1125 E 400 S

Knox, IN 46534

$82,000B+

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 980 sqft · Built 1983 · Manufactured · Active · 98 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,653/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$430
• Tax + insurance: −$137
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$347
• Net cashflow: $739/mo
• Annual: $8,873/yr
• Cap rate: 17.11%
• Cash-on-cash: 38.65%
• DSCR: 2.72
• 1% rule: 2.02%
• Cash to close: $22,960

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath manufactured listed at $82k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $739 ($9k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $82k).
• It's been on market 98 days — a 9% lower offer ($75k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $75k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $567 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 58/100 on livability (#583 in IN) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime C-, amenities F, commute F.
• Knox Community School Corporation (town): math 27% / reading 34% proficiency, ranked #242 of 301 in IN (top 80%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Knox Community Elementary School (math 47% / reading 38%, grade F, #425 of 994 statewide, top 44%, 704 students, 66% FRL); Knox Community Middle School (math 18% / reading 24%, grade F, #270 of 330 statewide, top 82%, 470 students, 66% FRL); Knox Community High School (math 32% / reading 62%, grade D-, #143 of 369 statewide, top 44%, 572 students, 66% FRL).
• Market conditions: 146 active listings in the ZIP; 58 units permitted in Starke County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Starke County population projected at -23% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 5 sale attempts since 4y 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.
• Current owner paid $65k; 26% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $23k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 17.1% vs local median 3.8% in Knox — 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 98 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• 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 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?
• 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.