144 Branch St · Rutherfordton, NC 28139

$75,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,272 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 62 Days on market

Built 1900 4.01 ac lot

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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
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +3.7/5.0
• Schools +3.6/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Investor/renovation special with potential in a desirable in-town Rutherfordton location. Solid structure sits on approximately 4 acres at the end of a quiet street, offering both privacy and options for possible value-added uses including renovation or rental. Home features two bedrooms, one full bath, a living room, and a kitchen with an adjacent laundry area. Existing hardwood floors provide a solid starting point for renovation. With good bones and a functional layout, this property is ready for updates to maximize resale or rental income. This is a court ordered sale with court approval and a 10 day upset bid period. Property is being sold due to a medicaid lien. A portion of land is i

Key facts

• Quiet street
• Functional layout
• 4.01 acre lot

Tags

• APPROXIMATELY 4 ACRES
• QUIET STREET
• EXISTING HARDWOOD FLOORS
• FUNCTIONAL LAYOUT

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Zoning: RMST; No representation restriction noted
• HOA & community: No HOA

Exterior

• Parking: No main-level garage; Other parking (see remarks)
• Utilities: County water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single family residence; Residential property; One story; Basement with exterior entry (unfinished)
• Construction: Site-built construction; Vinyl exterior; Fiberglass roof; Basement foundation; Built on 4.01-acre lot
• Exterior features: Front porch; Paved, publicly maintained road

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher
• Bedrooms: 2 bedrooms on the main level
• Flooring: Linoleum; Vinyl; Wood
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom on the main level
• Heating & cooling: No heating; No cooling
• Interior features: 2 total rooms; Dishwasher
• Laundry & utility: Washer hookup; Electric dryer hookup; Utility room on the main level

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $75k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $784 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $75k).
• Recommended offer: $70k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 18.8% vs local median 3.0% in Rutherfordton — 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 (#67 in NC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime D, amenities F, commute F.
• Rutherford County Schools (rural): math 43% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #98 of 178 in NC (top 55%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 60% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Rutherfordton Elementary School (math 37% / reading 47%, grade F, #633 of 1,410 statewide, top 48%, 390 students, 99% FRL); R-S Central High School (math 62% / reading 42%, grade D+, #292 of 535 statewide, top 56%, 758 students, 100% FRL) — zoned schools average 99% FRL vs 60% district-wide (39 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 312 active listings in the ZIP; 193 units permitted in Rutherford County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $519 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Rutherford County population projected at -17% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $21k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 62 days — a 6% lower offer ($70k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

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 $70,500 (6.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 62 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% 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. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. 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?
6. Crime grade is D in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 2.12% ✓
• Cap rate: 18.84%
• Cash-on-cash: 44.82%
• DSCR: 2.99
• GRM: 3.9

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 41.9%
• Equity multiple: 2.80×
• Total profit: $37,794
• Equity at exit: $11,183

10-year hold

• IRR: 48.0%
• Equity multiple: 5.63×
• Total profit: $97,208
• Equity at exit: $6,485

Cash invested: $21,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State North Carolina: 85 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; preempted; landlord-favorable but court speed varies.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 28139

• Home prices YoY: -21.6%
• Active inventory: 312
• Price-to-rent: 3.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,587 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$393
• Tax from tax record: −$45 /mo · $536/yr
• Insurance: −$31
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$333
• Net cashflow: $784

Break-even live

Break-even rent $594

Max offer price $75,000

Occupancy floor 46%

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: $18,750
• Closing costs: $2,250
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 16 events

1. 2026-06-19
   days on market $75,000 Active 62 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $75,000 Active 61 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $75,000 Active 60 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $75,000 Active 59 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $75,000 Active 58 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   days on market $75,000 Active 56 DOM
7. 2026-06-13
   days on market $75,000 Active 55 DOM
8. 2026-06-10
   days on market $75,000 Active 53 DOM
9. 2026-06-09
   days on market $75,000 Active 52 DOM
10. 2026-06-08
    days on market $75,000 Active 51 DOM
11. 2026-06-07
    days on market $75,000 Active 50 DOM
12. 2026-06-02
    days on market $75,000 Active 45 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    days on market $75,000 Active 44 DOM
14. 2026-05-31
    days on market $75,000 Active 43 DOM
15. 2026-05-30
    days on market $75,000 Active 42 DOM
16. 2026-04-18
    listed $75,000 Active

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

Tax reassessment forecast NC · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $536 · $45/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $615 · $51/mo
• Expected delta: +$79/yr (+$7/mo · 14.8%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥105°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 0% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $19,041
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,201
• − Property taxes: −$536
• − Insurance: −$375
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,523
• − Management: −$1,523
• − Depreciation: −$2,182
• Taxable income: $8,701
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$2,088
• After-tax cash flow: $7,324/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: Rutherford County Schools
• NCES district ID: 3704080
• Math proficiency: 43% ▼ -1.00%
• Reading proficiency: 44% ▼ -2.00%
• Median HH income: $36,490
• Composite: 36.11/100
• National rank: #4753
• State rank: #98 of 178 in NC

Livability — Rutherfordton

• Score: 73/100
• State rank: #67
• US rank: #5114

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Rutherfordton, NC
• Population (ZIP): 18,887

Population outlook (Rutherford County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 63,695 people
• By 2030: 61,670 · -3.2%
• By 2040: 57,212 · -10.2%
• By 2050: 52,763 · -17.2%
• By 2075: 44,493 · -30.1%
• By 2100: 38,127 · -40.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (86%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 86% Black 6% Two or more races 5% Hispanic / Latino 4%
• Common ancestry: Serbian 3% Slovak 2% Lithuanian 1%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada
• Languages at home: 96% English-only · Spanish 3%

Political lean MEDSL · Rutherford

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+47.8) · D 25.8% · R 73.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -16.0pp toward R · 2008: -31.8pp · 2024: -47.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+47.8 2020: R+45.8 2016: R+47.9 2012: R+33.5 2008: R+31.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -68.65%
• Current HPI: 249.7007
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.28%
• F500 in state: 26

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in NC)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	2	$213B
▸Retail	2	$95B
▸Industrial Conglomerate	1	$38B
▸Metals / Steel	1	$35B
▸Utilities	1	$30B
▸Industrial Machinery	1	$19B

Price history

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-04-18 Listed $75,000 CANOPYMLS as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+3.7%/yr

Latest (2019): $536 · +19.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.