223 Main St

Follansbee, WV 26037

$50,000B-

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 806 sqft · Built 1950 · SingleFamily · Active · 24 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $818/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$262
• Tax + insurance: −$108
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$172
• Net cashflow: $276/mo
• Annual: $3,312/yr
• Cap rate: 14.25%
• Cash-on-cash: 28.42%
• DSCR: 2.26
• 1% rule: 1.64%
• Cash to close: $14,000

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $50k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $276 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($818 rent vs $50k).
• It's been on market 24 days — a 2% lower offer ($49k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $49k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $175 of equity ($346 loan paydown + $-171 appreciation (-0.3% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 72/100 on livability (#49 in WV) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: schools D+, amenities F, employment D-.
• Brooke County Schools (rural): math 26% / reading 35% proficiency, ranked #26 of 55 in WV (top 47%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $56/mo; built in 1950 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 24 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 44d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 67% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 2 units permitted in Brooke County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Brooke County population projected at -19% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• Current owner paid $33k; list at $50k implies a 52% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-0.3% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $14k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1950 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• 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?
• 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.