3526 Center St St · Lake Charles, LA 70607

$97,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,805 sqft · SingleFamily · 3 Days on market

Built 1970 0.25 ac lot Est $164k · 41% under ↓ 33% since listing

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Why this score? — see what drove the B+ grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +30.0/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Rent growth +4.6/5.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Schools +3.1/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

''Charming 3-bed, 1-bath cottage nestled in Lake Charles city limits. Embrace warmth with hardwood floors and a cozy wood burning fireplace. Enjoy gatherings in the island kitchen and eat in bar, and retreat to spacious bedrooms. Relax on the inviting front porch. Conveniently close to amenities. Your perfect retreat awaits!''

Key facts

• Eat in bar
• Island kitchen
• Front porch

Tags

• HARDWOOD FLOORS
• WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE
• ISLAND KITCHEN
• EAT IN BAR
• FRONT PORCH
• CLOSE TO AMENITIES

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $97k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $751 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $97k).
• Cap rate 15.6% vs local median 4.3% in Lake Charles — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 68/100 on livability (#95 in LA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, employment D-.
• Calcasieu Parish (other): math 30% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #29 of 98 in LA (top 30%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Henry Heights Elementary School (math 17% / reading 27%, grade F, #415 of 646 statewide, top 67%, 286 students, 76% FRL); F. K. White Middle School (math 26% / reading 39%, grade F, #104 of 218 statewide, top 48%, 661 students, 67% FRL); Lagrange High School (math 9% / reading 22%, grade F, #217 of 265 statewide, top 82%, 907 students, 76% FRL) — zoned schools average 73% FRL vs 52% district-wide (21 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 23% at this address vs 37% district-wide (-14 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Calcasieu Parish average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+8.6%/yr); 567 active listings in the ZIP; 10 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 44d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 50% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,298 units permitted in Calcasieu Parish in 2024 (526 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 34% of the median local income ($60k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $671 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Calcasieu County population projected at +11% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $27k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 3 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 4 sale attempts since 3y 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk; severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→22/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $97,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1970 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. Schools are B-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?
4. 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?
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.77% ✓
• Cap rate: 15.59%
• Cash-on-cash: 33.19%
• DSCR: 2.48
• GRM: 4.7

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $164,255
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
3526 Center St	0.00mi	3/1.0	1,805 (0%)	1mo	$75,000	$42	99
3802 Auburn St	0.27mi	3/2.0	1,678 (-7%)	4mo	$169,000	$101	68
1212 E School St E	0.53mi	3/2.0	1,830 (+1%)	3mo	$160,000	$87	66
3705 Auburn St	0.16mi	3/2.0	1,604 (-11%)	8mo	$110,000	$69	64
217 W School St W	0.63mi	3/2.0	1,781 (-1%)	8mo	$202,000	$113	58
3905 Hodges St	0.45mi	3/2.0	1,582 (-12%)	1mo	$124,900	$79	54
1205 Tulane St	0.54mi	3/2.0	1,620 (-10%)	4mo	$148,000	$91	50
4019 Center St	0.61mi	3/2.0	1,978 (+10%)	2mo	$82,000	$41	50
1119 Mitchell St	0.49mi	3/2.0	1,636 (-9%)	14mo	$191,000	$117	46
3709 Ernest St	0.66mi	3/1.5	1,602 (-11%)	3mo	$158,500	$99	46
810 Gulf St	0.70mi	3/2.0	1,575 (-13%)	6mo	$125,000	$79	37
709 Gulf St	0.70mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,628 (-10%)	8mo	$152,000	$93	35

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 8.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 33.7%
• Equity multiple: 2.52×
• Total profit: $41,170
• Equity at exit: $14,463

10-year hold

• IRR: 43.1%
• Equity multiple: 6.10×
• Total profit: $138,618
• Equity at exit: $8,387

Cash invested: $27,160 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Louisiana: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+12
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

5-day notice; no state rent control; civil-law jurisdiction; landlord-favorable.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 70607

• Rents YoY: 8.6%
• Active inventory: 567
• Price-to-rent: 4.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,714 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$509
• Tax from tax record: −$54 /mo · $642/yr
• Insurance: −$40
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$360
• Net cashflow: $751

Break-even live

Break-even rent $763

Max offer price $97,000

Occupancy floor 51%

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $24,250
• Closing costs: $2,910
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 10 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
617 E School St Unit A Lake Charles, LA	3.0	2.0	1800	$2,500	$1.39	43d	1	0.13mi
807 Camelia St Lake Charles, LA	3.0	1.0	1322	$1,500	$1.13	43d	1	0.21mi
930 Azalea St Lake Charles, LA	4.0	2.0	1658	$1,500	$0.90	21d	1	0.32mi
417 E Claude St Lake Charles, LA	4.0	1.0	1610	$1,400	$0.87	43d	1	0.39mi
3206 Hodges St Lake Charles, LA	2.0	1.0	1497	$1,200	$0.80	43d	1	0.47mi
3206 Louisiana Ave Lake Charles, LA	4.0	2.0	1600	$1,600	$1.00	13d	1	0.58mi
3601 1st Ave Lake Charles, LA	3.0	2.0	1512	$1,295	$0.86	13d	1	0.69mi
4128 Center St Lake Charles, LA	4.0	2.0	2227	$1,500	$0.67	43d	1	0.74mi
2700 Ernest St Lake Charles, LA	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	1054	$1,598	$1.52	13d	1	1.07mi
1300 16th St Lake Charles, LA	2.0	1.5	1344	$1,295	$0.96	21d	1	1.17mi

Listing history 13 events

1. 2026-05-22
   soldstatus Closed 328-char remark

   Show marketing remark (328 chars)

   ''Charming 3-bed, 1-bath cottage nestled in Lake Charles city limits. Embrace warmth with hardwood floors and a cozy wood burning fireplace. Enjoy gatherings in the island kitchen and eat in bar, and retreat to spacious bedrooms. Relax on the inviting front porch. Conveniently close to amenities. Your perfect retreat awaits!''

2. 2026-03-03
   historical 328-char remark

   Show marketing remark (328 chars)

   ''Charming 3-bed, 1-bath cottage nestled in Lake Charles city limits. Embrace warmth with hardwood floors and a cozy wood burning fireplace. Enjoy gatherings in the island kitchen and eat in bar, and retreat to spacious bedrooms. Relax on the inviting front porch. Conveniently close to amenities. Your perfect retreat awaits!''

3. 2026-03-03
   status Pending

   Show marketing remark (328 chars)

   ''Charming 3-bed, 1-bath cottage nestled in Lake Charles city limits. Embrace warmth with hardwood floors and a cozy wood burning fireplace. Enjoy gatherings in the island kitchen and eat in bar, and retreat to spacious bedrooms. Relax on the inviting front porch. Conveniently close to amenities. Your perfect retreat awaits!''

4. 2026-03-02
   listed $97,000 Active 328-char remark

   Show marketing remark (328 chars)

   ''Charming 3-bed, 1-bath cottage nestled in Lake Charles city limits. Embrace warmth with hardwood floors and a cozy wood burning fireplace. Enjoy gatherings in the island kitchen and eat in bar, and retreat to spacious bedrooms. Relax on the inviting front porch. Conveniently close to amenities. Your perfect retreat awaits!''

5. 2026-02-27
   listed $97,000 Active
6. 2025-05-30
   price $107,000
7. 2024-11-20
   price $117,500
8. 2024-10-11
   price $124,900
9. 2024-07-12
   price $129,900
10. 2024-05-28
    price $139,900
11. 2024-01-24
    price $143,900
12. 2023-10-22
    listed $149,900 Active
13. 2023-10-20
    listed $143,900

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast LA · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $642 · $54/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $642 · $54/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 6/10 Major FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 70% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 9/10 Extreme 7 d/yr ≥109°F today · 22 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 9/10 Extreme 99% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $20,565
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,434
• − Property taxes: −$642
• − Insurance: −$485
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,645
• − Management: −$1,645
• − Depreciation: −$2,822
• Taxable income: $7,892
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,894
• After-tax cash flow: $7,121/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Calcasieu Parish
• NCES district ID: 2200330
• Math proficiency: 30% ▼ -39.00%
• Reading proficiency: 44% ▼ -33.00%
• Median HH income: $44,700
• Composite: 31.45/100
• National rank: #5979
• State rank: #29 of 98 in LA

Livability — Lake Charles

• Score: 68/100
• State rank: #95
• US rank: #9820

Category grades

Amenities F Commute A+ Cost of living A+ Crime F Employment D- Housing A+ Health & safety F User ratings D-

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Lake Charles, LA
• County: Calcasieu Parish · 170,889 people
• City population: 133,538
• Metro: Lake Charles, LA
• Population (ZIP): 27,080
• Household income: $60,351
• Rent vs Own: 33.5% rent · 66.5% own
• Severe rent burden: 1267.0

Population outlook (Calcasieu County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 212,179 people
• By 2030: 218,199 · +2.8%
• By 2040: 228,486 · +7.7%
• By 2050: 236,208 · +11.3%
• By 2075: 251,696 · +18.6%
• By 2100: 247,848 · +16.8%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.65)
• Race & ethnicity: White 46% Black 36% Two or more races 11% Hispanic / Latino 6% Asian 2%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 1%
• Common ancestry: Lithuanian 10% Serbian 1%
• Foreign-born: 5% · Canada, Vietnam
• Languages at home: 93% English-only · Spanish 4% French/Haitian/Cajun 2% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Calcasieu

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+39.6) · D 29.5% · R 69.0% · Other 1.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -15.0pp toward R · 2008: -24.6pp · 2024: -39.6pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+39.6 2020: R+35.2 2016: R+33.3 2012: R+28.7 2008: R+24.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -91.59%
• Current HPI: 93.679
• Rent YoY: ▲ 8.55%
• Metro: Lake Charles, LA
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.29%
• F500 in state: 10

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in LA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Telecommunications	2	$23B
▸Utilities	1	$12B
▸Wholesale / Distribution	1	$5B
▸Advertising	1	$2B

Price history

-32.6% since first listed

13 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-22 Sold (MLS) — GFPAR
• 2026-03-03 Delisted — GFPAR
• 2026-03-03 Pending — SWLAR
• 2026-03-02 Listed $97,000 GFPAR
• 2026-02-27 Listed $97,000 SWLAR
• 2025-05-30 Price Changed $107,000 GFPAR
• 2024-11-20 Price Changed $117,500 GFPAR
• 2024-10-11 Price Changed $124,900 GFPAR
• 2024-07-12 Price Changed $129,900 GFPAR
• 2024-05-28 Price Changed $139,900 GFPAR
• 2024-01-24 Price Changed $143,900 GFPAR
• 2023-10-22 Listed $149,900 GFPAR
• 2023-10-20 Listed $143,900 AcadianaMLS

Property tax history

+1.7%/yr

Latest (2025): $642 · +1.3% YoY. Source: county tax records.