1604 5th Ave

Grinnell, IA 50112

$133,500B-

6 bd · 4.0 ba · 2,435 sqft · Built 1900 · Other · Active · 67 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,491/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$700
• Tax + insurance: −$218
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$313
• Net cashflow: $260/mo
• Annual: $3,119/yr
• Cap rate: 8.63%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.34%
• DSCR: 1.37
• 1% rule: 1.12%
• Cash to close: $37,380

Investor read

• This is a 6-bed/4.0-bath other listed at $134k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $260 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $134k).
• It's been on market 67 days — a 6% lower offer ($125k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $125k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $923 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 79/100 on livability (#123 in IA, #2,270 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: schools A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment D, amenities F, commute F.
• Grinnell-Newburg Community School District (town): math 76% / reading 79% proficiency, ranked #47 of 289 in IA (top 16%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 98 active listings in the ZIP; 27 units permitted in Poweshiek County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Poweshiek County population projected to shrink 3% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 3 sale attempts since 5y 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 $110k; 21% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Cap rate 8.6% vs local median 2.9% in Grinnell — 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 67 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1900 — 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 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?
• 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.