375 Sequoia Dr · Lake Wales, FL 33859

$235,680

3 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,557 sqft · Townhouse · 80 Days on market

Built 2026

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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 +12.8/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• DSCR +3.8/10.0
• 1% rule +3.6/10.0
• Schools +3.5/10.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

This stunning, two-story home features an open floor plan with tile flooring and a spacious great room. Whip up culinary delights in the stylish kitchen, which boasts 36-in. upper cabinets, granite countertops, a peninsula, sleek Moen® faucet, Kohler® stainless steel sink and Whirlpool® stainless steel appliances. Upstairs, a dedicated laundry area provides convenience, while the two secondary bedrooms each offers a large closet. Bath 2 showcases a dual-sink vanity and walk-in shower. Unwind in the luxurious primary suite, which features a walk-in closet and connecting bath that includes a dual-sink vanity and walk-in shower with tile surround.

Key facts

• Open floor plan
• Spacious great room
• Stylish kitchen

Tags

• OPEN FLOOR PLAN
• TILE FLOORING
• SPACIOUS GREAT ROOM
• STYLISH KITCHEN
• GRANITE COUNTERTOPS
• DEDICATED LAUNDRY AREA

Property features AI

Finance

• Financial info: List price provided

Exterior

• Parking: 1-car garage / 1 total parking space
• Home design: Single-family residence; Active listing
• Exterior features: Living area 1,557 (provided)

Interior

• Bedrooms: 3 bedrooms
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms and 1 half bathroom
• Interior features: Spec new construction (Plan 1557)

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.5-bath townhouse listed at $236k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-21 ($-247/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $233k (1.3% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $204k (13.6% below list).
• Recommended offer: $204k (13.6% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 68/100 on livability (#535 in FL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment D+, amenities F, commute F.
• Polk (suburban): math 39% / reading 43% proficiency, ranked #62 of 73 in FL (top 85%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Spook Hill Elementary School (math 28% / reading 33%, grade F, #1,862 of 2,144 statewide, top 88%, 584 students, 67% FRL); Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence (math 34% / reading 32%, grade F, #437 of 571 statewide, top 77%, 542 students, 68% FRL); Winter Haven Senior High School (math 26% / reading 38%, grade F, #415 of 667 statewide, top 63%, 2,467 students, 50% FRL) — zoned schools at 62% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: 261 active listings in the ZIP; 18 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 10,384 units permitted in Polk County in 2024 (1,716 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 42% of the median local income ($58k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Polk County population projected at +33% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 80 days — a 6% lower offer ($222k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Recommended offer $203,562 (13.6% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
2. It's been on market 80 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 14% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. 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?
6. 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?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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: 0.86% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.19%
• Cash-on-cash: -0.37%
• DSCR: 0.98
• GRM: 9.6

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -16.9%
• Equity multiple: 0.40×
• Total profit: $-39,471
• Equity at exit: $35,141

10-year hold

• IRR: -8.8%
• Equity multiple: 0.46×
• Total profit: $-35,935
• Equity at exit: $20,377

Cash invested: $65,990 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Florida: 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+3
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; preempts local rent control; landlord-friendly statutes. Court speed varies by county.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 33859

• Home prices YoY: -16.6%
• Active inventory: 261
• Price-to-rent: 9.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,036 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,236
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$295 /mo · $3,535/yr
• Insurance: −$98
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$427
• Net cashflow: $-21

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,062

Max offer price $232,700

Occupancy floor 96%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $142	-5% $61	+0% $-21	+5% $-102	+10% $-183
Rent	-10% $-181	-5% $-101	+0% $-21	+5% $60	+10% $140
Rate	-1.0pp $98	-0.5pp $39	base $-21	+0.5pp $-82	+1.0pp $-144

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: $58,920
• Closing costs: $7,070
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 18 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
598 Bell Prairie Cir Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.5	1931	$2,100	$1.09	25d	1	0.25mi
260 Lake Suzanne Dr Lake Wales, FL	2.0	2.0	1321	$1,650	$1.25	25d	1	0.28mi
626 Bell Prairie Cir Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.0	1931	$2,600	$1.35	25d	1	0.30mi
645 Bell Prairie Cir Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.5	1933	$2,000	$1.03	13d	1	0.32mi
517 Bell Prairie Cir Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.5	1897	$2,100	$1.11	16d	1	0.34mi
437 Singing Sands Cir Lake Wales, FL	3.0	2.0	1555	$1,950	$1.25	16d	1	0.40mi
413 Singing Sands Cir Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.0	1817	$1,950	$1.07	5d	1	0.42mi
338 Rustic Rail Dr Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.0	1841	$2,150	$1.17	16d	1	0.44mi
346 Rustic Rail Dr Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.0	1844	$2,150	$1.17	16d	1	0.46mi
199 Dinner Lake Loop Lake Wales, FL	3.0	2.0	1599	$1,800	$1.13	16d	1	0.47mi
105 Serenity Loop Unit 5-302 Lake Wales, FL	2.0	2.0	1095	$2,305	$2.11	25d	1	0.68mi
105 Serenity Lp Lake Wales, FL	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.0	1007	$2,245	$2.23	5d	100	0.68mi
243 C F Kinney Rd Lake Wales, FL	3.0	2.0	1600	$2,600	$1.62	23d	1	0.69mi
343 Dinner Lake Ct Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.0	1801	$2,400	$1.33	16d	1	0.73mi
238 Dinner Lake Pl Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.0	1913	$1,950	$1.02	25d	1	0.80mi
315 Dinner Lake Ct Lake Wales, FL	3.0	2.0	1405	$2,000	$1.42	25d	1	0.83mi
802 Ballantyne Dr Lake Wales, FL	4.0	2.0	1928	$2,100	$1.09	25d	1	0.98mi
474 Hennepin Loop Lake Wales, FL	3.0	2.0	1589	$1,850	$1.16	25d	1	1.13mi

Listing history 14 events

1. 2026-06-22
   days on market $235,680 Active 80 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $235,680 Active 77 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $235,680 Active 76 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $235,680 Active 75 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $235,680 Active 74 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   pricedays on market $235,680 Active 72 DOM
7. 2026-06-10
   days on market $255,680 Active 69 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $255,680 Active 68 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $255,680 Active 67 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $255,680 Active 66 DOM
11. 2026-06-05
    days on market $255,680 Active 63 DOM
12. 2026-06-03
    days on market $255,680 Active 61 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    days on market $255,680 Active 60 DOM
14. 2026-05-31
    days on market $255,680 Active 59 DOM

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

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $24,427
• − Mortgage interest: −$13,202
• − Property taxes: −$3,535
• − Insurance: −$1,178
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,954
• − Management: −$1,954
• − Depreciation: −$6,856
• Taxable loss: −$4,252
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$1,021
• After-tax cash flow: $773/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: Polk
• NCES district ID: 1201590
• Math proficiency: 39% ▼ -11.00%
• Reading proficiency: 43% ▼ -4.00%
• Median HH income: $43,979
• Composite: 34.74/100
• National rank: #5132
• State rank: #62 of 73 in FL

Livability — Lake Wales

• Score: 68/100
• State rank: #535
• US rank: #10036

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Lake Wales, FL
• County: Polk County · 740,051 people
• City population: 30,351
• Metro: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
• Population (ZIP): 11,824
• Household income: $57,760
• Rent vs Own: 28.5% rent · 71.5% own
• Severe rent burden: 408.0

Population outlook (Polk County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 752,975 people
• By 2030: 804,621 · +6.9%
• By 2040: 906,117 · +20.3%
• By 2050: 1,000,476 · +32.9%
• By 2075: 1,197,520 · +59.0%
• By 2100: 1,271,518 · +68.9%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Majority White (61%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 61% Hispanic / Latino 25% Two or more races 13% Black 11%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 11% Puerto Rican 6% Cuban 1% Dominican 4%
• Common ancestry: Lithuanian 2% Romanian 1% Serbian 1%
• Foreign-born: 10% · Canada
• Languages at home: 79% English-only · Spanish 19% French/Haitian/Cajun 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Polk

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+20.7) · D 39.2% · R 59.9%
• 2008→2024 swing: -14.6pp toward R · 2008: -6.1pp · 2024: -20.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+20.7 2020: R+14.4 2016: R+14.1 2012: R+6.8 2008: R+6.1

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -53.19%
• Current HPI: 267.4537
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.28%
• F500 in state: 36

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in FL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Industrial Technology	2	$29B
▸Insurance	2	$17B
▸Retail	1	$60B
▸Technology Distribution	1	$58B
▸Homebuilding	1	$35B
▸Technology Manufacturing	1	$35B