334 Case St · Columbus, NC 28722

$389,900

3 bd · 3.0 ba · 2,433 sqft · SingleFamily · 18 Days on market

Built 1978 0.76 ac lot Est $577k · 32% under

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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).

• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• Appreciation +10.0/10.0
• Cash flow +6.6/30.0
• Schools +5.1/10.0
• Livability +3.7/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• 1% rule +0.9/10.0
• DSCR +0.9/10.0

Listing remarks

Move-in ready and beautifully updated, this 3 bedroom, 3 bath brick ranch offers easy single-level living in one of Columbus's most charming, established neighborhoods on a spacious three-quarter acre lot. Recent renovations include refreshed bathrooms throughout, newer flooring, and updated systems, giving you modern comfort with classic curb appeal. Inside, you'll love the vaulted great room with exposed beams and a cozy wood-burning fireplace, an eat-in kitchen plus formal dining room, and two sets of patio doors that invite you out to the private backyard for seamless indoor-outdoor living. A 2-car detached garage provides excellent storage or workshop potential, and the level yard offe

Key facts

• Formal dining room
• Vaulted great room
• Refreshed bathrooms

Tags

• SINGLE-LEVEL LIVING
• REFRESHED BATHROOMS
• VAULTED GREAT ROOM
• WOOD-BURNING FIREPLACE
• EAT-IN KITCHEN
• FORMAL DINING ROOM

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached garage that faces the front; 2 garage spaces (detached); Additional on-site parking; Gravel parking; Garage door opener; On-site storage
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Water and sewer connected
• Home design: Single-family residence; One story; Entry level: 1
• Construction: Built with block, brick veneer and frame construction; Shingle roof
• Exterior features: Deck; Patio; Landscaped yard; Storage building; Workshop; Has a view

Interior

• Kitchen: Electric cooktop; Electric range; Microwave; Dishwasher
• Bedrooms: Primary bedroom on the main level
• Flooring: Carpet; Wood
• Bathrooms: Three full bathrooms; Accessible full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Electric heating; Heat pump; Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Main-level primary suite; Walk-in closets; Vaulted and high ceilings; Built-in bookcases; Ceiling fans
• Laundry & utility: Crawl-space foundation

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/3.0-bath single-family listed at $390k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-637 ($-8k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $277k (28.9% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $230k (41.0% below list).
• Recommended offer: $230k (41.0% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 4.3% vs local median 3.2% in Columbus — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 74/100 on livability (#53 in NC, #4,439 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D+, amenities F, commute F.
• Polk County Schools (rural): math 58% / reading 62% proficiency, ranked #32 of 178 in NC (top 18%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Tryon Elementary School (math 67% / reading 62%, grade B, #147 of 1,410 statewide, top 11%, 407 students, 99% FRL); Polk County Middle School (math 46% / reading 59%, grade C+, #94 of 475 statewide, top 20%, 475 students, 56% FRL); Polk County High School (math 72% / reading 67%, grade B, #121 of 535 statewide, top 24%, 579 students, 52% FRL) — zoned schools average 69% FRL vs 50% district-wide (19 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 129 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 143 units permitted in Polk County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $42k of equity ($3k loan paydown + $39k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Polk County population projected at -12% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$67k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 18 days — a 2% lower offer ($384k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 6 sale attempts since 4y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $25k (6%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $320k; 22% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→17/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $230,000 (41.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
2. Built in 1978 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
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: 0.59% ✗
• Cap rate: 4.33%
• Cash-on-cash: -7.01%
• DSCR: 0.69
• GRM: 14.1

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $576,621
• Comps found: 3

Show comp detail 3 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
59 Barber St	0.46mi	3/2.5	2,401 (-1%)	15mo	$315,000	$131	62
106 Mallard Dr	0.49mi	3/3.0	2,785 (+14%)	23mo	$660,000	$237	34
565 Mountain Laurel Dr	0.75mi	3/2.0	2,118 (-13%)	22mo	$525,000	$248	22

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

Projected returns pro-forma

10.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 19.3%
• Equity multiple: 2.57×
• Total profit: $171,647
• Equity at exit: $351,253

10-year hold

• IRR: 17.8%
• Equity multiple: 5.92×
• Total profit: $537,167
• Equity at exit: $757,490

Cash invested: $109,172 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State North Carolina: 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable but court speed varies.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 28722

• Home prices YoY: 9.0%
• Active inventory: 129
• Price-to-rent: 14.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,300 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,045
• Tax from tax record: −$247 /mo · $2,966/yr
• Insurance: −$162
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$483
• Net cashflow: $-637

Break-even live

Break-even rent $3,107

Max offer price $277,319

Occupancy floor —

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: $97,475
• Closing costs: $11,697
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 1 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
84 Whispering Wind Ln Columbus, NC	3.0	2.0	2050	$2,300	$1.12	11d	1	0.63mi

Listing history 14 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $389,900 Active 18 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   price $389,900 Active 17 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $399,900 Active 17 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $399,900 Active 16 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $399,900 Active 15 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   pricedays on market $399,900 Active 13 DOM
7. 2026-06-10
   days on market $415,000 Active 10 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $415,000 Active 9 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $415,000 Active 8 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $415,000 Active 7 DOM
11. 2026-06-03
    days on market $415,000 Active 3 DOM
12. 2026-06-02
    days on market $415,000 Active 2 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    remarks 699-char remark
14. 2026-06-01
    listed $415,000 Active 1 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast NC · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $2,966 · $247/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $3,197 · $266/mo
• Expected delta: +$231/yr (+$19/mo · 7.8%)

ⓘ 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 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥105°F today · 17 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 4/10 Moderate 4 unhealthy d/yr today · 4 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $27,600
• − Mortgage interest: −$21,840
• − Property taxes: −$2,966
• − Insurance: −$1,950
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,208
• − Management: −$2,208
• − Depreciation: −$11,343
• Taxable loss: −$14,914
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$3,579
• After-tax cash flow: $-4,068/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: Polk County Schools
• NCES district ID: 3703720
• Math proficiency: 58% ▬ 0.00%
• Reading proficiency: 62% ▬ 0.00%
• Median HH income: $44,641
• Composite: 50.56/100
• National rank: #1847
• State rank: #32 of 178 in NC

Livability — Columbus

• Score: 74/100
• State rank: #53
• US rank: #4439

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Columbus, NC
• Population (ZIP): 5,998

Population outlook (Polk County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 20,043 people
• By 2030: 19,764 · -1.4%
• By 2040: 18,836 · -6.0%
• By 2050: 17,529 · -12.5%
• By 2075: 14,741 · -26.5%
• By 2100: 11,461 · -42.8%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (91%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 91% Two or more races 4% Hispanic / Latino 4% Black 3%
• Common ancestry: Iranian 4% Slovak 4% Italian 4%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada
• Languages at home: 93% English-only · German/W. Germanic 3% Spanish 3%

Political lean MEDSL · Polk

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+25.2) · D 37.0% · R 62.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -10.1pp toward R · 2008: -15.1pp · 2024: -25.2pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+25.2 2020: R+25.7 2016: R+28.2 2012: R+21.5 2008: R+15.1

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 27.76%
• Current HPI: 336.4252
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.28%
• F500 in state: 26

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in NC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	2	$213B
▸Retail	2	$95B
▸Industrial Conglomerate	1	$38B
▸Metals / Steel	1	$35B
▸Utilities	1	$30B
▸Industrial Machinery	1	$19B

Price history

+33.9% since first listed

15 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-01 Listed $415,000 Hive MLS
• 2026-03-23 Price Changed $420,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-12-16 Price Changed $435,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-10-20 Listed $450,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-11-03 Price Changed $450,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-10-28 Relisted — CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-10-28 Price Changed $459,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-10-07 Price Changed $485,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-09-20 Price Changed $499,900 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-09-09 Listed $525,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-07-01 Sold (MLS) $320,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-04-14 Pending — CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-04-12 Relisted — CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-03-18 Contingent — CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2022-03-10 Listed $310,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+4.2%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,966 · +12.9% YoY. Source: county tax records.