550 Lincolnway

Mishawaka, IN 46544

$215,900B+

8 bd · 4.0 ba · 2,582 sqft · Built 1892 · MultiFamily · Active · 102 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,185/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,132
• Tax + insurance: −$465
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$669
• Net cashflow: $919/mo
• Annual: $11,023/yr
• Cap rate: 11.71%
• Cash-on-cash: 19.34%
• DSCR: 1.86
• 1% rule: 1.48%
• Cash to close: $60,452

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 3-bed/1.5-bath units multifamily listed at $216k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $919 ($11k/yr) — positive. Per door: $459/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $216k).
• It's been on market 102 days — a 9% lower offer ($196k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $196k (9.0% 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 $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#53 in IN, #3,586 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety B; Watch: amenities F, employment F.
• School City Of Mishawaka (urban): math 23% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #260 of 301 in IN (top 86%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Lasalle Elementary School (math 17% / reading 12%, grade F, #862 of 994 statewide, top 88%, 543 students, 84% FRL); John J Young Middle School (math 17% / reading 30%, grade F, #257 of 330 statewide, top 79%, 735 students, 74% FRL); Mishawaka High School (math 24% / reading 60%, grade F, #197 of 369 statewide, top 57%, 1,488 students, 65% FRL) — zoned schools average 74% FRL vs 54% district-wide (20 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $56/mo; built in 1892 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+9.1%/yr); 141 active listings in the ZIP; 754 units permitted in St. Joseph County in 2024 (460 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 3 sale attempts since 4y 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 $75k; list at $216k implies a 188% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $60k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 11.7% vs local median 5.3% in Mishawaka — 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 $3,185/mo this rent would consume 65% of the median local household income ($59k/yr) (locally 685% 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 102 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% 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 1892 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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.