4 bd · 2.0 ba ·
1,536 sqft ·
Built 1955
· MultiFamily
· Active
· 20 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$2,245/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$886
Tax + insurance
−$272
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$471
Net cashflow
$615/mo
Annual
$7,381/yr
Cap rate
10.66%
Cash-on-cash
15.60%
DSCR
1.69
1% rule
1.33%
Cash to close
$47,320
Investor read
This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $169k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $615 ($7k/yr) — positive. Per door: $308/mo.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $169k).
It's been on market 20 days — a 2% lower offer ($166k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $166k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 78/100 on livability (#134 in IA, #2,474 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime C-, commute F.
Cedar Rapids Community School District (urban): math 50% / reading 59% proficiency, ranked #265 of 289 in IA (top 92%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
Watch-outs: built in 1955 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+11.0%/yr); 286 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 1,023 units permitted in Linn County in 2024 (456 in 5+ unit buildings).
Linn County population projected at +16% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $47k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Cap rate 10.7% vs local median 3.5% in Cedar Rapids — 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.
This rent runs 37% of the median local income ($73k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.
Questions for listing agent
Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
Built in 1955 — 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.
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 apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.
CashFlowRE · CFR-P75YK8AS3FRYRT
· Data 5 days agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29