1333 Fernwood Dr · LaFayette, GA 30728

$155,000

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,440 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 34 Days on market

Built 1978 0.46 ac lot $108/sqft · 46% below area Est $200k · 22% under ↓ 3% since listing

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Why this score? — see what drove the C 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 +20.2/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• DSCR +6.4/10.0
• 1% rule +4.6/10.0
• Livability +3.1/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.3/10.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Charming investor special -- 3 bed, 1.5 bath home on a generous, private lot. Solid bones with great potential: living room, eat-in kitchen, and flexible floorplan ready for modernization with an unfinished basement. Large backyard offers room for expansion, landscaping, or outdoor entertaining -- perfect for adding value or building an accessory unit (subject to permits). Attached carport and off-street parking. Needs some TLC and cosmetic updates, ideal for investors or owner-occupiers looking to renovate for resale or long-term rental income. Priced to reflect condition -- bring your vision and tools. Schedule a showing today.

Key facts

• Private lot
• Attached carport
• Unfinished basement

Tags

• PRIVATE LOT
• UNFINISHED BASEMENT
• LARGE BACKYARD
• ATTACHED CARPORT
• OFF-STREET PARKING

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Property condition noted as fixer
• HOA & community: No community features listed

Exterior

• Parking: Has carport (1 space); Driveway
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electricity available
• Home design: Single-family residence (house); One level
• Construction: Frame construction; Block foundation; Asphalt shingle roof; Built as a house (residential)
• Exterior features: No specific exterior features listed; Gentle sloping lot; Paved road frontage on a private road

Interior

• Kitchen: No appliances listed
• Bedrooms: Total of 7 rooms (bedrooms included within total room count)
• Flooring: Carpet
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom; 1 half bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Electric cooling (has cooling)
• Interior features: Carpet flooring; Unfinished basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $155k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $195 ($2k/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 $149k (4.0% below list).
• Recommended offer: $149k (4.0% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 7.8% vs local median 4.1% in LaFayette — 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 61/100 on livability (#345 in GA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A; Watch: crime D+, amenities F, commute F.
• Walker County (rural): math 25% / reading 29% proficiency, ranked #114 of 174 in GA (top 66%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 61% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: North Lafayette Elementary School (math 22% / reading 17%, grade F, #878 of 1,228 statewide, top 75%, 432 students, 68% FRL); Lafayette Middle School (math 23% / reading 27%, grade F, #291 of 470 statewide, top 64%, 575 students, 77% FRL); Lafayette High School (math 5% / reading 15%, grade F, #353 of 424 statewide, top 86%, 1,164 students, 62% FRL).
• Market conditions: 218 active listings in the ZIP; 347 units permitted in Walker County in 2024 (24 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 32% of the median local income ($55k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• 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.
• Walker County population projected at -16% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 34 days — a 3% lower offer ($150k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: moderate wildfire risk; extreme-heat days projected 7→19/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $148,857 (4.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 34 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 4% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1978 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. Schools are F-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 D 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: 0.96% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.80%
• Cash-on-cash: 5.39%
• DSCR: 1.24
• GRM: 8.7

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $199,603
• List price: $155,000
• Delta: -22.35%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1309 Campbell Cres	0.09mi	3/1.0	1,275 (-12%)	1mo	$85,000	$67	74
1118 Probasco St N	0.38mi	3/2.0	1,490 (+4%)	3mo	$220,000	$148	72
1303 Campbell Cres	0.11mi	3/2.0	1,275 (-12%)	4mo	$250,000	$196	71
1306 Fernwood Dr	0.18mi	3/2.0	1,275 (-12%)	0mo	$165,500	$130	70
1112 Probasco St	0.43mi	3/2.0	1,409 (-2%)	7mo	$269,000	$191	69
308 Ridgecrest Dr	0.42mi	3/2.0	1,408 (-2%)	13mo	$257,900	$183	64
302 Ridgecrest Dr	0.46mi	3/2.0	1,368 (-5%)	6mo	$162,500	$119	63
408 Ridgecrest Drive Dr	0.34mi	3/2.0	1,319 (-8%)	10mo	$224,900	$171	60
307 Ridgecrest Dr	0.43mi	3/2.0	1,229 (-15%)	2mo	$225,000	$183	52
203 Darvin Ln	0.52mi	3/2.0	1,251 (-13%)	2mo	$235,900	$189	50
105 Darvin Ln	0.52mi	3/1.5	1,300 (-10%)	13mo	$235,000	$181	49
1490 N Main St	0.61mi	3/3.0	1,652 (+15%)	8mo	$369,000	$223	34

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: -8.0%
• Equity multiple: 0.71×
• Total profit: $-12,733
• Equity at exit: $23,111

10-year hold

• IRR: 1.6%
• Equity multiple: 1.11×
• Total profit: $4,768
• Equity at exit: $13,402

Cash invested: $43,400 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Georgia: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Magistrate court evictions in 10-30 days; no rent control; preempted; few tenant protections.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 30728

• Home prices YoY: -14.2%
• Active inventory: 218
• Price-to-rent: 8.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,489 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$813
• Tax from tax record: −$104 /mo · $1,243/yr
• Insurance: −$65
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$313
• Net cashflow: $195

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,242

Max offer price $155,000

Occupancy floor 82%

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: $38,750
• Closing costs: $4,650
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 6 events

1. 2026-06-02
   status $155,000 Pending 34 DOM
2. 2026-06-01
   days on market $155,000 Active 34 DOM
3. 2026-05-31
   days on market $155,000 Active 33 DOM
4. 2026-05-30
   days on market $155,000 Active 32 DOM
5. 2026-05-13
   price $157,500 637-char remark
6. 2026-04-28
   listed $160,000 Active 637-char remark

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

Tax reassessment forecast GA · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $1,243 · $104/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,426 · $119/mo
• Expected delta: +$183/yr (+$15/mo · 14.7%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 5/10 Major
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥104°F today · 19 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 4/10 Moderate 11% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $17,863
• − Mortgage interest: −$8,682
• − Property taxes: −$1,243
• − Insurance: −$775
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,429
• − Management: −$1,429
• − Depreciation: −$4,509
• Taxable loss: −$205
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$49
• After-tax cash flow: $2,389/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: Walker County
• NCES district ID: 1305370
• Math proficiency: 25% ▼ -10.00%
• Reading proficiency: 29% ▼ -10.00%
• Median HH income: $39,889
• Composite: 22.74/100
• National rank: #8035
• State rank: #114 of 174 in GA

Livability — LaFayette

• Score: 61/100
• State rank: #345
• US rank: #17893

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: LaFayette, GA
• County: Walker County · 48,831 people
• City population: 18,790
• Metro: Chattanooga, TN-GA
• Population (ZIP): 18,790
• Household income: $55,455
• Rent vs Own: 26.6% rent · 73.4% own
• Severe rent burden: 233.0

Population outlook (Walker County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 66,050 people
• By 2030: 64,305 · -2.6%
• By 2040: 60,127 · -9.0%
• By 2050: 55,551 · -15.9%
• By 2075: 44,886 · -32.0%
• By 2100: 34,015 · -48.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (90%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 90% Two or more races 5% Black 3% Hispanic / Latino 2% Asian 1%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 3% Lithuanian 2% Iranian 2%
• Foreign-born: 2% · South Korea
• Languages at home: 97% English-only · Spanish 2% Korean 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Walker

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+59.3) · D 20.1% · R 79.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: -12.5pp toward R · 2008: -46.8pp · 2024: -59.3pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+59.3 2020: R+59.3 2016: R+61.5 2012: R+50.2 2008: R+46.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -45.02%
• Current HPI: 271.2944
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: Chattanooga, TN-GA
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.66%
• F500 in state: 28

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in GA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Paper / Packaging	2	$29B
▸Retail	1	$160B
▸Transportation / Logistics	1	$91B
▸Airlines	1	$62B
▸Consumer Goods	1	$47B
▸Utilities	1	$25B

Price history

-3.1% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-01 Pending — GCAR
• 2026-05-27 Price Changed $155,000 GCAR
• 2026-05-13 Price Changed $157,500 GCAR
• 2026-04-28 Listed $160,000 GCAR

Property tax history

+4.0%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,243 · -4.3% YoY. Source: county tax records.