1427 W College Ave

Appleton, WI 54914

$229,900C+

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,528 sqft · Built 1891 · MultiFamily · Active · 3 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,778/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,206
• Tax + insurance: −$318
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$583
• Net cashflow: $671/mo
• Annual: $8,050/yr
• Cap rate: 9.79%
• Cash-on-cash: 12.50%
• DSCR: 1.56
• 1% rule: 1.21%
• Cash to close: $64,372

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $230k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $671 ($8k/yr) — positive. Per door: $335/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $230k).
• Only 3 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 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.
• Location reads 82/100 on livability (#44 in WI, #1,073 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities C-.
• Appleton Area School District (urban): math 33% / reading 36% proficiency, ranked #224 of 342 in WI (top 66%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Jefferson Elementary (math 27% / reading 22%, grade F, #783 of 1,041 statewide, top 79%, 273 students, 65% FRL); Wilson Middle (math 14% / reading 24%, grade F, #354 of 383 statewide, top 93%, 364 students, 62% FRL); West High (math 19% / reading 27%, grade F, #343 of 483 statewide, top 72%, 1,157 students, 53% FRL) — zoned schools average 60% FRL vs 32% district-wide (28 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 22% at this address vs 34% district-wide (-12 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Appleton Area School District average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Watch-outs: built in 1891 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.8%/yr); 52 active listings in the ZIP; 9 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 460 units permitted in Outagamie County in 2024 (30 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Outagamie County population projected at +8% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 2 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.
• Current owner paid $130k; list at $230k implies a 77% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 7.8% rent growth), your $64k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 9.8% vs local median 4.2% in Appleton — 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.
• This rent runs 42% of the median local income ($80k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1891 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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 apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.