1100 18th Ave

Charles City, IA 50616

$114,500B+

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,535 sqft · Built 1968 · SingleFamily · Active · 48 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,927/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$600
• Tax + insurance: −$125
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$405
• Net cashflow: $797/mo
• Annual: $9,566/yr
• Cap rate: 14.65%
• Cash-on-cash: 29.84%
• DSCR: 2.33
• 1% rule: 1.68%
• Cash to close: $32,060

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $114k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $797 ($10k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $114k).
• It's been on market 48 days — a 3% lower offer ($111k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $111k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $792 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 77/100 on livability (#161 in IA, #2,944 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+, housing A; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Charles City Community School District (town): math 52% / reading 61% proficiency, ranked #262 of 289 in IA (top 91%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Charles City Ms (math 51% / reading 59%, grade B-, #201 of 246 statewide, top 82%, 423 students, 54% FRL); Charles City High School (math 47% / reading 67%, grade C, #279 of 336 statewide, top 85%, 534 students, 47% FRL).
• Market conditions: 70 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 38 units permitted in Floyd County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Floyd County population projected to shrink 6% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• Current owner paid $27k; list at $114k implies a 324% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $32k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 14.6% vs local median 6.5% in Charles City — 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

• It's been on market 48 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1968 — 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.
• 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.