319 Sycamore St · Cambridge, IA 50046

$179,000

4 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,593 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 40 Days on market

Built 1900 Est $241k · 26% under ↓ 15% since listing

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Why this score? — see what drove the C- 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).

• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• Cash flow +13.1/30.0
• Schools +6.9/10.0
• DSCR +3.9/10.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• 1% rule +3.4/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Vintage two story home with original wood flooring in bedrooms and original woodwork in majority of rooms; large rooms with high ceilings; enclosed front porch; two car garage with cement flooring in and workbench; two level deck off back of house; property extends entire block; all vinyl newer windows, including 4 picture windows; new roof replaced in 2024 with new gutters/ downspouts; home is sold as is.

Key facts

• Vinyl newer windows
• Original woodwork
• Two level deck

Tags

• ORIGINAL WOOD FLOORING
• ORIGINAL WOODWORK
• ENCLOSED FRONT PORCH
• TWO LEVEL DECK
• VINYL NEWER WINDOWS
• NEW ROOF

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $179k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-5 ($-63/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $178k (0.5% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $150k (16.0% below list).
• Recommended offer: $150k (16.0% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#383 in IA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, crime B; Watch: amenities F, commute F, health & safety D-.
• Ballard Community School District (rural): math 80% / reading 78% proficiency, ranked #28 of 289 in IA (top 10%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical; only 16% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Zoned schools: Ballard West Elementary (472 students, 17% FRL); Ballard Middle School (math 84% / reading 82%, grade A+, #13 of 246 statewide, top 6%, 432 students, 15% FRL); Ballard High School (math 71% / reading 78%, grade B+, #89 of 336 statewide, top 30%, 545 students, 17% FRL) — zoned schools at 17% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: 12 active listings in the ZIP; 196 units permitted in Story County in 2024 (34 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• 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.
• Story County population projected at +54% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 40 days — a 3% lower offer ($174k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $150,388 (16.0% 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 40 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 16% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
3. Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. Schools are A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 0.84% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.26%
• Cash-on-cash: -0.12%
• DSCR: 0.99
• GRM: 9.9

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $240,543
• Comps found: 5

Show comp detail 5 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
407 Vine St	0.08mi	3/2.0 (-1)	1,490 (-6%)	8mo	$350,000	$235	70
204 S River St	0.35mi	3/1.0 (-1)	1,644 (+3%)	5mo	$210,000	$128	70
204 2nd St	0.16mi	3/1.5 (-1)	1,456 (-9%)	5mo	$240,000	$165	67
107 Race St	0.20mi	4/1.0	1,785 (+12%)	9mo	$215,000	$120	63
102 Race St	0.20mi	5/2.0 (+1)	1,803 (+13%)	9mo	$273,000	$151	52

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 · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -16.5%
• Equity multiple: 0.41×
• Total profit: $-29,342
• Equity at exit: $26,689

10-year hold

• IRR: -8.3%
• Equity multiple: 0.48×
• Total profit: $-25,995
• Equity at exit: $15,477

Cash invested: $50,120 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 50046

• Home prices YoY: -14.5%
• Active inventory: 12
• Price-to-rent: 9.9×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,504 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$939
• Tax from tax record: −$180 /mo · $2,160/yr
• Insurance: −$75
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$316
• Net cashflow: $-5

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,510

Max offer price $178,079

Occupancy floor 95%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $96	-5% $45	+0% $-5	+5% $-56	+10% $-107
Rent	-10% $-124	-5% $-65	+0% $-5	+5% $54	+10% $114
Rate	-1.0pp $85	-0.5pp $40	base $-5	+0.5pp $-52	+1.0pp $-99

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: $44,750
• Closing costs: $5,370
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 27 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $179,000 Active 40 DOM
2. 2026-06-19
   days on market $179,000 Active 38 DOM
3. 2026-06-18
   days on market $179,000 Active 37 DOM
4. 2026-06-17
   days on market $179,000 Active 36 DOM
5. 2026-06-17
   price $179,000 Active 35 DOM
6. 2026-06-16
   days on market $184,500 Active 35 DOM
7. 2026-06-15
   days on market $184,500 Active 34 DOM
8. 2026-06-14
   days on market $184,500 Active 32 DOM
9. 2026-06-13
   days on market $184,500 Active 31 DOM
10. 2026-06-10
    days on market $184,500 Active 29 DOM
11. 2026-06-09
    days on market $184,500 Active 28 DOM
12. 2026-06-08
    days on market $184,500 Active 27 DOM
13. 2026-06-07
    days on market $184,500 Active 26 DOM
14. 2026-06-03
    days on market $184,500 Active 22 DOM
15. 2026-06-02
    days on market $184,500 Active 21 DOM
16. 2026-06-01
    days on market $184,500 Active 20 DOM
17. 2026-05-31
    days on market $184,500 Active 19 DOM
18. 2026-05-30
    days on market $184,500 Active 18 DOM
19. 2026-05-12
    listed $184,500 Active 409-char remark
20. 2026-04-15
    historical
21. 2025-12-22
    price $179,000
22. 2025-12-22
    price $179,000
23. 2025-11-25
    price $189,000
24. 2025-11-25
    price $189,000
25. 2025-11-03
    price $199,900
26. 2025-11-03
    price $199,900
27. 2025-10-16
    listed $210,000 Active

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

Tax reassessment forecast IA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $2,160 · $180/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,485 · $207/mo
• Expected delta: +$325/yr (+$27/mo · 15.1%)

ⓘ 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 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥103°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $18,047
• − Mortgage interest: −$10,027
• − Property taxes: −$2,160
• − Insurance: −$895
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,444
• − Management: −$1,444
• − Depreciation: −$5,207
• Taxable loss: −$3,130
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$751
• After-tax cash flow: $689/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: Ballard Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1904200
• Math proficiency: 80% ▼ -1.00%
• Reading proficiency: 78% ▼ -8.00%
• Median HH income: $67,471
• Composite: 68.52/100
• National rank: #343
• State rank: #28 of 289 in IA

Livability — Cambridge

• Score: 69/100
• State rank: #383
• US rank: #8175

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Cambridge, IA
• Population (ZIP): 1,696

Population outlook (Story County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 115,493 people
• By 2030: 126,820 · +9.8%
• By 2040: 150,771 · +30.5%
• By 2050: 177,915 · +54.0%
• By 2075: 255,370 · +121.1%
• By 2100: 316,429 · +174.0%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (92%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 92% Hispanic / Latino 4% Two or more races 4%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 10% Iranian 5% Slovak 2%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada
• Languages at home: 94% English-only · Spanish 2% Other Indo-European 2% Other Asian/Pacific 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Story

• 2024 margin: D (+10.4) · D 54.4% · R 44.0% · Other 1.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -5.8pp toward R · 2008: 16.2pp · 2024: 10.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+10.4 2020: D+17.3 2016: D+12.2 2012: D+13.7 2008: D+16.2

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -35.84%
• Current HPI: 211.5675
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

-14.8% since first listed

10 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-16 Price Changed $179,000 FSBO.com
• 2026-05-12 Listed $184,500 FSBO.com
• 2026-04-15 Listing Removed — DMMLS
• 2025-12-22 Price Changed $179,000 CIBOR
• 2025-12-22 Price Changed $179,000 DMMLS
• 2025-11-25 Price Changed $189,000 CIBOR
• 2025-11-25 Price Changed $189,000 DMMLS
• 2025-11-03 Price Changed $199,900 CIBOR
• 2025-11-03 Price Changed $199,900 DMMLS
• 2025-10-16 Listed $210,000 DMMLS

Property tax history

+1.1%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,160 · -3.3% YoY. Source: county tax records.