1730 Arlington Blvd #506

Arlington, VA 22209

$298,000D

1 bd · 1.0 ba · 685 sqft · Built 1960 · Condo · Active · 73 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,320/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,563
• Tax + insurance: −$382
• HOA: −$524
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$487
• Net cashflow: $-636/mo
• Annual: $-7,636/yr
• Cap rate: 3.73%
• Cash-on-cash: -9.15%
• DSCR: 0.59
• 1% rule: 0.78%
• Cash to close: $83,440

Investor read

• This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath condo listed at $298k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-636 ($-8k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $186k (37.7% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $232k (22.2% below list).
• It's been on market 73 days — a 6% lower offer ($280k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $186k (37.7% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.
• In year one you build about $2k of equity ($2k loan paydown + $63 appreciation (0.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 86/100 on livability (#14 in VA, #387 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: schools A+, crime A+, amenities A+; Watch: cost of living F.
• Arlington County Public School District (urban): math 65% / reading 77% proficiency, ranked #8 of 131 in VA (top 6%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Watch-outs: HOA is 23% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents flat; 105 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 16d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); high-income renter base; 621 units permitted in Arlington County in 2024 (429 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Arlington County population projected at +44% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 8 sale attempts since 20y 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.
• Cap rate 3.7% vs local median 1.7% in Arlington — 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

• What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
• It's been on market 73 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 38% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1960 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• 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 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?