1637 S James Rd · Columbus, OH 43227

$229,900

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 2,054 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 7 Days on market

Built 1961 8,276 sqft lot Est $374k · 39% under

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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 +22.7/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• DSCR +7.3/10.0
• 1% rule +5.9/10.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• Rent growth +3.8/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.7/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Welcome to 1637 S. James Road, a beautifully updated 4-bedroom, 2-bath home offering over 2,000 square feet of living space in the desirable Berwick area. This spacious split-level home features an open and inviting layout with multiple living areas, providing plenty of room for relaxing, entertaining, or working from home. Recent improvements provide added peace of mind, including a New Roof, making this home move-in ready for its next owner. The flexible floor plan offers four generously sized bedrooms and two full bathrooms, while the lower level provides additional living space perfect for a family room, recreation area, or home office.

Key facts

• Flexible floor plan
• New roof
• Recreation area

Tags

• NEW ROOF
• FLEXIBLE FLOOR PLAN
• MULTIPLE LIVING AREAS
• RECREATION AREA
• HOME OFFICE

Property features AI

Exterior

• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single family residence; Bi-level; Built in 1961; No shared/common walls
• Construction: Block foundation
• Exterior features: Patio; Deck

Interior

• Flooring: Wood flooring; Carpet flooring
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms
• Heating & cooling: Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Full basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $230k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $397 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $230k).
• Cap rate 8.4% vs local median 3.8% in Columbus — 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 81/100 on livability (#97 in OH, #1,491 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, crime F.
• Columbus City School District (urban): math 15% / reading 26% proficiency, ranked #626 of 656 in OH (top 95%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 72% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.2%/yr); 65 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 3d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 8,139 units permitted in Franklin County in 2024 (5,940 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $2,504/mo this rent would consume 62% of the median local household income ($48k/yr) (locally 1467% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Franklin County population projected at +34% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.2% rent growth), your $64k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 7 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 7 sale attempts since 4y 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 $132k; list at $230k implies a 74% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Recommended offer $229,900

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1961 — 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. 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?
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: 1.09% ✓
• Cap rate: 8.36%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.40%
• DSCR: 1.33
• GRM: 7.7

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $373,828
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
2840 Manola Dr	0.19mi	3/2.0	1,916 (-7%)	3mo	$322,000	$168	76
1677 Kenview Rd	0.19mi	4/3.0 (+1)	1,995 (-3%)	3mo	$368,000	$184	72
2664 Sonata Dr	0.42mi	3/3.0	2,069 (+1%)	5mo	$386,900	$187	70
2746 Castlewood Rd	0.48mi	3/2.5	2,101 (+2%)	3mo	$441,000	$210	68
2660 Schaaf Dr	0.42mi	3/2.0	2,202 (+7%)	5mo	$400,000	$182	62
1379 Crestwood Ave	0.40mi	3/3.0	2,170 (+6%)	5mo	$300,000	$138	62
2669 Berwick Blvd	0.57mi	3/2.5	1,976 (-4%)	4mo	$400,000	$202	60
1624 Miltwood Rd	0.35mi	4/2.5 (+1)	1,802 (-12%)	1mo	$255,000	$142	54
1322 S Weyant Ave	0.60mi	3/2.0	1,873 (-9%)	2mo	$278,000	$148	53
1363 Coburg Rd	0.75mi	4/2.0 (+1)	2,170 (+6%)	1mo	$260,000	$120	48
1237 Haddon Rd	0.74mi	4/2.0 (+1)	2,182 (+6%)	4mo	$431,145	$198	45
2997 Easthaven Ct S	0.70mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,818 (-12%)	1mo	$195,000	$107	43

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 · 5.22% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -2.5%
• Equity multiple: 0.90×
• Total profit: $-6,236
• Equity at exit: $34,279

10-year hold

• IRR: 9.5%
• Equity multiple: 1.80×
• Total profit: $51,792
• Equity at exit: $19,878

Cash invested: $64,372 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 73 Landlord-Friendly
• State Ohio: 73 Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day notice; Cleveland / Columbus have some habitability code enforcement; otherwise landlord-leaning.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 43227

• Rents YoY: 5.2%
• Active inventory: 65
• Price-to-rent: 7.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,504 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,206
• Tax from tax record: −$280 /mo · $3,362/yr
• Insurance: −$96
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$526
• Net cashflow: $397

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,002

Max offer price $229,900

Occupancy floor 79%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $527	-5% $462	+0% $397	+5% $332	+10% $267
Rent	-10% $199	-5% $298	+0% $397	+5% $496	+10% $595
Rate	-1.0pp $512	-0.5pp $455	base $397	+0.5pp $337	+1.0pp $277

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: $57,475
• Closing costs: $6,897
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 3 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
2645 Travis Rd Columbus, OH	1.0–3.0	1.0–1.5	1100	$1,725	$1.57	44d	6	0.71mi
1316 College Ave Columbus, OH	4.0	3.0	2316	$3,800	$1.64	2d	1	0.96mi
801 Vernon Rd Columbus, OH	2.0	2.0	1800	$2,400	$1.33	2d	1	1.33mi

Listing history 6 events

1. 2026-06-21
   statusdays on market $229,900 Contingent 7 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $229,900 Active 4 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $229,900 Active 3 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $229,900 Active 2 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   remarks 648-char remark
6. 2026-06-15
   listed $229,900 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 OH · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $3,362 · $280/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $3,474 · $290/mo
• Expected delta: +$112/yr (+$9/mo · 3.3%)

ⓘ 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 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥101°F today · 18 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 100% 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: $30,051
• − Mortgage interest: −$12,878
• − Property taxes: −$3,362
• − Insurance: −$1,150
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,404
• − Management: −$2,404
• − Depreciation: −$6,688
• Taxable income: $1,165
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$279
• After-tax cash flow: $4,481/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: Columbus City School District
• NCES district ID: 3904380
• Math proficiency: 15% ▼ -17.00%
• Reading proficiency: 26% ▼ -12.00%
• Median HH income: $38,483
• Composite: 17.19/100
• National rank: #9105
• State rank: #626 of 656 in OH

Livability — Columbus

• Score: 81/100
• State rank: #97
• US rank: #1491

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Columbus, OH
• County: Franklin County · 1,351,780 people
• City population: 612,189
• Metro: Columbus, OH
• Population (ZIP): 25,358
• Household income: $48,159
• Rent vs Own: 47.8% rent · 52.2% own
• Severe rent burden: 1467.0

Population outlook (Franklin County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 1,456,139 people
• By 2030: 1,556,890 · +6.9%
• By 2040: 1,757,349 · +20.7%
• By 2050: 1,950,539 · +34.0%
• By 2075: 2,376,171 · +63.2%
• By 2100: 2,636,796 · +81.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Majority Black (63%)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 63% White 23% Hispanic / Latino 9% Two or more races 5%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 3%
• Common ancestry: Swiss 1% Slovak 1%
• Foreign-born: 11% · Canada
• Languages at home: 87% English-only · Spanish 7% French/Haitian/Cajun 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Franklin

• 2024 margin: Strong D (+28.4) · D 63.7% · R 35.3% · Other 1.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: +7.7pp toward D · 2008: 20.7pp · 2024: 28.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+28.4 2020: D+31.4 2016: D+25.9 2012: D+21.7 2008: D+20.7

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -193.50%
• Current HPI: 301.3767
• Rent YoY: ▲ 5.22%
• Metro: Columbus, OH
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.98%
• F500 in state: 48

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in OH)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Insurance	3	$145B
▸Industrial Machinery	3	$49B
▸Financial Services	3	$24B
▸Consumer Goods	2	$93B
▸Aerospace / Defense	2	$47B
▸Utilities	2	$33B

Price history

+73.5% since first listed

23 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-14 Listed $229,900 CBRMLS
• 2026-04-28 Listing Removed — CBRMLS
• 2026-04-21 Relisted — CBRMLS
• 2026-03-17 Contingent — CBRMLS
• 2026-03-07 Relisted — CBRMLS
• 2026-02-06 Contingent — CBRMLS
• 2026-01-19 Price Changed $219,900 CBRMLS
• 2026-01-19 Price Changed $229,900 CBRMLS
• 2026-01-03 Price Changed $234,900 CBRMLS
• 2025-12-16 Price Changed $239,900 CBRMLS
• 2025-12-01 Price Changed $246,900 CBRMLS
• 2025-11-13 Listed $249,900 CBRMLS
• 2025-11-09 Coming Soon — CBRMLS
• 2024-02-27 Rental Removed $2,095 COLUMBUSMLS
• 2023-11-03 Listed for Rent $2,095 COLUMBUSMLS
• 2023-06-13 Pending — CBRMLS
• 2023-06-13 Listing Removed — CBRMLS
• 2023-05-11 Relisted — CBRMLS
• 2023-04-22 Pending — CBRMLS
• 2023-03-03 Price Changed $254,900 CBRMLS
• 2022-12-08 Price Changed $264,900 CBRMLS
• 2022-10-22 Listed $284,900 CBRMLS
• 2022-05-26 Sold (Public Records) $132,500 Public Records

Property tax history

+11.1%/yr

Latest (2024): $3,362 · +0.6% YoY. Source: county tax records.