2394 Athens St · Brownsville, TX 78521

$217,500

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,569 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 81 Days on market

Built 2006 5,155 sqft lot $139/sqft · at area comps Est $208k · at est.

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Why this score? — see what drove the D- grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +11.3/30.0
• ARV discount +5.4/15.0
• Rent growth +4.5/5.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• 1% rule +3.6/10.0
• DSCR +3.3/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.2/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Step into this beautifully refreshed 4 bedroom, 1 bathroom home in Brownsville, Tx, offering a clean and inviting space ready for its next owner. You'll find a functional layout with four spacious bedrooms perfect for a growing family, guests, or even a home office setup. Conveniently located near local schools, shopping, and dining, it offers both comfort and accessibility. Don't miss the chance to own a revitalized home with plenty of potential in the heart of Brownsville!

Key facts

• 5,155 sq ft lot
• Built 2006
• Listed 81 days

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $218k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-81 ($-974/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $203k (6.6% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $188k (13.5% below list).
• Recommended offer: $188k (13.5% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 79/100 on livability (#62 in TX, #2,311 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: schools C-, amenities D, crime D-.
• Brownsville ISD (urban): math 20% / reading 34% proficiency, ranked #710 of 826 in TX (top 86%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 83% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+8.2%/yr); 365 active listings in the ZIP; 22 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 22d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 41% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 2,326 units permitted in Cameron County in 2024 (503 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $1,880/mo this rent would consume 51% of the median local household income ($45k/yr) (locally 2682% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Cameron County population projected at +3% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 81 days — a 6% lower offer ($204k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 3 sale attempts since 3y 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→25/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $188,040 (13.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
2. It's been on market 81 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 14% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. Crime grade is D 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?
6. 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?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 0.86% ✗
• Cap rate: 5.85%
• Cash-on-cash: -1.60%
• DSCR: 0.93
• GRM: 9.6

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $207,994
• List price: $217,500
• Delta: 4.57%
• Verdict: FAIR
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 6 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
3260 Turquia St	0.36mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,406 (-10%)	2mo	$235,000	$167	55
4112 Sabine Ave	0.18mi	3/2.0	1,429 (-9%)	21mo	$225,900	$158	55
2681 Malta St	0.22mi	3/2.0	1,363 (-13%)	15mo	$230,000	$169	51
2540 Windsor Pl	0.73mi	3/2.0	1,515 (-3%)	22mo	$249,000	$164	37
2356 Hamburg St	0.54mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,404 (-10%)	14mo	$209,700	$149	37
2761 Mayorca St	0.29mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,784 (+14%)	22mo	$199,900	$112	36

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 8.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -13.2%
• Equity multiple: 0.50×
• Total profit: $-30,408
• Equity at exit: $32,430

10-year hold

• IRR: 2.3%
• Equity multiple: 1.20×
• Total profit: $12,370
• Equity at exit: $18,805

Cash invested: $60,900 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Texas: 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+5
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day notice; statewide preemption; one of the fastest eviction climates; Travis County (Austin) slightly slower.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 78521

• Home prices YoY: -26.0%
• Rents YoY: 8.2%
• Active inventory: 365
• Price-to-rent: 9.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,880 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,141
• Tax from tax record: −$335 /mo · $4,025/yr
• Insurance: −$91
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$395
• Net cashflow: $-81

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,983

Max offer price $203,165

Occupancy floor 99%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $42	-5% $-20	+0% $-81	+5% $-143	+10% $-204
Rent	-10% $-230	-5% $-155	+0% $-81	+5% $-7	+10% $67
Rate	-1.0pp $28	-0.5pp $-26	base $-81	+0.5pp $-138	+1.0pp $-195

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $54,375
• Closing costs: $6,525
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 22 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
3513 Hidalgo Cir Brownsville, TX	2.0	2.5	1289	$1,750	$1.36	14d	1	0.22mi
2460 Munich St Brownsville, TX	4.0	2.5	1984	$2,000	$1.01	21d	1	0.23mi
3528 Hidalgo Cir Unit C Brownsville, TX	2.0	2.5	1061	$1,600	$1.51	21d	1	0.29mi
2246 Athens St Brownsville, TX	3.0	2.0	1304	$1,800	$1.38	21d	1	0.40mi
2733 Naples St Brownsville, TX	4.0	2.0	1796	$2,400	$1.34	44d	1	0.44mi
3008 Chadwick Pl Brownsville, TX	4.0	2.0	1380	$2,000	$1.45	14d	1	0.48mi
2186 Athens St Brownsville, TX	4.0	2.0	1196	$1,750	$1.46	44d	1	0.57mi
3255 W Alton Gloor Blvd Brownsville, TX	3.0	2.0	1213	$1,020	$0.84	44d	1	0.66mi
1150 Quail Hollow Dr Brownsville, TX	3.0	2.5	1333	$1,950	$1.46	21d	1	0.86mi
1935 Athens St Brownsville, TX	4.0	2.0	1196	$2,200	$1.84	14d	1	0.87mi
1935 Athens St Brownsville, TX	4.0	2.0	1196	$2,200	$1.84	21d	1	0.87mi
3 Conquistador Dr Lot 3 Brownsville, TX	3.0	2.0	1750	$2,500	$1.43	14d	1	0.98mi
3255 W Alton Gloor Blvd Unit 1-210 Brownsville, TX	3.0	2.0	1213	$1,020	$0.84	45d	1	1.04mi
2950 McAllen Rd #6 Brownsville, TX	3.0	3.5	1900	$2,600	$1.37	21d	1	1.16mi
184 Stars Ave Unit 7 Brownsville, TX	3.0	2.0	1450	$1,900	$1.31	21d	1	1.17mi
142 Country Club Rd Brownsville, TX	3.0	2.5	1460	$1,800	$1.23	44d	1	1.31mi
150 Country Club Rd Unit 2A Brownsville, TX	3.0	2.5	1971	$1,850	$0.94	44d	1	1.33mi
2100 Laredo Rd Brownsville, TX	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	976	$1,540	$1.58	14d	6	1.36mi
322 McFadden Dr Unit 14 Brownsville, TX	3.0	3.0	1850	$2,200	$1.19	44d	1	1.39mi
42 Fairway Dr Brownsville, TX	2.0	2.0	1300	$2,500	$1.92	21d	1	1.39mi
424 Gilson Rd Brownsville, TX	3.0	2.0	1399	$1,500	$1.07	44d	1	1.40mi
17 Waterfront Dr Brownsville, TX	3.0	3.0	2130	$1,900	$0.89	44d	1	1.42mi

Listing history 23 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $217,500 Active 81 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $217,500 Active 80 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $217,500 Active 79 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $217,500 Active 78 DOM
5. 2026-06-14
   days on market $217,500 Active 76 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $217,500 Active 75 DOM
7. 2026-06-10
   days on market $217,500 Active 73 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $217,500 Active 72 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $217,500 Active 71 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $217,500 Active 70 DOM
11. 2026-06-05
    pricedays on market $217,500 Active 67 DOM
12. 2026-06-02
    days on market $220,000 Active 66 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    days on market $220,000 Active 65 DOM
14. 2026-05-31
    days on market $220,000 Active 64 DOM
15. 2026-05-30
    days on market $220,000 Active 63 DOM
16. 2026-03-28
    listed $220,000 Active 479-char remark

    Show marketing remark (479 chars)

    Step into this beautifully refreshed 4 bedroom, 1 bathroom home in Brownsville, Tx, offering a clean and inviting space ready for its next owner. You'll find a functional layout with four spacious bedrooms perfect for a growing family, guests, or even a home office setup. Conveniently located near local schools, shopping, and dining, it offers both comfort and accessibility. Don't miss the chance to own a revitalized home with plenty of potential in the heart of Brownsville!

17. 2023-08-29
    soldstatus Closed 312-char remark

    Show marketing remark (312 chars)

    This charming 4-bedroom, 1-bathroom home is located in a peaceful neighborhood in Brownsville, TX. The property features a spacious living room, and generously sized bedrooms. Nearby amenities include local shops, restaurants, parks, and SpaceX. Don't miss your chance to make this lovely property your new home!

18. 2023-08-29
    soldstatus

    Show marketing remark (312 chars)

    This charming 4-bedroom, 1-bathroom home is located in a peaceful neighborhood in Brownsville, TX. The property features a spacious living room, and generously sized bedrooms. Nearby amenities include local shops, restaurants, parks, and SpaceX. Don't miss your chance to make this lovely property your new home!

19. 2023-08-29
    soldstatus

    Show marketing remark (312 chars)

    This charming 4-bedroom, 1-bathroom home is located in a peaceful neighborhood in Brownsville, TX. The property features a spacious living room, and generously sized bedrooms. Nearby amenities include local shops, restaurants, parks, and SpaceX. Don't miss your chance to make this lovely property your new home!

20. 2023-06-12
    price $189,999 312-char remark

    Show marketing remark (312 chars)

    This charming 4-bedroom, 1-bathroom home is located in a peaceful neighborhood in Brownsville, TX. The property features a spacious living room, and generously sized bedrooms. Nearby amenities include local shops, restaurants, parks, and SpaceX. Don't miss your chance to make this lovely property your new home!

21. 2023-06-02
    status Active 312-char remark

    Show marketing remark (312 chars)

    This charming 4-bedroom, 1-bathroom home is located in a peaceful neighborhood in Brownsville, TX. The property features a spacious living room, and generously sized bedrooms. Nearby amenities include local shops, restaurants, parks, and SpaceX. Don't miss your chance to make this lovely property your new home!

22. 2023-04-25
    listed $195,000 Active 312-char remark

    Show marketing remark (312 chars)

    This charming 4-bedroom, 1-bathroom home is located in a peaceful neighborhood in Brownsville, TX. The property features a spacious living room, and generously sized bedrooms. Nearby amenities include local shops, restaurants, parks, and SpaceX. Don't miss your chance to make this lovely property your new home!

23. 2008-03-31
    soldstatus

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast TX · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $4,025 · $335/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $4,025 · $335/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 9/10 Extreme 7 d/yr ≥111°F today · 25 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 9/10 Extreme 99% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $22,565
• − Mortgage interest: −$12,183
• − Property taxes: −$4,025
• − Insurance: −$1,088
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,805
• − Management: −$1,805
• − Depreciation: −$6,327
• Taxable loss: −$4,669
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$1,121
• After-tax cash flow: $147/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Brownsville ISD
• NCES district ID: 4811680
• Math proficiency: 20% ▼ -36.00%
• Reading proficiency: 34% ▼ -13.00%
• Median HH income: $30,490
• Composite: 21.8/100
• National rank: #8249
• State rank: #710 of 826 in TX

Livability — Brownsville

• Score: 79/100
• State rank: #62
• US rank: #2311

Category grades

Amenities D Commute A+ Cost of living A+ Crime D- Employment F Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings B-

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Brownsville, TX
• County: Cameron County · 310,734 people
• City population: 212,132
• Metro: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
• Population (ZIP): 87,380
• Household income: $44,509
• Rent vs Own: 39.7% rent · 60.3% own
• Severe rent burden: 2682.0

Population outlook (Cameron County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 441,603 people
• By 2030: 448,113 · +1.5%
• By 2040: 456,385 · +3.3%
• By 2050: 456,294 · +3.3%
• By 2075: 423,851 · -4.0%
• By 2100: 342,787 · -22.4%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly Hispanic (97%)
• Race & ethnicity: Hispanic / Latino 97% Two or more races 45% White 3%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 91%
• Foreign-born: 30% · Canada
• Languages at home: 12% English-only · Spanish 88%

Political lean MEDSL · Cameron

• 2024 margin: Lean R (+5.8) · D 46.7% · R 52.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -34.6pp toward R · 2008: 28.8pp · 2024: -5.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+5.8 2020: D+13.2 2016: D+32.5 2012: D+32.4 2008: D+28.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -81.45%
• Current HPI: 232.1072
• Rent YoY: ▲ 8.19%
• Metro: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.95%
• F500 in state: 110

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in TX)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Energy	16	$1,198B
▸Technology	5	$198B
▸Engineering / Construction	4	$72B
▸Energy Services	3	$60B
▸Utilities	3	$41B
▸Healthcare	2	$330B

Price history

+12.8% since first listed

8 events — show timeline

• 2026-03-28 Listed $220,000 RGVMLS
• 2023-08-29 Sold (Public Records) — Public Records
• 2023-08-29 Sold (Public Records) — Public Records
• 2023-08-29 Sold (MLS) — RGVMLS
• 2023-06-12 Price Changed $189,999 RGVMLS
• 2023-06-02 Relisted — RGVMLS
• 2023-04-25 Listed $195,000 RGVMLS
• 2008-03-31 Sold (Public Records) — Public Records

Property tax history

+5.5%/yr

Latest (2025): $4,025 · -9.4% YoY. Source: county tax records.