2 bd · 1.0 ba ·
784 sqft ·
Built 1916
· SingleFamily
· Pending
· 328 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,103/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$627
Tax + insurance
−$232
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$232
Net cashflow
$13/mo
Annual
$158/yr
Cap rate
6.42%
Cash-on-cash
0.47%
DSCR
1.02
1% rule
0.92%
Cash to close
$33,460
Investor read
This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $120k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $13 ($158/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 $110k (7.7% below list).
It's been on market 328 days — a 12% lower offer ($105k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $105k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $826 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 81/100 on livability (#63 in IA, #1,432 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, crime F.
Des Moines Independent Community School District (urban): math 43% / reading 46% proficiency, ranked #289 of 289 in IA (top 100%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 63% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
Zoned schools: Park Ave Elementary School (math 42% / reading 42%, grade F, #563 of 616 statewide, top 93%, 378 students, 80% FRL); Brody Middle School (math 51% / reading 48%, grade C, #218 of 246 statewide, top 89%, 603 students, 74% FRL); Lincoln High School (math 43% / reading 58%, grade D+, #311 of 336 statewide, top 93%, 2,403 students, 76% FRL).
Watch-outs: built in 1916 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.5%/yr); 227 active listings in the ZIP; 36 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 26d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 2,953 units permitted in Polk County in 2024 (540 in 5+ unit buildings).
Polk County population projected at +37% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
7 sale attempts since 10y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $26k (18%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
Cap rate 6.4% vs local median 3.1% in Des Moines — 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 328 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1916 — 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?
Crime grade is F in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
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.
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· Data 4 weeks agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29