229 SE 4th Ave

Oelwein, IA 50662

$41,900B

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,344 sqft · Built 1910 · SingleFamily · Active · 41 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $759/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$220
• Tax + insurance: −$80
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$159
• Net cashflow: $300/mo
• Annual: $3,602/yr
• Cap rate: 14.89%
• Cash-on-cash: 30.70%
• DSCR: 2.37
• 1% rule: 1.81%
• Cash to close: $11,732

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $42k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $300 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($759 rent vs $42k).
• It's been on market 41 days — a 3% lower offer ($41k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $41k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $290 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#186 in IA, #3,329 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D, amenities F, commute F.
• Oelwein Community School District (town): math 47% / reading 55% proficiency, ranked #281 of 289 in IA (top 97%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Oelwein Middle School (math 44% / reading 54%, grade C-, #219 of 246 statewide, top 90%, 359 students, 60% FRL); Oelwein High School (math 46% / reading 62%, grade C-, #293 of 336 statewide, top 87%, 314 students, 46% FRL) — zoned schools at 53% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1910 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 60 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 8 units permitted in Fayette County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Fayette County population projected at -15% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $12k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 14.9% vs local median 4.5% in Oelwein — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 41 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1910 — 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.
• 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.