219 W 2nd Ave · Cresco, IA 52136

$129,900

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,680 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 5 Days on market

Built 1915 6,355 sqft lot Est $192k · 32% under

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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 +17.1/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• Schools +5.6/10.0
• DSCR +5.3/10.0
• 1% rule +4.4/10.0
• Livability +4.2/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

If you are looking for a first time home, wanting to run a business out of your home, or adding another investment property to your portfolio…. You don’t want to miss this! Nestled on the edge of the business district in Cresco, is this 2 story home. Kick your shoes off in the inviting front porch and come inside. The main floor features kitchen, ¾ bath, living room, dining room and one bedroom. Upstairs there are 3 bedrooms and a full bathroom. On the back of the home is a deck and a back yard with storage shed to enjoy. The home has had many updates over the years and is ready for its new owner.

Key facts

• Back yard
• Many updates
• Front porch

Tags

• FRONT PORCH
• BACK YARD
• STORAGE SHED
• DECK
• MANY UPDATES

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: No parking
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; 2 stories
• Construction: Vinyl siding; Metal roof
• Exterior features: Concrete road surface

Interior

• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom; 1 three-quarter bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Central air conditioning; Forced air heating (natural gas)
• Interior features: No fireplace; Unfinished basement with block and concrete construction and interior entry

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $130k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $91 ($1k/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 $122k (5.8% below list).
• Recommended offer: $122k (5.8% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 83/100 on livability (#30 in IA, #877 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities D-, commute F.
• Howard-Winneshiek Community School District (town): math 62% / reading 70% proficiency, ranked #189 of 289 in IA (top 65%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Cresco Early Childhood Development Center (56 students, 46% FRL).
• Market conditions: 26 active listings in the ZIP; 8 units permitted in Howard County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $898 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Howard County population projected at -18% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• Only 5 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1915 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $122,324 (5.8% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1915 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. Schools are B-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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 0.94% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.13%
• Cash-on-cash: 3.00%
• DSCR: 1.13
• GRM: 8.8

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $191,520
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
219 E 3rd Ave	0.29mi	3/2.0	1,640 (-2%)	10mo	$140,000	$85	72
226 W 4th Ave	0.21mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,528 (-9%)	3mo	$73,106	$48	68
309 Vernon Rd	0.29mi	3/3.0	1,553 (-8%)	6mo	$127,000	$82	62
626 3rd St E	0.51mi	3/1.0	1,560 (-7%)	1mo	$136,000	$87	62
304 E 6th St. St	0.53mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,677 (-0%)	12mo	$180,000	$107	60
505 7th Ave East Ave	0.57mi	3/1.5	1,723 (+3%)	13mo	$197,000	$114	58
723 2nd Street West	0.52mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,841 (+10%)	2mo	$247,000	$134	53
716 E 6th Ave Ave	0.72mi	2/2.0 (-1)	1,635 (-3%)	4mo	$210,000	$128	51
616 E 4th Ave Ave	0.59mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,728 (+3%)	21mo	$202,000	$117	44
611 SW 3rd St	0.50mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,800 (+7%)	19mo	$158,000	$88	42
513 2nd St SW Unit Wayne Smith	0.45mi	4/3.0 (+1)	1,484 (-12%)	9mo	$184,900	$125	41
630 5th Ave Ave E	0.64mi	2/3.0 (-1)	1,456 (-13%)	22mo	$315,000	$216	19

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: -11.6%
• Equity multiple: 0.58×
• Total profit: $-15,247
• Equity at exit: $19,369

10-year hold

• IRR: -2.4%
• Equity multiple: 0.84×
• Total profit: $-5,793
• Equity at exit: $11,231

Cash invested: $36,372 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 52136

• Home prices YoY: -9.4%
• Active inventory: 26
• Price-to-rent: 8.8×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,223 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$681
• Tax from tax record: −$140 /mo · $1,680/yr
• Insurance: −$54
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$257
• Net cashflow: $91

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,108

Max offer price $129,900

Occupancy floor 88%

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: $32,475
• Closing costs: $3,897
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 6 events

1. 2026-06-18
   days on market $129,900 Active 5 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   days on market $129,900 Active 4 DOM
3. 2026-06-16
   days on market $129,900 Active 3 DOM
4. 2026-06-15
   days on market $129,900 Active 2 DOM
5. 2026-06-14
   remarks 604-char remark
6. 2026-06-14
   listed $129,900 Active 1 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast IA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,680 · $140/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,860 · $155/mo
• Expected delta: +$180/yr (+$15/mo · 10.7%)

ⓘ 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 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥98°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $14,679
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,276
• − Property taxes: −$1,680
• − Insurance: −$650
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,174
• − Management: −$1,174
• − Depreciation: −$3,779
• Taxable loss: −$1,055
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$253
• After-tax cash flow: $1,345/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: Howard-Winneshiek Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1914280
• Math proficiency: 62% ▼ -11.00%
• Reading proficiency: 70% ▲ 2.00%
• Median HH income: $46,388
• Composite: 55.68/100
• National rank: #1223
• State rank: #189 of 289 in IA

Livability — Cresco

• Score: 83/100
• State rank: #30
• US rank: #877

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Cresco, IA
• City population: 5,763
• Population (ZIP): 5,763

Population outlook (Howard County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 8,964 people
• By 2030: 8,668 · -3.3%
• By 2040: 8,056 · -10.1%
• By 2050: 7,388 · -17.6%
• By 2075: 6,121 · -31.7%
• By 2100: 4,792 · -46.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (94%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 94% Hispanic / Latino 3% Two or more races 3%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 17% Romanian 3% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 0%
• Languages at home: 95% English-only · German/W. Germanic 3% Spanish 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Howard

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+31.8) · D 33.5% · R 65.3% · Other 1.3%
• 2008→2024 swing: -57.6pp toward R · 2008: 25.8pp · 2024: -31.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+31.8 2020: R+27.3 2016: R+20.8 2012: D+21.1 2008: D+25.8

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -22.56%
• Current HPI: 217.8492
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-06-12 Listed $129,900 NEIRBR as distributed by MLS GRID

Property tax history

+4.3%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,680 · +1.1% YoY. Source: county tax records.