3 bd · 1.0 ba ·
893 sqft ·
Built 1897
· SingleFamily
· Pending
· 56 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,112/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$624
Tax + insurance
−$188
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$234
Net cashflow
$66/mo
Annual
$796/yr
Cap rate
6.96%
Cash-on-cash
2.39%
DSCR
1.11
1% rule
0.93%
Cash to close
$33,320
Investor read
This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $119k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $66 ($796/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 $111k (6.5% below list).
It's been on market 56 days — a 3% lower offer ($115k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $111k (6.5% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
In year one you build about $13k of equity ($823 loan paydown + $12k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
Location reads 81/100 on livability (#63 in IA, #1,432 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, schools D+, crime F.
Des Moines Independent Community School District (urban): math 43% / reading 46% proficiency, ranked #289 of 289 in IA (top 100%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 63% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
Watch-outs: built in 1897 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+8.2%/yr); 64 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 24d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 2,953 units permitted in Polk County in 2024 (540 in 5+ unit buildings).
Polk County population projected at +37% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $33k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
By year 3, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$32k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
Cap rate 7.0% vs local median 3.1% in Des Moines — 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.
This rent runs 33% of the median local income ($40k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 56 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 7% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Built in 1897 — 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 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?
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?
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-V2Q9KMB3Z4S3FA
· Data 1 week agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29