969 Mathews Ave · Charleston, WV 25302

$155,000

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,496 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 2 Days on market

Built 1940 5,750 sqft lot Est $132k · 18% over

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Why this score? — see what drove the D- 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 +16.2/30.0
• DSCR +5.0/10.0
• Livability +4.2/5.0
• 1% rule +3.7/10.0
• Schools +2.9/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• ARV discount +0.0/15.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Key facts

• 5,750 sq ft lot
• Garage
• Built 1940

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: 1-car garage
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single family residence; Residential property
• Construction: Brick construction
• Exterior features: Metal roof

Interior

• Kitchen: Electric range; Microwave; Refrigerator
• Flooring: Carpet; Hardwood
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom; 1 half bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating; Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Insulated windows; Full 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 $83 ($990/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 $134k (13.4% below list).
• Recommended offer: $134k (13.4% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 6.9% vs local median 3.8% in Charleston — 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 85/100 on livability (#3 in WV, #524 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: crime F.
• Kanawha County Schools (suburban): math 29% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #17 of 55 in WV (top 31%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Mary C. Snow West Side Elementary (math 12% / reading 12%, grade F, #375 of 377 statewide, top 99%, 353 students, 0% FRL); West Side Middle School (math 7% / reading 18%, grade F, #109 of 109 statewide, top 100%, 377 students, 0% FRL); Capital High School (math 22% / reading 52%, grade F, #32 of 110 statewide, top 34%, 1,086 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 46% district-wide (46 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 20% at this address vs 34% district-wide (-14 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Kanawha County Schools average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Market conditions: 99 active listings in the ZIP; 103 units permitted in Kanawha County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

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.
• Kanawha County population projected at -17% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• Only 2 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Current owner paid $40k; list at $155k implies a 288% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1940 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: moderate flood 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 $134,223 (13.4% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1940 — 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 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?
4. Crime grade is F 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?
5. 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?
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: 0.87% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.93%
• Cash-on-cash: 2.28%
• DSCR: 1.10
• GRM: 9.6

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $131,648
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
969 Mathews Ave	0.00mi	3/1.5	1,548 (+4%)	1mo	$155,000	$100	94
726 Amity Dr	0.29mi	2/1.5 (-1)	1,459 (-2%)	1mo	$95,000	$65	76
806 Red Oak St	0.24mi	3/2.0	1,602 (+7%)	11mo	$107,000	$67	66
846 Somerset Dr	0.34mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,415 (-5%)	8mo	$125,000	$88	64
624 Randolph St	0.62mi	3/1.5	1,488 (-0%)	10mo	$150,000	$101	62
907 Valley Rd	0.46mi	3/2.0	1,600 (+7%)	5mo	$189,900	$119	61
918 Greendale Dr	0.50mi	3/1.5	1,650 (+10%)	10mo	$125,000	$76	51
902 Price St	0.56mi	3/2.0	1,385 (-7%)	12mo	$195,000	$141	50
406 Elm St	0.69mi	3/1.5	1,344 (-10%)	2mo	$150,000	$112	49
839 Greendale Dr	0.60mi	3/1.5	1,320 (-12%)	9mo	$112,000	$85	45
828 Somerset Dr	0.40mi	2/2.0 (-1)	1,704 (+14%)	9mo	$39,900	$23	44
618 Hunt Ave	0.55mi	3/2.5	1,312 (-12%)	11mo	$85,000	$65	41

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: -12.7%
• Equity multiple: 0.54×
• Total profit: $-19,897
• Equity at exit: $23,111

10-year hold

• IRR: -3.7%
• Equity multiple: 0.75×
• Total profit: $-10,707
• Equity at exit: $13,402

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

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State West Virginia: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+22
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Landlord-favorable; preempted; minimal protections.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 25302

• Home prices YoY: -21.8%
• Active inventory: 99
• Price-to-rent: 9.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,342 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$813
• Tax from tax record: −$100 /mo · $1,205/yr
• Insurance: −$65
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$282
• Net cashflow: $83

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,238

Max offer price $155,000

Occupancy floor 89%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $170	-5% $126	+0% $83	+5% $39	+10% $-5
Rent	-10% $-23	-5% $30	+0% $83	+5% $136	+10% $189
Rate	-1.0pp $161	-0.5pp $122	base $83	+0.5pp $42	+1.0pp $2

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 3 events

1. 2026-04-10
   status Pending
2. 2026-04-08
   listed $155,000 Active
3. 1973-11-01
   soldstatus $39,900

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

Tax reassessment forecast WV · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $1,205 · $100/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,205 · $100/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 5/10 Major FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 24% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 4/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 5/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥101°F today · 19 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 100% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $16,107
• − Mortgage interest: −$8,682
• − Property taxes: −$1,205
• − Insurance: −$775
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,289
• − Management: −$1,289
• − Depreciation: −$4,509
• Taxable loss: −$1,642
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$394
• After-tax cash flow: $1,384/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: Kanawha County Schools
• NCES district ID: 5400600
• Math proficiency: 29% ▼ -13.00%
• Reading proficiency: 40% ▼ -7.00%
• Median HH income: $44,329
• Composite: 29.35/100
• National rank: #6540
• State rank: #17 of 55 in WV

Livability — Charleston

• Score: 85/100
• State rank: #3
• US rank: #524

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Charleston, WV
• County: Kanawha County · 33,502 people
• City population: 33,502
• Metro: Charleston, WV
• Population (ZIP): 13,204
• Household income: $55,210
• Rent vs Own: 35.1% rent · 64.9% own
• Severe rent burden: 679.0

Population outlook (Kanawha County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 178,946 people
• By 2030: 172,906 · -3.4%
• By 2040: 159,874 · -10.7%
• By 2050: 148,148 · -17.2%
• By 2075: 123,257 · -31.1%
• By 2100: 96,454 · -46.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (75%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 75% Black 14% Two or more races 8% Hispanic / Latino 3% Asian 1%
• Common ancestry: Italian 2% Slovak 2% Iranian 1%
• Foreign-born: 1% · South Korea

Political lean MEDSL · Kanawha

• 2024 margin: R (+17.4) · D 40.2% · R 57.6% · Other 2.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -17.0pp toward R · 2008: -0.4pp · 2024: -17.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+17.4 2020: R+14.7 2016: R+20.6 2012: R+11.9 2008: R+0.4

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -44.83%
• Current HPI: 160.7081
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: Charleston, WV
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

+288.5% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-10 Pending — KVBOR
• 2026-04-08 Listed $155,000 KVBOR
• 1973-11-01 Sold (Public Records) $39,900 Public Records

Property tax history

+8.3%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,205 · +0.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.