212 Highland Ave

Columbus, KS 66725

$115,000C

4 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,690 sqft · Built 1920 · SingleFamily · Pending · 165 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,240/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$603
• Tax + insurance: −$176
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$260
• Net cashflow: $201/mo
• Annual: $2,412/yr
• Cap rate: 8.39%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.49%
• DSCR: 1.33
• 1% rule: 1.08%
• Cash to close: $32,200

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $115k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $201 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $115k).
• It's been on market 165 days — a 12% lower offer ($101k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $101k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $795 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 73/100 on livability (#96 in KS) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+, housing B; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment D-.
• Columbus (town): math 22% / reading 35% proficiency, ranked #120 of 169 in KS (top 71%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Park Elem (201 students, 63% FRL); Central Elem (math 21% / reading 38%, grade F, #72 of 219 statewide, top 38%, 188 students, 61% FRL); Columbus Junior High And High School (math 8% / reading 32%, grade F, #198 of 327 statewide, top 66%, 423 students, 49% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 40 active listings in the ZIP; 17 units permitted in Cherokee County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Cherokee County population projected at -26% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 8 sale attempts since 10y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $10k (8%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $26k; list at $115k implies a 342% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 8.4% vs local median 5.4% in Columbus — 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 165 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1920 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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 D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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.