3 bd · 1.0 ba ·
1,488 sqft ·
Built 1900
· SingleFamily
· Pending
· 51 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,506/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$603
Tax + insurance
−$233
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$316
Net cashflow
$353/mo
Annual
$4,241/yr
Cap rate
9.98%
Cash-on-cash
13.17%
DSCR
1.59
1% rule
1.31%
Cash to close
$32,200
Investor read
This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $115k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $353 ($4k/yr) — positive.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $115k).
It's been on market 51 days — a 3% lower offer ($112k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $112k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $795 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 78/100 on livability (#134 in IA, #2,474 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime C-, commute F.
Cedar Rapids Community School District (urban): math 50% / reading 59% proficiency, ranked #265 of 289 in IA (top 92%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
Zoned schools: Grant Elementary School (math 37% / reading 32%, grade F, #595 of 616 statewide, top 97%, 320 students, 72% FRL); Wilson Middle School (math 42% / reading 49%, grade D+, #231 of 246 statewide, top 94%, 395 students, 72% FRL); Thomas Jefferson High School (math 41% / reading 62%, grade D+, #307 of 336 statewide, top 91%, 1,543 students, 56% FRL) — zoned schools average 67% FRL vs 43% district-wide (24 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+8.8%/yr); 415 active listings in the ZIP; 1,023 units permitted in Linn County in 2024 (456 in 5+ unit buildings).
Linn County population projected at +16% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
Current owner paid $75k; list at $115k implies a 53% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $32k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Cap rate 10.0% vs local median 3.5% in Cedar Rapids — 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 51 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1900 — 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.
Schools are B-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-TWDREJ1QS9B3KA
· Data 3 weeks agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29