124 Watson Ave · Fairmont, WV 26554

$124,900

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,850 sqft · MultiFamily public records · 197 Days on market

Built 1930 Est $118k · 5% over

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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 +9.5/10.0
• ARV discount +5.0/15.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Schools +3.1/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Multi-family units

County records classify this as Multi-Family (2-4 Unit). Listing-text estimate: 2 units. confirmed

Listing remarks MLS

Investment opportunity close to schools and other amenities.

Key facts

• Remodeled
• Upgraded plumbing
• Upgraded flooring

Tags

• REMODELED
• UPGRADED ELECTRICAL
• UPGRADED PLUMBING
• UPGRADED FLOORING

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: On-street parking
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Cable available
• Home design: Multi-family residential (2-4 family); Two-story building
• Construction: Block and frame construction with vinyl siding; Shingle roof
• Exterior features: Patio; Corner lot; Sloped lot

Interior

• Kitchen: Includes refrigerator and range
• Bedrooms: Two 2-bedroom units
• Flooring: Vinyl flooring; Wood flooring
• Bathrooms: Two full bathrooms
• Heating & cooling: Baseboard heating; Window air-conditioning units
• Interior features: Refrigerator; Range; Vinyl and wood flooring; Walk-out basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $125k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $594 ($7k/yr) — positive. Per door: $297/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $125k).
• Recommended offer: $110k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 12.0% vs local median 4.3% in Fairmont — 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 70/100 on livability (#64 in WV) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime D, amenities F, commute F.
• Marion County Schools (town): math 30% / reading 43% proficiency, ranked #11 of 55 in WV (top 20%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Watson Elementary School (math 22% / reading 27%, grade F, #287 of 377 statewide, top 85%, 415 students, 0% FRL); West Fairmont Middle School (math 27% / reading 41%, grade F, #36 of 109 statewide, top 35%, 629 students, 0% FRL); East Fairmont High School (math 27% / reading 52%, grade F, #21 of 110 statewide, top 26%, 689 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 46% district-wide (46 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Market conditions: 150 active listings in the ZIP; 3 units permitted in Marion County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $864 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $35k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 197 days — a 12% lower offer ($110k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 3 sale attempts since 7y 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 $14k; list at $125k implies a 825% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1930 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $109,912 (12.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 197 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
3. What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
4. Built in 1930 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
5. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
6. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
7. 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?
8. Crime grade is D 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?
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.45% ✓
• Cap rate: 12.00%
• Cash-on-cash: 20.38%
• DSCR: 1.91
• GRM: 5.7

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $118,400
• Comps found: 1

Show comp detail 1 sale within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
404 & 404 1/2 7th	0.60mi	5/2.0 (+1)	2,055 (+11%)	17mo	$131,000	$64	34

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: 12.7%
• Equity multiple: 1.50×
• Total profit: $17,612
• Equity at exit: $18,623

10-year hold

• IRR: 21.6%
• Equity multiple: 2.83×
• Total profit: $64,115
• Equity at exit: $10,799

Cash invested: $34,972 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State West Virginia: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+22
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Landlord-favorable; preempted; minimal protections.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 26554

• Home prices YoY: -11.3%
• Active inventory: 150
• Price-to-rent: 11.5×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,817 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$655
• Tax from tax record: −$134 /mo · $1,612/yr
• Insurance: −$52
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$382
• Net cashflow: $594

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,065

Max offer price $124,900

Occupancy floor 62%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $665	-5% $629	+0% $594	+5% $559	+10% $523
Rent	-10% $451	-5% $522	+0% $594	+5% $666	+10% $738
Rate	-1.0pp $657	-0.5pp $626	base $594	+0.5pp $562	+1.0pp $529

2-unit breakdown (identical units grouped — click to expand)

Units	Beds	Baths	Est. rent
▸ 2× units	2	1	$1,816
Total (2 units)			$1,817

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: $31,225
• Closing costs: $3,747
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 24 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $124,900 Active 197 DOM
2. 2026-06-19
   days on market $124,900 Active 195 DOM
3. 2026-06-18
   days on market $124,900 Active 194 DOM
4. 2026-06-17
   days on market $124,900 Active 193 DOM
5. 2026-06-16
   days on market $124,900 Active 192 DOM
6. 2026-06-15
   days on market $124,900 Active 191 DOM
7. 2026-06-14
   days on market $124,900 Active 189 DOM
8. 2026-06-13
   days on market $124,900 Active 188 DOM
9. 2026-06-10
   days on market $124,900 Active 186 DOM
10. 2026-06-09
    days on market $124,900 Active 185 DOM
11. 2026-06-08
    days on market $124,900 Active 184 DOM
12. 2026-06-07
    days on market $124,900 Active 183 DOM
13. 2026-06-02
    days on market $124,900 Active 178 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    days on market $124,900 Active 177 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $124,900 Active 176 DOM
16. 2026-05-30
    days on market $124,900 Active 175 DOM
17. 2026-03-05
    status Active
18. 2026-03-05
    price $124,900
19. 2025-12-03
    listed $129,900 Active
20. 2020-01-10
    soldstatus $13,500
21. 2019-12-23
    soldstatus $13,500 60-char remark

    Show marketing remark (60 chars)

    Investment opportunity close to schools and other amenities.

22. 2019-03-07
    listed $12,500 60-char remark

    Show marketing remark (60 chars)

    Investment opportunity close to schools and other amenities.

23. 2007-02-23
    soldstatus $75,000
24. 2000-07-12
    soldstatus $26,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast WV · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $1,612 · $134/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,612 · $134/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥99°F today · 19 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 1/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $21,804
• − Mortgage interest: −$6,996
• − Property taxes: −$1,612
• − Insurance: −$624
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,744
• − Management: −$1,744
• − Depreciation: −$3,633
• Taxable income: $5,449
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,308
• After-tax cash flow: $5,821/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: Marion County Schools
• NCES district ID: 5400720
• Math proficiency: 30% ▼ -14.00%
• Reading proficiency: 43% ▼ -8.00%
• Median HH income: $42,195
• Composite: 30.8/100
• National rank: #6145
• State rank: #11 of 55 in WV

Livability — Fairmont

• Score: 70/100
• State rank: #64
• US rank: #8054

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Fairmont, WV
• Population (ZIP): 42,116

Population outlook (Marion County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 56,923 people
• By 2030: 56,850 · -0.1%
• By 2040: 56,469 · -0.8%
• By 2050: 56,027 · -1.6%
• By 2075: 55,509 · -2.5%
• By 2100: 51,082 · -10.3%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (90%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 90% Two or more races 5% Black 3% Hispanic / Latino 2%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 3% Slovak 2% Iranian 2%
• Foreign-born: 1%
• Languages at home: 98% English-only · Spanish 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Marion

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+31.2) · D 33.2% · R 64.5% · Other 2.3%
• 2008→2024 swing: -31.7pp toward R · 2008: 0.5pp · 2024: -31.2pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+31.2 2020: R+28.7 2016: R+33.5 2012: R+14.4 2008: D+0.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -30.86%
• Current HPI: 240.9967
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

+380.4% since first listed

8 events — show timeline

• 2026-03-05 Relisted — NCWVREIN
• 2026-03-05 Price Changed $124,900 NCWVREIN
• 2025-12-03 Listed $129,900 NCWVREIN
• 2020-01-10 Sold (Public Records) $13,500 Public Records
• 2019-12-23 Sold (MLS) $13,500 NCWVREIN
• 2019-03-07 Listed $12,500 NCWVREIN
• 2007-02-23 Sold (Public Records) $75,000 Public Records
• 2000-07-12 Sold (Public Records) $26,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+1.3%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,612 · +4.3% YoY. Source: county tax records.