26580 Co Rd 21

Red Level, AL 36474

$125,000C-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,479 sqft · Built 1972 · SingleFamily · Active · 57 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $950/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$656
• Tax + insurance: −$79
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$200
• Net cashflow: $16/mo
• Annual: $197/yr
• Cap rate: 6.45%
• Cash-on-cash: 0.56%
• DSCR: 1.03
• 1% rule: 0.76%
• Cash to close: $35,000

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $125k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $16 ($197/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 $95k (24.0% below list).
• It's been on market 57 days — a 3% lower offer ($121k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $95k (24.0% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $4k of equity ($864 loan paydown + $3k appreciation (2.7% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 62/100 on livability (#214 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: health & safety C-, employment D+, crime D-.
• Covington County (rural): math 27% / reading 50% proficiency, ranked #32 of 129 in AL (top 25%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Straughn Elementary School (math 30% / reading 64%, grade D-, #142 of 627 statewide, top 25%, 608 students, 62% FRL); Straughn Middle School (math 35% / reading 62%, grade C-, #28 of 257 statewide, top 11%, 318 students, 65% FRL); Florala High School (math 17% / reading 37%, grade F, #90 of 305 statewide, top 35%, 218 students, 74% FRL).
• Market conditions: 25 active listings in the ZIP; 13 units permitted in Covington County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Covington County population projected to shrink 10% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 2 sale attempts since 5y 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 $102k; 22% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (2.7% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $35k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 8, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$31k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; 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.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 57 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 24% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1972 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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?
• 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?
• 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.