543 E Buchtel Ave

Akron, OH 44304

$117,000B

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,226 sqft · Built 1889 · MultiFamily · Active · 35 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,220/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$614
• Tax + insurance: −$183
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$466
• Net cashflow: $957/mo
• Annual: $11,489/yr
• Cap rate: 16.11%
• Cash-on-cash: 35.07%
• DSCR: 2.56
• 1% rule: 1.90%
• Cash to close: $32,760

Investor read

• This is a 1×2bd/1.0ba + 1×3bd/1.0ba units multifamily listed at $117k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $957 ($11k/yr) — positive. Per door: $479/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $117k).
• It's been on market 35 days — a 3% lower offer ($113k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $113k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $2k of equity ($809 loan paydown + $877 appreciation (0.8% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 81/100 on livability (#104 in OH, #1,591 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: crime F, employment F.
• Akron City (urban): math 22% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #602 of 656 in OH (top 92%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 66% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Watch-outs: built in 1889 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 17 active listings in the ZIP; 15 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 25d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 47% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 1,114 units permitted in Summit County in 2024 (397 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Summit County population projected to shrink 6% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 5 sale attempts since 15y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• Current owner paid $33k; list at $117k implies a 253% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (0.8% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $33k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 16.1% vs local median 6.6% in Akron — 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.
• At $2,220/mo this rent would consume 64% of the median local household income ($42k/yr) (locally 349% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 35 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• 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 1889 — 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.