1705 Karen St

Lima, OH 45801

$135,000B-

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,254 sqft · Built 1954 · SingleFamily · Active · 3 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,528/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$708
• Tax + insurance: −$153
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$321
• Net cashflow: $346/mo
• Annual: $4,150/yr
• Cap rate: 9.37%
• Cash-on-cash: 10.98%
• DSCR: 1.49
• 1% rule: 1.13%
• Cash to close: $37,800

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $135k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $346 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $135k).
• Only 3 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $933 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 64/100 on livability (#787 in OH) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A-; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Elida Local (rural): math 59% / reading 59% proficiency, ranked #311 of 656 in OH (top 47%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Watch-outs: built in 1954 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 74 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 88 units permitted in Allen County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Allen County population projected at -14% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 3 sale attempts since 20y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $40k (23%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $39k; list at $135k implies a 246% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $38k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 9.4% vs local median 7.7% in Lima — meaningfully above typical; check what's discounted (condition, days-on-market, listing class) to confirm the premium yield is real.
• This rent runs 35% of the median local income ($52k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1954 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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.