31997 Hwy 16

Montpelier, LA 70422

$155,200B

4 bd · 2.5 ba · 2,720 sqft · Built 1968 · SingleFamily · Active · 74 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,419/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$814
• Tax + insurance: −$259
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$508
• Net cashflow: $838/mo
• Annual: $10,058/yr
• Cap rate: 12.77%
• Cash-on-cash: 23.14%
• DSCR: 2.03
• 1% rule: 1.56%
• Cash to close: $43,456

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.5-bath single-family listed at $155k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $838 ($10k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $155k).
• It's been on market 74 days — a 6% lower offer ($146k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $146k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 53/100 on livability (#398 in LA) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+, crime A; Watch: housing D, amenities F, commute F.
• St. Helena Parish (rural): math 5% / reading 11% proficiency, ranked #95 of 98 in LA (top 97%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 88% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: St. Helena Arts And Technology Academy (math 6% / reading 11%, grade F, #616 of 646 statewide, top 96%, 326 students, 88% FRL); St. Helena College And Career Academy (math 5% / reading 10%, grade F, #248 of 265 statewide, top 94%, 487 students, 92% FRL) — zoned schools at 90% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: 86 active listings in the ZIP; 12 units permitted in St. Helena Parish in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• St. Helena County population projected at -27% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 2 sale attempts 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $43k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 74 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1968 — 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 F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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.