683 Merlin St #4630

North Salt Lake, UT 84054

$37,500D+

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,440 sqft · Built 1976 · Manufactured · Active · 118 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,046/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$197
• Tax + insurance: −$62
• HOA: −$1,200
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$430
• Net cashflow: $157/mo
• Annual: $1,889/yr
• Cap rate: 11.33%
• Cash-on-cash: 17.99%
• DSCR: 1.80
• 1% rule: 5.46%
• Cash to close: $10,500

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath manufactured listed at $38k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $157 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $38k).
• It's been on market 118 days — a 9% lower offer ($34k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $34k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $259 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#57 in UT, #3,560 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: cost of living D, amenities F, health & safety F.
• Davis District (suburban): math 43% / reading 47% proficiency, ranked #28 of 80 in UT (top 35%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; only 19% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Zoned schools: Adelaide School (math 35% / reading 30%, grade F, #416 of 585 statewide, top 71%, 419 students, 50% FRL); South Davis Jr High (math 31% / reading 37%, grade F, #97 of 138 statewide, top 70%, 1,095 students, 25% FRL); Woods Cross High (math 36% / reading 47%, grade F, #57 of 171 statewide, top 34%, 1,567 students, 16% FRL).
• Watch-outs: HOA is 59% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.5%/yr); 145 active listings in the ZIP; 21 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 14d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 1,461 units permitted in Davis County in 2024 (508 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Davis County population projected at +39% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 2 sale attempts since 18y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $32k (46%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.5% rent growth), your $10k cash investment doubles in ~5 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 118 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1976 — 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?
• 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.
• The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
• 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.