18597 Stafford Dr

Strongsville, OH 44149

$339,900B

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,944 sqft · Built 1972 · SingleFamily · Contingent · 6 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $7,500/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,782
• Tax + insurance: −$486
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,575
• Net cashflow: $3,657/mo
• Annual: $43,882/yr
• Cap rate: 19.20%
• Cash-on-cash: 46.11%
• DSCR: 3.05
• 1% rule: 2.21%
• Cash to close: $95,172

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $340k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $4k ($44k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($8k rent vs $340k).
• Only 6 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $10k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 88/100 on livability (#27 in OH, #243 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, amenities A+, employment A+; Watch: commute F.
• Strongsville City (suburban): math 73% / reading 79% proficiency, ranked #62 of 656 in OH (top 10%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical; only 15% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Zoned schools: Strongsville Middle School (math 70% / reading 76%, grade A, #105 of 654 statewide, top 17%, 1,270 students, 20% FRL); Strongsville High School (math 63% / reading 82%, grade B+, #87 of 781 statewide, top 11%, 1,844 students, 17% FRL) — zoned schools at 18% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: 121 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; high-income renter base; 1,441 units permitted in Cuyahoga County in 2024 (700 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Cuyahoga County population projected to shrink 8% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 3 sale attempts since 33y 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 $165k; list at $340k implies a 106% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $95k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 19.2% vs local median 3.2% in Strongsville — 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.
• At $7,500/mo this rent would consume 79% of the median local household income ($114k/yr) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1972 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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.