3 bd · 2.5 ba ·
1,558 sqft ·
Built 1976
· Townhouse
· Active
· 38 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,616/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$656
Tax + insurance
−$367
HOA
−$400
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$339
Net cashflow
$-146/mo
Annual
$-1,756/yr
Cap rate
4.89%
Cash-on-cash
-5.02%
DSCR
0.78
1% rule
1.29%
Cash to close
$35,000
Investor read
This is a 3-bed/2.5-bath townhouse listed at $125k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $-146 ($-2k/yr) — negative.
To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $99k (20.7% below list).
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $125k).
It's been on market 38 days — a 3% lower offer ($121k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $99k (20.7% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $864 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 74/100 on livability (#184 in TX, #4,771 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F.
Aldine ISD (suburban): math 16% / reading 21% proficiency, ranked #790 of 826 in TX (top 96%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 79% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
Zoned schools: Ermel El (math 20% / reading 21%, grade F, #3,515 of 4,322 statewide, top 82%, 449 students, 92% FRL); Hoffman Middle (math 17% / reading 24%, grade F, #1,407 of 1,662 statewide, top 86%, 637 students, 91% FRL); Aldine H S (math 15% / reading 20%, grade F, #1,451 of 1,632 statewide, top 89%, 2,663 students, 94% FRL).
Watch-outs: property tax is 3.0% of price; HOA is 25% of rent.
Market conditions: Rents soft (-2.4%/yr); 195 active listings in the ZIP; 37 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 13d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 29,883 units permitted in Harris County in 2024 (8,621 in 5+ unit buildings).
Harris County population projected at +47% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
Current owner paid $47k; list at $125k implies a 164% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→24/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 4.9% vs local median 3.2% in Houston — 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.
This rent runs 33% of the median local income ($59k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.
Questions for listing agent
What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
It's been on market 38 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 21% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1976 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
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?
CashFlowRE · CFR-SY6MH04272704D
· Data 1 day agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29