299 Blue Ridge Dr S #1

Spruce Pine, NC 28752

$184,000B-

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,098 sqft · Built 1997 · Condo · Active · 155 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,100/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$965
• Tax + insurance: −$257
• HOA: −$487
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$651
• Net cashflow: $740/mo
• Annual: $8,885/yr
• Cap rate: 11.56%
• Cash-on-cash: 18.79%
• DSCR: 1.84
• 1% rule: 1.68%
• Cash to close: $51,520

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/2.0-bath condo listed at $184k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $740 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $184k).
• It's been on market 155 days — a 12% lower offer ($162k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $162k (12.0% 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 $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 80/100 on livability (#19 in NC, #1,753 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: schools C-, employment D+, commute F.
• Mcdowell County Schools (rural): math 35% / reading 46% proficiency, ranked #115 of 178 in NC (top 65%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $66/mo.
• Market conditions: 266 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 175 units permitted in McDowell County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• McDowell County population projected at -11% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 3 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $15k (8%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $52k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk; moderate wildfire risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 11.6% vs local median 1.7% in Spruce Pine — 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

• It's been on market 155 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• 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.
• 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.