719 E Bluff St

Cherokee, IA 51012

$110,000B

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,248 sqft · Built 1966 · Townhouse · Active · 100 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,263/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$577
• Tax + insurance: −$134
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$265
• Net cashflow: $287/mo
• Annual: $3,447/yr
• Cap rate: 9.43%
• Cash-on-cash: 11.19%
• DSCR: 1.50
• 1% rule: 1.15%
• Cash to close: $30,800

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath townhouse listed at $110k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $287 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $110k).
• It's been on market 100 days — a 9% lower offer ($100k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $100k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $761 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 80/100 on livability (#83 in IA, #1,698 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D+, amenities F, commute F.
• Cherokee Community School District (town): math 65% / reading 67% proficiency, ranked #191 of 289 in IA (top 66%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Cherokee Elementary School (math 57% / reading 52%, grade C, #462 of 616 statewide, top 79%, 492 students, 43% FRL); Cherokee Middle School (math 65% / reading 64%, grade A-, #157 of 246 statewide, top 67%, 355 students, 42% FRL); Washington High School (math 69% / reading 81%, grade A-, #86 of 336 statewide, top 26%, 353 students, 33% FRL).
• Market conditions: 44 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 10 units permitted in Cherokee County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Cherokee County population projected at -23% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• Current owner paid $52k; list at $110k implies a 110% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $31k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wildfire risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 9.4% vs local median 4.9% in Cherokee — 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 100 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1966 — 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.
• Schools are B-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
• 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.