113 Austin St

Sanford, NC 27330

$162,000B-

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,338 sqft · Built 1925 · SingleFamily · Active · 94 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,748/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$850
• Tax + insurance: −$269
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$367
• Net cashflow: $263/mo
• Annual: $3,152/yr
• Cap rate: 8.73%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.71%
• DSCR: 1.39
• 1% rule: 1.08%
• Cash to close: $45,360

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $162k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $263 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $162k).
• It's been on market 94 days — a 9% lower offer ($147k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $147k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 72/100 on livability (#92 in NC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D, crime D-, commute F.
• Lee County Schools (rural): math 31% / reading 39% proficiency, ranked #131 of 178 in NC (top 74%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Tramway Elementary (math 45% / reading 47%, grade D-, #551 of 1,410 statewide, top 40%, 545 students, 47% FRL); West Lee Middle (math 25% / reading 39%, grade F, #317 of 475 statewide, top 68%, 607 students, 70% FRL); Lee County High (math 39% / reading 44%, grade F, #381 of 535 statewide, top 72%, 1,508 students, 60% FRL) — zoned schools at 59% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $66/mo; built in 1925 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.7%/yr); 528 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 602 units permitted in Lee County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Lee County population projected at +8% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 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.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk; major wind risk, 59% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→17/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 8.7% vs local median 3.6% in Sanford — 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 34% of the median local income ($61k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 94 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1925 — 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?
• 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?
• 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.