228 Johnston Rd

Wilkinsburg, PA 15235

$118,900B

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,056 sqft · Built 1940 · SingleFamily · Active · 95 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,510/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$624
• Tax + insurance: −$192
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$317
• Net cashflow: $377/mo
• Annual: $4,525/yr
• Cap rate: 10.10%
• Cash-on-cash: 13.59%
• DSCR: 1.60
• 1% rule: 1.27%
• Cash to close: $33,292

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $119k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $377 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $119k).
• It's been on market 95 days — a 9% lower offer ($108k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $108k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $822 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#411 in PA, #3,754 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: health & safety D+, crime F, amenities F.
• Penn Hills SD (suburban): math 13% / reading 24% proficiency, ranked #496 of 539 in PA (top 92%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Penn Hills El Sch (math 14% / reading 27%, grade F, #1,243 of 1,518 statewide, top 82%, 1,279 students, 100% FRL); Linton Ms (math 3% / reading 21%, grade F, #489 of 512 statewide, top 96%, 640 students, 100% FRL); Penn Hills Shs (math 34% / reading 24%, grade F, #357 of 437 statewide, top 82%, 1,107 students, 88% FRL) — zoned schools average 96% FRL vs 56% district-wide (40 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: built in 1940 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.6%/yr); 129 active listings in the ZIP; 25 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 16d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 2,996 units permitted in Allegheny County in 2024 (1,588 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 3 sale attempts since 13y ago; this cycle's ask is 10% above the opening price — seller raised mid-cycle; expect resistance to lowballs.
• Current owner paid $48k; list at $119k implies a 150% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 7.6% rent growth), your $33k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 95 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1940 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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.
• Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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.