4709 Canal St

Lake Charles, LA 70605

$169,000B+

5 bd · 3.0 ba · 3,139 sqft · Built 1970 · SingleFamily · Active · 285 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,445/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$886
• Tax + insurance: −$190
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$724
• Net cashflow: $1,646/mo
• Annual: $19,751/yr
• Cap rate: 17.98%
• Cash-on-cash: 41.74%
• DSCR: 2.86
• 1% rule: 2.04%
• Cash to close: $47,320

Investor read

• This is a 5-bed/3.0-bath single-family listed at $169k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($20k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $169k).
• It's been on market 285 days — a 12% lower offer ($149k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $149k (12.0% 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 68/100 on livability (#95 in LA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, employment D-.
• Calcasieu Parish (other): math 30% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #29 of 98 in LA (top 30%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: A. A. Nelson Elementary School (math 36% / reading 52%, grade F, #191 of 646 statewide, top 30%, 741 students, 55% FRL); F. K. White Middle School (math 26% / reading 39%, grade F, #104 of 218 statewide, top 48%, 661 students, 67% FRL); Alfred M. Barbe High School (math 41% / reading 56%, grade D, #41 of 265 statewide, top 16%, 1,991 students, 41% FRL) — zoned schools at 54% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+15.1%/yr); 697 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 185d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; solid renter incomes; 1,298 units permitted in Calcasieu Parish in 2024 (526 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Calcasieu County population projected at +11% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 2 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $20k (11%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $47k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→22/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 18.0% vs local median 5.1% in Lake Charles — 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.
• At $3,445/mo this rent would consume 48% of the median local household income ($86k/yr) (locally 17% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 285 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Built in 1970 — 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 B-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
• Crime grade is F 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?
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Major: Exposed wiring in kitchen — Safety hazard
• Major: Damaged vanity in bathroom — Needs replacement
• Major: Exposed drywall in kitchen — Structural issue
• Major: Water heater — Needs replacement