3 bd · 1.5 ba ·
1,800 sqft ·
Built 1973
· Townhouse
· Active
· 22 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$2,304/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$812
Tax + insurance
−$258
HOA
−$394
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$484
Net cashflow
$355/mo
Annual
$4,263/yr
Cap rate
9.05%
Cash-on-cash
9.83%
DSCR
1.44
1% rule
1.49%
Cash to close
$43,372
Investor read
This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath townhouse listed at $155k. Condition is rated good.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $355 ($4k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $155k).
It's been on market 22 days — a 2% lower offer ($153k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $153k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
In year one you build about $6k of equity ($1k loan paydown + $5k appreciation (3.0% local appreciation)).
Location reads 74/100 on livability (#173 in MI, #4,545 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: health & safety D+, amenities F.
Warren Consolidated Schools (urban): math 18% / reading 39% proficiency, ranked #373 of 540 in MI (top 69%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
Zoned schools: Willow Woods Elementary School (math 17% / reading 27%, grade F, #1,035 of 1,397 statewide, top 77%, 328 students, 81% FRL); Carleton Middle School (math 15% / reading 37%, grade F, #383 of 493 statewide, top 78%, 659 students, 76% FRL); Sterling Heights Senior Hs (math 17% / reading 47%, grade F, #405 of 713 statewide, top 59%, 1,389 students, 76% FRL) — zoned schools average 78% FRL vs 48% district-wide (29 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
Market conditions: 1 active listings in the ZIP; 7 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 85d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 57% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,321 units permitted in Macomb County in 2024 (86 in 5+ unit buildings).
Macomb County population projected at +9% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
6 sale attempts since 11y ago; this cycle's ask is 9012% above the opening price — seller raised mid-cycle; expect resistance to lowballs.
Current owner paid $80k; list at $155k implies a 94% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
At projected returns (3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $43k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
By year 6, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$30k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
Cap rate 9.0% vs local median 4.1% in Sterling Heights — 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.
Questions for listing agent
Built in 1973 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-RSE54B2RTNEPJS
· Data 6 h agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29