3643 Pocahontas Hwy

Marlinton, WV 24954

$90,000C

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 979 sqft · Built 1972 · SingleFamily · Active · 184 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $888/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$472
• Tax + insurance: −$216
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$187
• Net cashflow: $13/mo
• Annual: $159/yr
• Cap rate: 7.36%
• Cash-on-cash: 3.79%
• DSCR: 1.17
• 1% rule: 0.99%
• Cash to close: $25,200

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $90k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $13 ($159/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $89k (1.3% below list).
• It's been on market 184 days — a 12% lower offer ($79k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $79k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $7k of equity ($622 loan paydown + $6k appreciation (7.1% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 61/100 on livability (#208 in WV) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Pocahontas County Schools (rural): math 31% / reading 39% proficiency, ranked #19 of 55 in WV (top 34%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Marlinton Elementary School (math 37% / reading 42%, grade F, #108 of 377 statewide, top 33%, 203 students, 0% FRL); Pocahontas County High School (math 22% / reading 42%, grade F, #55 of 110 statewide, top 59%, 278 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 53% district-wide (53 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $66/mo.
• Market conditions: 50 active listings in the ZIP; 2 units permitted in Pocahontas County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Pocahontas County population projected at -18% 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.
• Current owner paid $30k; list at $90k implies a 200% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (7.1% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $25k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 5, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$31k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 184 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1972 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• 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.