3 bd · 1.0 ba ·
1,090 sqft ·
Built 1960
· SingleFamily
· Pending
· 47 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$3,792/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$1,521
Tax + insurance
−$682
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$796
Net cashflow
$793/mo
Annual
$9,517/yr
Cap rate
9.80%
Cash-on-cash
12.54%
DSCR
1.56
1% rule
1.31%
Cash to close
$81,200
Investor read
This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $290k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $793 ($10k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($4k rent vs $290k).
It's been on market 47 days — a 3% lower offer ($281k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $281k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $9k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 77/100 on livability (#210 in NY, #3,240 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, health & safety A+; Watch: housing C-, employment D+, cost of living D.
Ithaca City School District (urban): math 57% / reading 71% proficiency, ranked #195 of 590 in NY (top 33%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
Zoned schools: Cayuga Heights Elementary School (math 57% / reading 67%, grade B, #675 of 2,108 statewide, top 35%, 303 students, 33% FRL); Boynton Middle School (math 36% / reading 64%, grade C, #261 of 729 statewide, top 36%, 526 students, 36% FRL); Ithaca Senior High School (math 95% / reading 95%, grade A+, #83 of 1,100 statewide, top 8%, 1,341 students, 31% FRL) — zoned schools at 33% FRL track the district average.
Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $56/mo.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.2%/yr); 327 active listings in the ZIP; 4 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 45d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 382 units permitted in Tompkins County in 2024 (208 in 5+ unit buildings).
Tompkins County population projected at +17% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
4 sale attempts since 9y 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 $158k; list at $290k implies a 83% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.2% rent growth), your $81k cash investment doubles in ~8 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
Cap rate 9.8% vs local median 5.3% in Ithaca — 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 47 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1960 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
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.
CashFlowRE · CFR-TR5H3Z5BH9KTQG
· Data 3 weeks agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29