979 Mercer Ave · Akron, OH 44320

$79,900

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,296 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 17 Days on market

Built 1928 4,617 sqft lot Est $87k · 8% under

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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 +11.1/15.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.9/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.1/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Your next renovation is waiting for you! This solid spacious Akron colonial, has been well loved as a family home for generations, but is now ready for a new lease on life. Original woodwork, a great layout, including four bedrooms, and a bonus room off the primary bedroom will make this a wonderful home or buy and hold with some elbow grease! Furnace was replaced in December 2025 and is under warranty!

Key facts

• Great layout
• Bonus room
• Original woodwork

Tags

• ORIGINAL WOODWORK
• GREAT LAYOUT
• BONUS ROOM

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $80k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $411 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $80k).
• Recommended offer: $79k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 12.5% vs local median 6.6% in Akron — 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 (#104 in OH, #1,591 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: crime F, employment F.
• Akron City (urban): math 22% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #602 of 656 in OH (top 92%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 66% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.6%/yr); 105 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 45d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 55% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 1,114 units permitted in Summit County in 2024 (397 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 37% of the median local income ($41k/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 $552 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Summit County population projected to shrink 6% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 1.6% rent growth), your $22k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 17 days — a 2% lower offer ($79k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Current owner paid $49k; list at $80k implies a 63% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1928 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $78,701 (1.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1928 — 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: 1.57% ✓
• Cap rate: 12.47%
• Cash-on-cash: 22.05%
• DSCR: 1.98
• GRM: 5.3

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $86,832
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1041 Diagonal Rd	0.23mi	3/1.5	1,332 (+3%)	3mo	$30,000	$23	80
633 Madison Ave	0.43mi	3/1.0	1,308 (+1%)	2mo	$44,000	$34	73
615 Noah Ave	0.29mi	3/1.5	1,418 (+9%)	2mo	$158,000	$111	67
564 Euclid Ave	0.72mi	3/1.5	1,300 (+0%)	3mo	$57,500	$44	62
1255 Dover Ave	0.46mi	3/1.0	1,383 (+7%)	3mo	$150,000	$108	61
801 Storer Ave	0.25mi	4/1.0 (+1)	1,423 (+10%)	3mo	$72,500	$51	60
1037 Hardesty Blvd	0.30mi	3/1.0	1,109 (-14%)	2mo	$98,000	$88	57
761 Glendora Ave	0.60mi	3/1.0	1,210 (-7%)	3mo	$60,000	$50	55
379 Noble Ave	0.73mi	3/1.0	1,224 (-6%)	2mo	$90,000	$74	51
404 Noah Ave	0.67mi	3/1.0	1,192 (-8%)	1mo	$77,500	$65	50
1132 Bristol Ter	0.74mi	3/1.0	1,382 (+7%)	4mo	$92,000	$67	47
677 Crossings Ln	0.73mi	3/2.5	1,440 (+11%)	1mo	$220,000	$153	45

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 · 1.65% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 13.2%
• Equity multiple: 1.52×
• Total profit: $11,583
• Equity at exit: $11,913

10-year hold

• IRR: 21.0%
• Equity multiple: 2.66×
• Total profit: $37,218
• Equity at exit: $6,908

Cash invested: $22,372 (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 44320

• Rents YoY: 1.6%
• Active inventory: 105
• Price-to-rent: 5.3×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,257 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$419
• Tax from tax record: −$130 /mo · $1,559/yr
• Insurance: −$33
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$264
• Net cashflow: $411

Break-even live

Break-even rent $737

Max offer price $79,900

Occupancy floor 62%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $456	-5% $434	+0% $411	+5% $388	+10% $366
Rent	-10% $312	-5% $361	+0% $411	+5% $461	+10% $510
Rate	-1.0pp $451	-0.5pp $431	base $411	+0.5pp $390	+1.0pp $369

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: $19,975
• Closing costs: $2,397
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 40 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
730 Noble Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1092	$1,200	$1.10	24d	1	0.15mi
1092 Peerless Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	998	$1,200	$1.20	45d	1	0.20mi
961 Lawton St Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1144	$1,450	$1.27	15d	1	0.21mi
844 Lawton St Akron, OH	4.0	2.0	1240	$1,175	$0.95	45d	1	0.34mi
575 Noble Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1300	$1,350	$1.04	15d	1	0.37mi
1090 Hartford Ave Akron, OH	4.0	1.0	1328	$1,125	$0.85	45d	1	0.39mi
991 Diana Ave Akron, OH	3.0	2.0	1264	$1,325	$1.05	45d	1	0.49mi
783 Leonard St Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1040	$1,250	$1.20	45d	1	0.51mi
637 Storer Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.5	1322	$1,250	$0.95	15d	1	0.56mi
405 Noah Ave Akron, OH	2.0	1.0	1000	$1,050	$1.05	22d	1	0.66mi
1494 Diagonal Rd Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1064	$1,495	$1.41	45d	1	0.71mi
677 Crossings Ln Akron, OH	3.0	2.5	1440	$1,950	$1.35	24d	1	0.72mi
1326 Thurston St Unit 1326 Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	900	$925	$1.03	24d	1	0.74mi
1328 Thurston St Unit 1328 Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	900	$925	$1.03	24d	1	0.74mi
1331 Thurston St Unit 1326 Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	900	$925	$1.03	45d	1	0.75mi
1161 Seward Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.5	1000	$1,200	$1.20	15d	1	0.75mi
916 Peckham St Akron, OH	2.0	1.0	936	$850	$0.91	45d	1	0.81mi
924 Hamlin St Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1106	$1,300	$1.18	45d	1	0.85mi
321 Grace Ave Akron, OH	3.0	2.0	1484	$1,175	$0.79	15d	1	0.86mi
601 Glendora Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1310	$1,200	$0.92	45d	1	0.88mi
295 Noble Ave Akron, OH	3.0	2.5	1488	$1,600	$1.08	45d	1	0.88mi
378 Wildwood Ave Akron, OH	4.0	1.0	1544	$1,200	$0.78	45d	1	0.88mi
1069 Fess Ave Akron, OH	2.0	1.0	940	$1,095	$1.16	45d	1	0.89mi
918 Bye St Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1248	$1,200	$0.96	45d	1	0.91mi
685 Longview Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1100	$1,150	$1.05	45d	1	0.98mi
384 W Bartges St Akron, OH	2.0	1.0	1024	$1,100	$1.07	45d	1	0.99mi
1313 Manchester Rd Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1221	$1,200	$0.98	22d	1	1.02mi
378 Trigonia Dr Akron, OH	3.0	1.5	1090	$1,200	$1.10	45d	1	1.05mi
1032 Andrew St Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	960	$1,097	$1.14	45d	1	1.06mi
1161 La Croix Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1452	$1,200	$0.83	24d	1	1.08mi
1171 La Croix Ave Unit 2 Akron, OH	2.0	1.0	1267	$975	$0.77	45d	1	1.09mi
445 S Maple St Akron, OH	3.0	1.5	1041	$1,240	$1.19	45d	7	1.12mi
1047 Yukon Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	966	$995	$1.03	22d	1	1.18mi
724 Crosby St Akron, OH	2.0	1.0	1582	$995	$0.63	24d	1	1.21mi
724 Crosby St Unit 1 Akron, OH	2.0	1.0	1582	$995	$0.63	45d	1	1.21mi
199 Beck Ave Unit 2 Akron, OH	2.0	1.0	926	$1,300	$1.40	24d	1	1.23mi
713 Crosby St Unit 1496092P Akron, OH	3.0	2.0	1840	$5,078	$2.76	22d	1	1.24mi
678 Crosby St Unit 3 Akron, OH	2.0	1.0	1000	$780	$0.78	45d	1	1.27mi
202 Westwood Ave Akron, OH	3.0	1.0	1344	$1,250	$0.93	15d	1	1.30mi
931 Trimble Dr Akron, OH	2.0	1.5	1448	$1,495	$1.03	24d	1	1.31mi

Listing history 14 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $79,900 Active 17 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $79,900 Active 14 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $79,900 Active 13 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   pricedays on market $79,900 Active 12 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $99,900 Active 11 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   days on market $99,900 Active 9 DOM
7. 2026-06-13
   remarks 406-char remark
8. 2026-06-13
   days on market $99,900 Active 8 DOM
9. 2026-06-10
   days on market $99,900 Active 6 DOM
10. 2026-06-09
    days on market $99,900 Active 5 DOM
11. 2026-06-08
    days on market $99,900 Active 4 DOM
12. 2026-06-07
    days on market $99,900 Active 3 DOM
13. 2026-06-05
    remarks 345-char remark
14. 2026-06-05
    listed $99,900 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: $1,559 · $130/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,559 · $130/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 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥97°F today · 17 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 1/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $15,087
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,476
• − Property taxes: −$1,559
• − Insurance: −$400
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,207
• − Management: −$1,207
• − Depreciation: −$2,324
• Taxable income: $3,915
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$940
• After-tax cash flow: $3,993/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: Akron City
• NCES district ID: 3904348
• Math proficiency: 22% ▼ -17.00%
• Reading proficiency: 30% ▼ -12.00%
• Median HH income: $33,811
• Composite: 21.31/100
• National rank: #8383
• State rank: #602 of 656 in OH

Livability — Akron

• Score: 81/100
• State rank: #104
• US rank: #1591

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Akron, OH
• County: Summit County · 440,783 people
• City population: 174,375
• Metro: Akron, OH
• Population (ZIP): 17,690
• Household income: $41,241
• Rent vs Own: 46.1% rent · 53.9% own
• Severe rent burden: 1316.0

Population outlook (Summit County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 546,583 people
• By 2030: 544,028 · -0.5%
• By 2040: 531,363 · -2.8%
• By 2050: 514,923 · -5.8%
• By 2075: 481,765 · -11.9%
• By 2100: 432,265 · -20.9%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Majority Black (63%)
• Race & ethnicity: Black 63% White 27% Two or more races 7% Hispanic / Latino 4%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 2% Italian 1% Scotch-Irish 1%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 97% English-only · Spanish 1% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Summit

• 2024 margin: Lean D (+7.0) · D 53.0% · R 46.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -9.6pp toward R · 2008: 16.6pp · 2024: 7.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+7.0 2020: D+9.6 2016: D+8.2 2012: D+14.8 2008: D+16.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -117.69%
• Current HPI: 122.9888
• Rent YoY: ▲ 1.65%
• Metro: Akron, 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

+589.0% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-03 Listed $99,900 MLSNOW
• 1998-06-05 Sold (Public Records) $49,000 Public Records
• 1984-05-07 Sold (Public Records) $14,500 Public Records

Property tax history

+2.2%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,559 · +0.1% YoY. Source: county tax records.