24751 Nichols St · Seaford, DE 19973

$134,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,152 sqft · SingleFamily · 18 Days on market

Built 1970 0.25 ac lot

---

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
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +7.8/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +3.2/5.0
• Schools +2.8/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

3 Bedroom 1 bathroom ranch in need of renovation. Property sold AS-IS through short sale, subject to bank approval. Subject to Chancery court approval

Key facts

• 0.25 acre lot
• Built 1970
• Listed 18 days

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $134k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $519 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $134k).
• Recommended offer: $132k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 11.4% vs local median 4.4% in Seaford — 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 64/100 on livability (#54 in DE) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: schools C-, employment D, crime F.
• Seaford School District (suburban): math 25% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #15 of 26 in DE (top 58%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 65% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: 216 active listings in the ZIP; 4,354 units permitted in Sussex County in 2024 (344 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $926 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Sussex County population projected at +25% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $38k cash investment doubles in ~8 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 18 days — a 2% lower offer ($132k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $56/mo.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk; major wind risk, 74% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $131,990 (1.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1970 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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: 1.28% ✓
• Cap rate: 11.44%
• Cash-on-cash: 18.37%
• DSCR: 1.82
• GRM: 6.5

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $269,568
• Comps found: 6

Show comp detail 6 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
24780 Nichols St	0.06mi	3/1.0	1,260 (+9%)	3mo	$130,000	$103	79
24671 Nichols St	0.15mi	3/1.0	1,070 (-7%)	11mo	$115,000	$107	72
24684 Nichols St	0.13mi	3/1.0	1,080 (-6%)	23mo	$127,000	$118	64
24689 Jewel St	0.11mi	3/1.0	1,006 (-13%)	20mo	$235,000	$234	57
24330 Concord Pond Rd	0.42mi	3/1.0	1,100 (-4%)	24mo	$258,888	$235	53
11138 Church Rd	0.68mi	3/2.0	1,120 (-3%)	13mo	$280,000	$250	49

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: 7.7%
• Equity multiple: 1.30×
• Total profit: $11,301
• Equity at exit: $19,980

10-year hold

• IRR: 17.0%
• Equity multiple: 2.39×
• Total profit: $52,274
• Equity at exit: $11,586

Cash invested: $37,520 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 70 Landlord-Friendly
• State Delaware: 70 Landlord-Friendly · D+7
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Court of Common Pleas hears L&T; moderate-paced. No state rent control.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 19973

• Home prices YoY: -17.8%
• Active inventory: 216
• Price-to-rent: 6.5×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,717 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$703
• Tax from tax record: −$23 /mo · $280/yr
• Insurance: −$56
• Flood insurance flood zone: −$56 /mo · $666/yr
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$361
• Net cashflow: $519

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,060

Max offer price $134,000

Occupancy floor 65%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $595	-5% $557	+0% $519	+5% $328	+10% $282
Rent	-10% $383	-5% $451	+0% $519	+5% $587	+10% $654
Rate	-1.0pp $586	-0.5pp $553	base $519	+0.5pp $484	+1.0pp $449

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: $33,500
• Closing costs: $4,020
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 3 events

1. 2026-04-07
   status Pending
2. 2026-02-03
   historical
3. 2026-01-16
   listed $134,000 Active

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

Tax reassessment forecast DE · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $280 · $23/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $529 · $44/mo
• Expected delta: +$249/yr (+$21/mo · 88.8%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 8/10 Severe FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 99% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 2/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 8/10 Severe 7 d/yr ≥105°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 74% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $20,601
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,506
• − Property taxes: −$280
• − Insurance: −$1,336
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,648
• − Management: −$1,648
• − Depreciation: −$3,898
• Taxable income: $4,284
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,028
• After-tax cash flow: $5,198/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: Seaford School District
• NCES district ID: 1001530
• Math proficiency: 25% ▼ -18.00%
• Reading proficiency: 40% ▼ -12.00%
• Median HH income: $48,427
• Composite: 28.07/100
• National rank: #6835
• State rank: #15 of 26 in DE

Livability — Seaford

• Score: 64/100
• State rank: #54
• US rank: #14448

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Population (ZIP): 25,786

Population outlook (Sussex County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 248,853 people
• By 2030: 264,464 · +6.3%
• By 2040: 290,980 · +16.9%
• By 2050: 311,259 · +25.1%
• By 2075: 352,488 · +41.6%
• By 2100: 367,406 · +47.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.61)
• Race & ethnicity: White 58% Black 20% Two or more races 13% Hispanic / Latino 11%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 5% Puerto Rican 1% Dominican 2%
• Common ancestry: Hispanic 4% Romanian 3% Italian 2%
• Foreign-born: 9% · Canada, Vietnam
• Languages at home: 85% English-only · Spanish 8% French/Haitian/Cajun 5% Vietnamese 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Sussex

• 2024 margin: R (+11.0) · D 43.9% · R 54.9% · Other 1.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -2.4pp toward R · 2008: -8.6pp · 2024: -11.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+11.0 2020: R+11.2 2016: R+22.0 2012: R+13.0 2008: R+8.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -62.40%
• Current HPI: 288.5652
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-07 Pending — BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-02-03 Listing Removed — BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-01-16 Listed $134,000 BRIGHT MLS

Property tax history

+180.0%/yr

Latest (2025): $280 · +180.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.