239 Hall St

Phoenixville, PA 19460

$270,000B-

4 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,107 sqft · Built 1900 · Townhouse · Active · 10 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,921/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,416
• Tax + insurance: −$353
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$613
• Net cashflow: $539/mo
• Annual: $6,466/yr
• Cap rate: 8.69%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.55%
• DSCR: 1.38
• 1% rule: 1.08%
• Cash to close: $75,600

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $270k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $539 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $270k).
• Only 10 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $8k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 91/100 on livability (#11 in PA, #48 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, amenities A+, employment A+.
• Phoenixville Area SD (suburban): math 44% / reading 66% proficiency, ranked #88 of 539 in PA (top 16%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Phoenixville Area Ms (math 22% / reading 68%, grade D, #187 of 512 statewide, top 38%, 937 students, 32% FRL); Phoenixville Area Hs (math 78% / reading 75%, grade A-, #24 of 437 statewide, top 5%, 1,272 students, 27% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.6%/yr); 172 active listings in the ZIP; 5 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 4d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); high-income renter base; 1,513 units permitted in Chester County in 2024 (354 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Chester County population projected at +6% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 3 sale attempts since 27y ago; this cycle's ask is 218% above the opening price — seller raised mid-cycle; expect resistance to lowballs.
• Current owner paid $85k; list at $270k implies a 218% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.6% rent growth), your $76k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% 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.
• Cap rate 8.7% vs local median 2.6% in Phoenixville — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1900 — 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.
• Schools are A-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?
• 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.
• 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.