34 Lawrence Dr

Ringgold, GA 30736

$188,000C

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,508 sqft · Built 1970 · SingleFamily · Active · 34 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,736/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$986
• Tax + insurance: −$147
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$364
• Net cashflow: $238/mo
• Annual: $2,858/yr
• Cap rate: 7.81%
• Cash-on-cash: 5.43%
• DSCR: 1.24
• 1% rule: 0.92%
• Cash to close: $52,640

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $188k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $238 ($3k/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 $174k (7.7% below list).
• It's been on market 34 days — a 3% lower offer ($182k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $174k (7.7% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#28 in GA, #3,772 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+, housing B; Watch: amenities C-, commute F, employment D-.
• Catoosa County (suburban): math 36% / reading 41% proficiency, ranked #49 of 174 in GA (top 28%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Ringgold Elementary School (math 42% / reading 42%, grade F, #380 of 1,228 statewide, top 33%, 441 students, 42% FRL); Heritage Middle School (math 44% / reading 52%, grade C-, #80 of 470 statewide, top 17%, 882 students, 31% FRL); Heritage High School (math 38% / reading 45%, grade F, #52 of 424 statewide, top 12%, 1,242 students, 23% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.8%/yr); 353 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; solid renter incomes; 848 units permitted in Catoosa County in 2024 (256 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Catoosa County population projected at +5% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 2 sale attempts 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.8% rent growth), your $53k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→19/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 7.8% vs local median 3.2% in Ringgold — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 34 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 8% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1970 — 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.
• 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.