7291 Birch Ave

Martiny, MI 49332

$55,000B-

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,076 sqft · Built 1977 · SingleFamily · Active · 59 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $978/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$288
• Tax + insurance: −$92
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$205
• Net cashflow: $392/mo
• Annual: $4,706/yr
• Cap rate: 14.85%
• Cash-on-cash: 30.56%
• DSCR: 2.36
• 1% rule: 1.78%
• Cash to close: $15,400

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $55k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $392 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($978 rent vs $55k).
• It's been on market 59 days — a 3% lower offer ($53k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $53k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $380 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads: area grade B — affects rentability + tenant quality, not the cash-flow math above.
• Chippewa Hills School District (rural): math 24% / reading 42% proficiency, ranked #324 of 540 in MI (top 60%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Mecosta Elementary School (math 42% / reading 52%, grade D-, #433 of 1,397 statewide, top 34%, 228 students, 66% FRL); Chippewa Hills Intermediate School (math 17% / reading 37%, grade F, #372 of 493 statewide, top 77%, 513 students, 69% FRL); Chippewa Hills High School (math 27% / reading 57%, grade F, #264 of 713 statewide, top 41%, 476 students, 59% FRL).
• Market conditions: 34 active listings in the ZIP; 116 units permitted in Mecosta County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Mecosta County population projected to shrink 9% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 12 sale attempts since 4y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $15k (21%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $15k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 59 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1977 — 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.