18 N 7th St · Columbia, PA 17512

$225,000

4 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,952 sqft · MultiFamily public records · 56 Days on market

Built 1900 1,742 sqft lot $115/sqft · 21% below area Est $286k · 21% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the B+ grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +30.0/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Rent growth +4.2/5.0
• Livability +3.7/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.9/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Multi-family units

County records classify this as Multi-Family (2-4 Unit). Listing-text estimate: 1 unit. estimate disagrees with records

Key facts

• Built 1900
• Listed 56 days

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/1.5-bath multifamily listed at $225k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $1k ($16k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($4k rent vs $225k).
• Recommended offer: $218k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 13.2% vs local median 3.3% in Columbia — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 73/100 on livability (#538 in PA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D+, amenities D, commute F.
• Columbia Borough SD (suburban): math 14% / reading 32% proficiency, ranked #482 of 539 in PA (top 89%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 60% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Park El Sch (math 17% / reading 37%, grade F, #1,154 of 1,518 statewide, top 77%, 478 students, 71% FRL); Columbia Ms (math 6% / reading 31%); Columbia Hs (math 42% / reading 10%, grade F, #372 of 437 statewide, top 86%, 376 students, 86% FRL) — zoned schools average 78% FRL vs 60% district-wide (18 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.0%/yr); 131 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 1,093 units permitted in Lancaster County in 2024 (201 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Lancaster County population projected at +5% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 7.0% rent growth), your $63k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 56 days — a 3% lower offer ($218k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts since 3y 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 $85k; list at $225k implies a 165% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $218,250 (3.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 56 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. How much new apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.64% ✓
• Cap rate: 13.24%
• Cash-on-cash: 24.81%
• DSCR: 2.10
• GRM: 5.1

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $285,953
• List price: $225,000
• Delta: -21.32%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 7 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
20 N 5th St	0.22mi	4/2.0	1,961 (+0%)	8mo	$320,000	$163	81
20 N 7th St	0.00mi	3/— (-1)	2,108 (+8%)	2mo	$230,000	$109	80
16 N 5th St	0.22mi	4/—	1,935 (-1%)	17mo	$314,900	$163	74
333 Cherry St	0.37mi	4/—	2,052 (+5%)	12mo	$200,001	$97	64
336 Cherry St	0.37mi	4/—	2,118 (+8%)	7mo	$230,000	$109	63
134 S 4th St	0.37mi	4/—	1,680 (-14%)	7mo	$230,000	$137	54
18 N 5th St	0.22mi	4/3.0	2,212 (+13%)	11mo	$325,000	$147	53

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 7.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 22.8%
• Equity multiple: 1.99×
• Total profit: $62,075
• Equity at exit: $33,548

10-year hold

• IRR: 33.3%
• Equity multiple: 4.65×
• Total profit: $230,212
• Equity at exit: $19,454

Cash invested: $63,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 62 Landlord-Friendly
• State Pennsylvania: 62 Landlord-Friendly · EVEN
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; Philadelphia has eviction-court diversion + some protections; otherwise moderate.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 17512

• Home prices YoY: -23.7%
• Rents YoY: 7.0%
• Active inventory: 131
• Price-to-rent: 15.2×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $3,695 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,180
• Tax from tax record: −$343 /mo · $4,112/yr
• Insurance: −$94
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$776
• Net cashflow: $1,303

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,046

Max offer price $225,000

Occupancy floor 60%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $1,430	-5% $1,366	+0% $1,303	+5% $1,239	+10% $1,175
Rent	-10% $1,011	-5% $1,157	+0% $1,303	+5% $1,449	+10% $1,595
Rate	-1.0pp $1,416	-0.5pp $1,360	base $1,303	+0.5pp $1,244	+1.0pp $1,185

3-unit breakdown (identical units grouped — click to expand)

Units	Beds	Baths	Est. rent
▸ 3× units	2	1	$3,696
Total (3 units)			$3,695

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $56,250
• Closing costs: $6,750
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 2 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
521 Locust St Columbia, PA	3.0	1.5	1768	$2,550	$1.44	25d	1	0.17mi
362 S 3rd St Columbia, PA	3.0	1.0	1266	$1,350	$1.07	45d	1	0.54mi

Listing history 11 events

1. 2026-05-07
   status Pending
2. 2026-03-12
   listed $225,000 Active
3. 2024-03-14
   historical $1,650
4. 2024-01-26
   price $1,590
5. 2024-01-12
   price $1,650
6. 2023-12-06
   price $1,695
7. 2023-09-28
   price $1,750
8. 2023-09-07
   price $1,795
9. 2023-09-02
   listed $1,895
10. 2019-12-18
    soldstatus $85,000
11. 1991-07-09
    soldstatus $74,900

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast PA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $4,112 · $343/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $4,112 · $343/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 4/10 Moderate FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 22% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥102°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 4/10 Moderate 12% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 5 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $44,340
• − Mortgage interest: −$12,603
• − Property taxes: −$4,112
• − Insurance: −$1,125
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$3,547
• − Management: −$3,547
• − Depreciation: −$6,545
• Taxable income: $12,860
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$3,086
• After-tax cash flow: $12,547/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Columbia Borough SD
• NCES district ID: 4206360
• Math proficiency: 14% ▼ -11.00%
• Reading proficiency: 32% ▼ -12.00%
• Median HH income: $39,162
• Composite: 19.3/100
• National rank: #8799
• State rank: #482 of 539 in PA

Livability — Columbia

• Score: 73/100
• State rank: #538
• US rank: #5040

Category grades

Amenities D Commute F Cost of living A+ Crime C Employment D+ Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings D+

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Columbia, PA
• County: Lancaster County · 390,309 people
• City population: 18,148
• Metro: Lancaster, PA
• Population (ZIP): 18,148
• Household income: $66,684
• Rent vs Own: 35.0% rent · 65.0% own
• Severe rent burden: 647.0

Population outlook (Lancaster County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 561,011 people
• By 2030: 570,969 · +1.8%
• By 2040: 585,929 · +4.4%
• By 2050: 591,056 · +5.4%
• By 2075: 594,747 · +6.0%
• By 2100: 558,850 · -0.4%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (77%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 77% Hispanic / Latino 15% Two or more races 7% Black 5%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 1% Puerto Rican 10% Dominican 2%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 2% Lithuanian 2% Polish 1%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada
• Languages at home: 89% English-only · Spanish 9% German/W. Germanic 1% Arabic 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Lancaster

• 2024 margin: R (+15.9) · D 41.5% · R 57.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -4.1pp toward R · 2008: -11.8pp · 2024: -15.9pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+15.9 2020: R+15.8 2016: R+19.7 2012: R+19.2 2008: R+11.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -86.48%
• Current HPI: 278.1465
• Rent YoY: ▲ 7.00%
• Metro: Lancaster, PA
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.68%
• F500 in state: 34

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in PA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	2	$309B
▸Insurance	2	$27B
▸Telecommunications / Media	1	$124B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$22B
▸Financial Services	1	$20B
▸Chemicals / Materials	1	$18B

Price history

+200.4% since first listed

11 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-07 Pending — BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-03-12 Listed $225,000 BRIGHT MLS
• 2024-03-14 Rental Removed $1,650 APPFOLIO
• 2024-01-26 Price Changed $1,590 APPFOLIO
• 2024-01-12 Price Changed $1,650 APPFOLIO
• 2023-12-06 Price Changed $1,695 APPFOLIO
• 2023-09-28 Price Changed $1,750 APPFOLIO
• 2023-09-07 Price Changed $1,795 APPFOLIO
• 2023-09-02 Listed for Rent $1,895 APPFOLIO
• 2019-12-18 Sold (Public Records) $85,000 Public Records
• 1991-07-09 Sold (Public Records) $74,900 Public Records

Property tax history

+1.5%/yr

Latest (2026): $4,112 · -1.3% YoY. Source: county tax records.