1522 S Washington St

Marion, IN 46953

$45,000B-

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,304 sqft · Built 1900 · MultiFamily · Pending · 28 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,834/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$236
• Tax + insurance: −$558
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$385
• Net cashflow: $654/mo
• Annual: $7,853/yr
• Cap rate: 36.02%
• Cash-on-cash: 106.17%
• DSCR: 5.72
• 1% rule: 4.08%
• Cash to close: $12,600

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $45k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $654 ($8k/yr) — positive. Per door: $327/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $45k).
• It's been on market 28 days — a 2% lower offer ($44k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $44k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $311 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $1k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 65/100 on livability (#337 in IN) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Marion Community Schools (town): math 18% / reading 24% proficiency, ranked #277 of 301 in IN (top 92%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 67% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Frances Slocum Elem School (math 12% / reading 12%, grade F, #893 of 994 statewide, top 91%, 472 students, 81% FRL); John L Mcculloch Junior High Sch (math 11% / reading 22%, grade F, #287 of 330 statewide, top 88%, 524 students, 74% FRL); Marion High School (math 12% / reading 47%, grade F, #308 of 369 statewide, top 84%, 1,050 students, 66% FRL).
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $460/mo; built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 114 active listings in the ZIP; 52 units permitted in Grant County in 2024 (8 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Grant County population projected at -18% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 2 sale attempts since 6y 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $13k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone AE (mandatory federal flood insurance) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 36.0% vs local median 8.2% in Marion — 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.
• At $1,834/mo this rent would consume 48% of the median local household income ($46k/yr) (locally 597% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1900 — 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 F-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.