1523 Winchester Ave

Lakewood, OH 44107

$164,900A-

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,584 sqft · Built 1918 · MultiFamily · Pending · 140 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,637/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$865
• Tax + insurance: −$527
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$554
• Net cashflow: $692/mo
• Annual: $8,298/yr
• Cap rate: 11.33%
• Cash-on-cash: 17.97%
• DSCR: 1.80
• 1% rule: 1.60%
• Cash to close: $46,172

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $165k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $692 ($8k/yr) — positive. Per door: $346/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $165k).
• It's been on market 140 days — a 12% lower offer ($145k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $145k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 88/100 on livability (#29 in OH, #249 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: schools A+, amenities A+, cost of living A+; Watch: commute F.
• Lakewood City (suburban): math 60% / reading 71% proficiency, ranked #213 of 656 in OH (top 32%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.3% of price; built in 1918 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.4%/yr); 201 active listings in the ZIP; 16 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 18d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,441 units permitted in Cuyahoga County in 2024 (700 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Cuyahoga County population projected to shrink 8% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 13 sale attempts since 31y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $25k (13%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 5.4% rent growth), your $46k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 11.3% vs local median 2.5% in Lakewood — 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.
• At $2,637/mo this rent would consume 46% of the median local household income ($69k/yr) (locally 2271% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 140 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1918 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• 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?