9002 Palmetto Dr Apt 517

Isle of Palms, SC 29451

$95,000C-

3 bd · 3.0 ba · 1,536 sqft · Built 1985 · Condo · Active · 57 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $6,284/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$498
• Tax + insurance: −$585
• HOA: −$276
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,320
• Net cashflow: $3,606/mo
• Annual: $43,266/yr
• Cap rate: 57.22%
• Cash-on-cash: 181.90%
• DSCR: 9.09
• 1% rule: 6.62%
• Cash to close: $26,600

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/3.0-bath condo listed at $95k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $4k ($43k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($6k rent vs $95k).
• It's been on market 57 days — a 3% lower offer ($92k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $92k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $7k of equity ($657 loan paydown + $6k appreciation (6.8% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 61/100 on livability (#217 in SC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: employment A+, crime A-; Watch: housing C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Charleston 01 (urban): math 48% / reading 53% proficiency, ranked #7 of 80 in SC (top 9%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Sullivan'S Island Elementary (math 88% / reading 81%, grade A+, #2 of 597 statewide, top 0%, 475 students, 9% FRL); Moultrie Middle (math 68% / reading 74%, grade A, #6 of 229 statewide, top 2%, 1,119 students, 22% FRL); Wando High (math 81% / reading 95%, grade A, #6 of 196 statewide, top 3%, 2,596 students, 19% FRL) — zoned schools average 17% FRL vs 44% district-wide (28 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 81% at this address vs 50% district-wide (+31 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Charleston 01 average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $427/mo.
• Market conditions: 122 active listings in the ZIP; high-income renter base; 4,156 units permitted in Charleston County in 2024 (857 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Charleston County population projected at +44% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 5 sale attempts since 24y 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 $67k; 42% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (6.8% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $27k cash investment doubles in ~1 year — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 5, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$32k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 57 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% 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?
• 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.