1742 520th Ave · Barnes City, IA 52222

$125,000

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,344 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 8 Days on market

Built 1974 2.05 ac lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the C+ 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 +20.5/30.0
• Appreciation +9.1/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• DSCR +6.5/10.0
• Schools +6.5/10.0
• 1% rule +4.6/10.0
• Livability +3.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks

Experience the simplicity and beauty of country living on this scenic acreage near Deep River. Nestled among mature trees and surrounded by picturesque Iowa countryside, this 3-bedroom, 2-bath home offers the peaceful rural lifestyle many buyers are seeking. Whether you're enjoying your morning coffee while taking in the views, watching wildlife from your yard, or simply appreciating the privacy and open space, this property provides a true escape from the pace of everyday life. With 1,344 square feet of living space, a newer boiler heating system, and an unfinished basement ready for your vision, there's plenty of opportunity to make this home your own. Conveniently located between Deep Ri

Key facts

• Scenic acreage
• Outdoor recreation
• Unfinished basement

Tags

• SCENIC ACREAGE
• MATURE TREES
• PICTURESQUE COUNTRYSIDE
• WILDLIFE VIEWING
• OUTDOOR RECREATION
• UNFINISHED BASEMENT

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Residential zoning
• HOA & community: Association fees billed annually; Community features: Other

Exterior

• Parking: Off-street parking for 2 vehicles
• Utilities: Public water; Septic tank
• Home design: Single-family residence; One-story
• Construction: Frame construction
• Exterior features: Corner, level lot; Approximately 2.05 acres

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher; Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: Primary bedroom located on the main level
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms
• Heating & cooling: Propane heating; Radiant heating; Other heating
• Interior features: Master suite on the main level; Factory-built fireplace in the living room; Full unfinished concrete basement
• Laundry & utility: Washer; Dryer; Main-level laundry

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $125k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $166 ($2k/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 $120k (4.0% below list).
• Recommended offer: $120k (4.0% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 59/100 on livability (#873 in IA) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime C-, health & safety D, amenities F.
• Montezuma Community School District (rural): math 73% / reading 79% proficiency, ranked #55 of 289 in IA (top 19%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Zoned schools: Montezuma Elementary School (math 92% / reading 77%, grade A+, #31 of 616 statewide, top 6%, 229 students, 34% FRL); Montezuma Junior High School (math 62% / reading 72%, grade A-, #140 of 246 statewide, top 60%, 112 students, 39% FRL); Montezuma High School (math 67% / reading 87%, grade A-, #60 of 336 statewide, top 21%, 148 students, 28% FRL).
• Market conditions: 7 active listings in the ZIP; 27 units permitted in Poweshiek County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $11k of equity ($864 loan paydown + $10k appreciation (8.2% local appreciation)).
• Poweshiek County population projected to shrink 3% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (8.2% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $35k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 4, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$39k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• Only 8 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Recommended offer $119,938 (4.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1974 — 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 F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 0.96% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.88%
• Cash-on-cash: 5.68%
• DSCR: 1.25
• GRM: 8.7

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

8.25% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 24.9%
• Equity multiple: 2.83×
• Total profit: $64,044
• Equity at exit: $97,133

10-year hold

• IRR: 22.4%
• Equity multiple: 6.09×
• Total profit: $178,024
• Equity at exit: $194,912

Cash invested: $35,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 52222

• Home prices YoY: 4.0%
• Active inventory: 7
• Price-to-rent: 8.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,199 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$656
• Tax from tax record: −$74 /mo · $892/yr
• Insurance: −$52
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$252
• Net cashflow: $166

Break-even live

Break-even rent $990

Max offer price $125,000

Occupancy floor 81%

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: $31,250
• Closing costs: $3,750
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 6 events

1. 2026-06-12
   statusdays on market $125,000 Pending 8 DOM
2. 2026-06-09
   days on market $125,000 Active 5 DOM
3. 2026-06-08
   days on market $125,000 Active 4 DOM
4. 2026-06-07
   days on market $125,000 Active 3 DOM
5. 2026-06-05
   remarks 699-char remark
6. 2026-06-05
   listed $125,000 Active 1 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast IA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $892 · $74/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,427 · $119/mo
• Expected delta: +$535/yr (+$45/mo · 60.0%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥103°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $14,393
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,002
• − Property taxes: −$892
• − Insurance: −$625
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,151
• − Management: −$1,151
• − Depreciation: −$3,636
• Taxable loss: −$66
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$16
• After-tax cash flow: $2,003/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: Montezuma Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1919590
• Math proficiency: 73% ▼ -6.00%
• Reading proficiency: 79% ▲ 3.00%
• Median HH income: $57,449
• Composite: 65.04/100
• National rank: #503
• State rank: #55 of 289 in IA

Livability — Barnes City

• Score: 59/100
• State rank: #873
• US rank: #20364

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Population (ZIP): 643

Population outlook (Poweshiek County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 18,601 people
• By 2030: 18,342 · -1.4%
• By 2040: 17,944 · -3.5%
• By 2050: 18,029 · -3.1%
• By 2075: 19,945 · +7.2%
• By 2100: 22,637 · +21.7%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (99%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 99%
• Common ancestry: Iranian 16% Serbian 5% Portuguese 4%
• Foreign-born: 0%
• Languages at home: 99% English-only · Spanish 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Poweshiek

• 2024 margin: R (+17.0) · D 40.8% · R 57.8% · Other 1.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -28.7pp toward R · 2008: 11.8pp · 2024: -17.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+17.0 2020: R+13.3 2016: R+6.8 2012: D+9.1 2008: D+11.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 8.25%
• Current HPI: 213.724
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-06-04 Listed $125,000 ICAARMLS

Property tax history

-0.7%/yr

Latest (2025): $892 · -10.1% YoY. Source: county tax records.