2 bd · 1.0 ba ·
840 sqft ·
Built 1922
· SingleFamily
· Pending
· 1 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,236/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$708
Tax + insurance
−$153
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$260
Net cashflow
$116/mo
Annual
$1,390/yr
Cap rate
7.32%
Cash-on-cash
3.68%
DSCR
1.16
1% rule
0.92%
Cash to close
$37,800
Investor read
This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $135k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $116 ($1k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $124k (8.4% below list).
Only 1 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
Recommended offer: $124k (8.4% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $933 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 78/100 on livability (#134 in IA, #2,474 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime C-, commute F.
Cedar Rapids Community School District (urban): math 50% / reading 59% proficiency, ranked #265 of 289 in IA (top 92%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
Zoned schools: Franklin Middle School (math 49% / reading 59%, grade B-, #206 of 246 statewide, top 84%, 537 students, 56% FRL); George Washington High School (math 44% / reading 62%, grade C-, #296 of 336 statewide, top 88%, 1,291 students, 49% FRL).
Watch-outs: built in 1922 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+11.0%/yr); 286 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 44d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 67% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,023 units permitted in Linn County in 2024 (456 in 5+ unit buildings).
Linn County population projected at +16% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
2 sale attempts since 11y 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 $55k; list at $135k implies a 145% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $38k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Cap rate 7.3% vs local median 3.5% in Cedar Rapids — 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
Built in 1922 — 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.
Schools are B-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?
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?
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 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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-SJM1KX104TC588
· Data 5 days agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29