541 NE Grattan St · Topeka, KS 66616

$30,000

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,184 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 1 Days on market

Built 1930 6,534 sqft lot

---

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
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.7/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

This property sustained fire damage and is being sold as-is — no inspections completed. Damage appears largely cosmetic, making this a potential value-add play for the right buyer. Priced aggressively at $60K below tax appraised value, the upside is already baked in before you swing a hammer. The bones are solid: vinyl windows (2019), roof, HVAC, and mechanicals all updated in 2019. Oversized 1-car garage with electricity, fenced yard, and a corner double lot. Cozy covered porch too. Bring your contractor and your calculator — deals like this don't sit long.

Key facts

• Vinyl windows
• Roof
• Hvac

Tags

• VINYL WINDOWS
• ROOF
• HVAC
• MECHANICALS
• OVERSIZED GARAGE
• FENCED YARD

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Detached 1-car garage
• Home design: Single family residence (single house); One and one-half story
• Construction: Frame construction
• Exterior features: Corner lot; Fenced yard with chain link fencing

Interior

• Flooring: Vinyl; Carpet
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom; 1 half bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Vinyl and carpet flooring; Storm door(s)
• Laundry & utility: Laundry on the main level

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $30k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $434 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($907 rent vs $30k).
• Cap rate 23.7% vs local median 4.3% in Topeka — 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 69/100 on livability (#195 in KS) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment C-, crime F, commute F.
• Topeka Public Schools (urban): math 17% / reading 23% proficiency, ranked #158 of 169 in KS (top 94%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 69% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: State Street Elem (math 23% / reading 21%, grade F, #569 of 684 statewide, top 85%, 456 students, 89% FRL); Chase Middle School (math 11% / reading 15%, grade F, #188 of 219 statewide, top 87%, 378 students, 93% FRL); Highland Park High (math 8% / reading 12%, grade F, #306 of 327 statewide, top 95%, 857 students, 85% FRL) — zoned schools average 89% FRL vs 69% district-wide (20 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 27 active listings in the ZIP; 5 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 21d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 219 units permitted in Shawnee County in 2024 (25 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $207 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $900 of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Shawnee County population projected to shrink 7% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $8k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• Only 1 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 7 sale attempts since 11y 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: property tax is 4.5% of price; built in 1930 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→17/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $30,000

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1930 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
5. 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?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 3.02% ✓
• Cap rate: 23.67%
• Cash-on-cash: 62.05%
• DSCR: 3.76
• GRM: 2.8

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $134,976
• Comps found: 1

Show comp detail 1 sale within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
509 NE Grattan St	0.09mi	3/1.0	1,273 (+8%)	13mo	$145,000	$114	70

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 · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 61.0%
• Equity multiple: 3.72×
• Total profit: $22,861
• Equity at exit: $4,473

10-year hold

• IRR: 65.7%
• Equity multiple: 7.64×
• Total profit: $55,770
• Equity at exit: $2,594

Cash invested: $8,400 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Kansas: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+10
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; preempts local rent control; moderate court pace.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 66616

• Home prices YoY: -7.1%
• Active inventory: 27
• Price-to-rent: 2.8×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $907 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$157
• Tax from tax record: −$112 /mo · $1,348/yr
• Insurance: −$12
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$190
• Net cashflow: $434

Break-even live

Break-even rent $357

Max offer price $30,000

Occupancy floor 47%

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: $7,500
• Closing costs: $900
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 5 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
502 NE Freeman Ave Topeka, KS	2.0	1.0	750	$875	$1.17	21d	1	0.12mi
1001 NE Atchison Ave Topeka, KS	2.0	1.0	689	$809	$1.17	21d	19	0.59mi
1141 NE Chester Ave Topeka, KS	2.0	1.0	750	$850	$1.13	21d	1	0.90mi
101 N Kansas Ave Topeka, KS	2.0	1.0	1009	$1,325	$1.31	21d	3	1.18mi
423 SE Winfield Ave Unit 421-23 Arter-423 Arter Topeka, KS	3.0	1.0	775	$910	$1.17	21d	1	1.25mi

Listing history 13 events

1. 2026-05-22
   status Pending
2. 2026-05-21
   listed $30,000 Active
3. 2025-05-06
   price $79,900
4. 2018-03-05
   soldstatus
5. 2018-03-02
   soldstatus
6. 2018-02-15
   listed $27,900
7. 2018-01-18
   listed $27,900
8. 2017-02-01
   listed $39,000
9. 2016-11-21
   listed $35,000
10. 2015-10-02
    soldstatus
11. 2015-09-18
    soldstatus
12. 2015-08-15
    listed $19,900
13. 2015-05-15
    listed $28,200

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast KS · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $1,348 · $112/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,348 · $112/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 3/10 Moderate FEMA zone X · 10% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 2/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥107°F today · 17 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $10,883
• − Mortgage interest: −$1,680
• − Property taxes: −$1,348
• − Insurance: −$150
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$871
• − Management: −$871
• − Depreciation: −$873
• Taxable income: $5,091
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,222
• After-tax cash flow: $3,990/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: Topeka Public Schools
• NCES district ID: 2012260
• Math proficiency: 17% ▼ -8.00%
• Reading proficiency: 23% ▼ -2.00%
• Median HH income: $37,405
• Composite: 16.69/100
• National rank: #9167
• State rank: #158 of 169 in KS

Livability — Topeka

• Score: 69/100
• State rank: #195
• US rank: #8848

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Topeka, KS
• City population: 118,130
• Population (ZIP): 6,065

Population outlook (Shawnee County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 179,277 people
• By 2030: 177,762 · -0.8%
• By 2040: 172,341 · -3.9%
• By 2050: 166,330 · -7.2%
• By 2075: 152,417 · -15.0%
• By 2100: 134,782 · -24.8%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.59)
• Race & ethnicity: White 55% Hispanic / Latino 32% Two or more races 15% Black 6% Native American 3%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 31% Puerto Rican 2%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 3% Italian 1% Iranian 1%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 93% English-only · Spanish 7%

Political lean MEDSL · Shawnee

• 2024 margin: Toss-up / Even · D 49.3% · R 48.8% · Other 2.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: +0.8pp no change · 2008: -0.3pp · 2024: 0.5pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+0.5 2020: D+3.0 2016: R+2.8 2012: R+1.7 2008: R+0.3

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -16.11%
• Current HPI: 211.4386
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

+6.4% since first listed

13 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-22 Pending — Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2026-05-21 Listed $30,000 Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2025-05-06 Price Changed $79,900 Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2018-03-05 Sold (Public Records) — Public Records
• 2018-03-02 Sold (MLS) — Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2018-02-15 Listed $27,900 Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2018-01-18 Listed $27,900 Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2017-02-01 Listed $39,000 Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2016-11-21 Listed $35,000 Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2015-10-02 Sold (MLS) — Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2015-09-18 Sold (Public Records) — Public Records
• 2015-08-15 Listed $19,900 Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID
• 2015-05-15 Listed $28,200 Sunflower MLS as distributed by MLS GRID

Property tax history

+3.9%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,348 · +5.2% YoY. Source: county tax records.