254 Chatham Spur Rd

Ruston, LA 71270

$120,000B+

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,692 sqft · Built 1950 · SingleFamily · Active · 105 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,536/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$629
• Tax + insurance: −$93
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$323
• Net cashflow: $491/mo
• Annual: $5,892/yr
• Cap rate: 11.20%
• Cash-on-cash: 17.54%
• DSCR: 1.78
• 1% rule: 1.28%
• Cash to close: $33,600

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $120k. Condition is rated good.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $491 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $120k).
• It's been on market 105 days — a 9% lower offer ($109k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $109k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $830 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 68/100 on livability (#86 in LA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+; Watch: amenities C-, crime F, commute F.
• Lincoln Parish (town): math 35% / reading 45% proficiency, ranked #24 of 98 in LA (top 24%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 62% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Hillcrest Elementary School (397 students, 70% FRL); Ruston Junior High School (math 23% / reading 38%, grade F, #112 of 218 statewide, top 52%, 558 students, 60% FRL); Ruston High School (math 53% / reading 60%, grade C, #26 of 265 statewide, top 10%, 1,310 students, 50% FRL) — zoned schools at 60% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1950 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.6%/yr); 332 active listings in the ZIP; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 171 units permitted in Lincoln Parish in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Lincoln County population projected at +15% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 3 sale attempts since 2y 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.6% rent growth), your $34k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 73% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→19/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 11.2% vs local median 3.2% in Ruston — 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 $1,536/mo this rent would consume 50% of the median local household income ($37k/yr) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 105 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1950 — 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.
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Minor: Paint — The exterior siding and interior walls appear to have some minor paint wear.
• Minor: Landscaping — The landscaping could benefit from some trimming and additional plants to enhance curb appeal.