3279 Warrensville Center Rd Unit 3A

Shaker Heights, OH 44122

$85,000D-

2 bd · 1.5 ba · 984 sqft · Built 1955 · Condo · Active · 2 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,463/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$446
• Tax + insurance: −$219
• HOA: −$640
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$307
• Net cashflow: $-149/mo
• Annual: $-1,785/yr
• Cap rate: 4.19%
• Cash-on-cash: -7.50%
• DSCR: 0.67
• 1% rule: 1.72%
• Cash to close: $23,800

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.5-bath condo listed at $85k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-149 ($-2k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $59k (30.9% below list).
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $85k).
• Only 2 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Recommended offer: $59k (30.9% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $588 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 89/100 on livability (#15 in OH, #134 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: amenities F.
• Shaker Heights City (suburban): math 50% / reading 63% proficiency, ranked #309 of 656 in OH (top 47%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Mercer Elementary School (math 62% / reading 57%, grade B-, #670 of 1,584 statewide, top 45%, 307 students, 27% FRL); Shaker Hts Middle School (math 49% / reading 56%, grade C+, #378 of 654 statewide, top 59%, 651 students, 30% FRL); Shaker Hts High School (math 34% / reading 70%, grade D+, #343 of 781 statewide, top 47%, 1,498 students, 24% FRL) — zoned schools at 27% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.6% of price; HOA is 44% of rent; built in 1955 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+1.1%/yr); 183 active listings in the ZIP; 35 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 18d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 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.
• 2 sale attempts 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 $19k; list at $85k implies a 355% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Cap rate 4.2% vs local median 2.5% in Shaker Heights — 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 is only 17% of the median local income ($101k/yr) — well below the 30% rent-burden line; pricing power to push rent on renewal without tenant pushback.

Questions for listing agent

• What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
• Built in 1955 — 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?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• 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?
• The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?