1220 College Ave

Davenport, IA 52806

$118,000B

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,530 sqft · Built 1890 · Townhouse · Pending · 146 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,476/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$619
• Tax + insurance: −$175
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$310
• Net cashflow: $372/mo
• Annual: $4,467/yr
• Cap rate: 10.08%
• Cash-on-cash: 13.52%
• DSCR: 1.60
• 1% rule: 1.25%
• Cash to close: $33,040

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $118k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $372 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $118k).
• It's been on market 146 days — a 12% lower offer ($104k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $104k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $816 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 79/100 on livability (#126 in IA, #2,312 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment C-, crime F.
• Davenport Community School District (urban): math 43% / reading 50% proficiency, ranked #288 of 289 in IA (top 100%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Washington Elementary School (math 42% / reading 42%, grade F, #563 of 616 statewide, top 93%, 281 students, 62% FRL); Sudlow Intermediate (math 49% / reading 58%, grade C+, #208 of 246 statewide, top 84%, 524 students, 53% FRL); Central High School (math 45% / reading 64%, grade C-, #290 of 336 statewide, top 87%, 1,505 students, 47% FRL) — zoned schools at 54% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1890 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.8%/yr); 162 active listings in the ZIP; 32 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 59% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 805 units permitted in Scott County in 2024 (479 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Scott County population projected at +19% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 5 sale attempts since 2y ago; this cycle's ask is 162% above the opening price — seller raised mid-cycle; expect resistance to lowballs.
• Current owner paid $42k; list at $118k implies a 181% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 1.8% rent growth), your $33k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 10.1% vs local median 4.4% in Davenport — 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 146 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1890 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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.
• 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.