435 S Union St · Mauston, WI 53948

$85,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 976 sqft · SingleFamily · 1 Days on market

Built 1950 10,018 sqft lot Est $116k · 27% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the B+ 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 +30.0/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +9.4/10.0
• Livability +3.6/5.0
• Schools +2.9/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Ready to stop renting? Step into homeownership with this affordable 2 bedroom, 1 bath starter home iLocated within walking distance of Lions Park and the Splashpad. It features an attached garage and a surprisingly large backyard ready for pets, play, or a garden. Inside offers a practical layout that just needs some cosmetic freshening to quickly build equity and make it your own. With great bones, an attached garage for Wisconsin winters, and outdoor space you rarely find at this price point, this one is perfect for first-time buyers or investors looking for a project. Home has smoke and pet odors.

Key facts

• Attached garage
• Large backyard
• Outdoor space

Tags

• WALKING DISTANCE LIONS PARK
• LARGE BACKYARD
• ATTACHED GARAGE
• OUTDOOR SPACE

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $85k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $330 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $85k).
• Cap rate 11.0% vs local median 4.4% in Mauston — 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 71/100 on livability (#258 in WI) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Mauston School District (rural): math 36% / reading 31% proficiency, ranked #248 of 342 in WI (top 72%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Mauston High (math 17% / reading 17%, grade F, #400 of 483 statewide, top 85%, 381 students, 41% FRL).
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 17% at this address vs 34% district-wide (-16 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Mauston School District average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Market conditions: 61 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 14d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 154 units permitted in Juneau County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $588 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Juneau County population projected at -19% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $24k cash investment doubles in ~8 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 1 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Current owner paid $50k; list at $85k implies a 70% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1950 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $85,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1950 — 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 F-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. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 1.44% ✓
• Cap rate: 10.96%
• Cash-on-cash: 16.65%
• DSCR: 1.74
• GRM: 5.8

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $116,144
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
435 S Union St	0.00mi	2/1.0	976 (0%)	1mo	$85,000	$87	99
120 W Milwaukee St	0.25mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,032 (+6%)	8mo	$200,000	$194	67
417 S Union St	0.05mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,075 (+10%)	18mo	$112,900	$105	61
825 E State St	0.39mi	1/1.0 (-1)	900 (-8%)	6mo	$88,500	$98	59
139 Beach St	0.59mi	3/1.0 (+1)	954 (-2%)	8mo	$47,352	$50	57
208 Hageman Ct	0.14mi	2/1.0	843 (-14%)	18mo	$105,000	$125	56
515 Grove St	0.69mi	2/1.0	900 (-8%)	5mo	$82,500	$92	51
108 Hanover St	0.55mi	2/1.0	1,100 (+13%)	8mo	$188,500	$171	46
333 Maine St	0.64mi	1/1.0 (-1)	920 (-6%)	12mo	$126,000	$137	45
303 N Union St	0.67mi	2/1.0	884 (-9%)	12mo	$105,000	$119	43
300 Jackson St	0.70mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,040 (+7%)	12mo	$207,000	$199	42
509 Loomis Dr	0.66mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,068 (+9%)	11mo	$100,000	$94	39

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 · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 7.8%
• Equity multiple: 1.31×
• Total profit: $7,310
• Equity at exit: $12,674

10-year hold

• IRR: 17.1%
• Equity multiple: 2.41×
• Total profit: $33,652
• Equity at exit: $7,349

Cash invested: $23,800 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 73 Landlord-Friendly
• State Wisconsin: 73 Landlord-Friendly · R+2
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

5-day notice; preempted; Madison / Milwaukee have some local enforcement.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 53948

• Home prices YoY: -29.4%
• Active inventory: 61
• Price-to-rent: 5.8×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,226 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$446
• Tax from tax record: −$157 /mo · $1,886/yr
• Insurance: −$35
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$257
• Net cashflow: $330

Break-even live

Break-even rent $808

Max offer price $85,000

Occupancy floor 68%

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: $21,250
• Closing costs: $2,550
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 3 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
510 McEvoy St Mauston, WI	2.0	1.0	825	$1,200	$1.45	14d	1	0.47mi
400 Stonefield Cir Unit 804 Mauston, WI	1.0	1.0	800	$1,135	$1.42	23d	1	0.51mi
400 Stonefield Cir Unit 931 Mauston, WI	2.0	1.0	1080	$1,335	$1.24	14d	1	0.51mi

Listing history 4 events

1. 2026-04-16
   status Pending
2. 2026-04-14
   listed $85,000 Active
3. 2014-05-01
   soldstatus $49,900
4. 2010-02-05
   soldstatus $54,900

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

Tax reassessment forecast WI · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,886 · $157/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,886 · $157/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 4/10 Moderate FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 22% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥98°F today · 14 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $14,712
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,761
• − Property taxes: −$1,886
• − Insurance: −$425
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,177
• − Management: −$1,177
• − Depreciation: −$2,473
• Taxable income: $2,814
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$675
• After-tax cash flow: $3,288/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: Mauston School District
• NCES district ID: 5508850
• Math proficiency: 36% ▼ -3.00%
• Reading proficiency: 31% ▼ -1.00%
• Median HH income: $46,779
• Composite: 28.82/100
• National rank: #6658
• State rank: #248 of 342 in WI

Livability — Mauston

• Score: 71/100
• State rank: #258
• US rank: #6593

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Mauston, WI
• Population (ZIP): 8,221

Population outlook (Juneau County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 25,013 people
• By 2030: 24,154 · -3.4%
• By 2040: 22,217 · -11.2%
• By 2050: 20,276 · -18.9%
• By 2075: 15,919 · -36.4%
• By 2100: 11,351 · -54.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (90%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 90% Two or more races 5% Black 3% Hispanic / Latino 2%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 10% Portuguese 8% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada
• Languages at home: 95% English-only · Russian/Polish/Slavic 2% Spanish 2% German/W. Germanic 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Juneau

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+32.1) · D 33.4% · R 65.6% · Other 1.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -41.1pp toward R · 2008: 9.0pp · 2024: -32.1pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+32.1 2020: R+29.2 2016: R+26.3 2012: D+7.1 2008: D+9.0

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -109.90%
• Current HPI: 263.4253
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.10%
• F500 in state: 20

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in WI)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Industrial Machinery	4	$23B
▸Industrial Technology	2	$36B
▸Insurance	1	$36B
▸Professional Services	1	$19B
▸Utilities	1	$9B
▸Consumer Goods	1	$3B

Price history

+54.8% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-16 Pending — SCWMLS
• 2026-04-14 Listed $85,000 SCWMLS
• 2014-05-01 Sold (Public Records) $49,900 Public Records
• 2010-02-05 Sold (Public Records) $54,900 Public Records

Property tax history

+2.0%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,886 · -1.2% YoY. Source: county tax records.