717 S Virginia Ave · Mercedes, TX 78570

$55,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 738 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 79 Days on market

Built 1981 500 sqft lot $75/sqft · 24% below area Est $73k · 24% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the A- 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 +30.0/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Appreciation +7.3/10.0
• Livability +3.4/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +1.3/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Investor opportunity! This property is priced at $80,000 and offers great potential for renovation. The home, built in 1981 per available records, requires interior updates including sheet-rock repair, paint, and general remodeling deal for an investor or handyman. Situated on a spacious lot with mature trees, the property features a covered front porch and a combination of original wood siding and Hardie panel siding added approximately 2010. The home is a frame structure on a pier and beam foundation. Roof has not been replaced since approximately 2010 and has shown no known leaks per seller. Located in an established neighborhood with long-term residents. Property is fenced; repairs needed. Property is being sold as-is. Buyer to verify all information.

Key facts

• Covered front porch
• Hardie panel siding
• Fenced

Tags

• COVERED FRONT PORCH
• MATURE TREES
• ORIGINAL WOOD SIDING
• HARDIE PANEL SIDING
• PIER AND BEAM FOUNDATION
• FENCED

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $55k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $232 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($895 rent vs $55k).
• Recommended offer: $52k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 11.4% vs local median 3.4% in Mercedes — 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 67/100 on livability (#547 in TX) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, commute F.
• Mercedes ISD (suburban): math 12% / reading 21% proficiency, ranked #811 of 826 in TX (top 98%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 80% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Travis El (math 17% / reading 22%, grade F, #3,583 of 4,322 statewide, top 86%, 506 students, 91% FRL); Sgt Manuel Chacon Middle (math 16% / reading 26%, grade F, #1,387 of 1,662 statewide, top 85%, 563 students, 87% FRL); Mercedes H S (math 8% / reading 12%, grade F, #1,591 of 1,632 statewide, top 98%, 974 students, 91% FRL).
• Market conditions: 393 active listings in the ZIP; 7,378 units permitted in Hidalgo County in 2024 (641 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $3k of equity ($380 loan paydown + $2k appreciation (4.5% local appreciation)).
• Hidalgo County population projected at +28% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (4.5% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $15k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 79 days — a 6% lower offer ($52k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.6% of price.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→23/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $51,700 (6.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 79 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
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. 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?
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: 1.63% ✓
• Cap rate: 11.36%
• Cash-on-cash: 18.11%
• DSCR: 1.81
• GRM: 5.1

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $72,818
• List price: $55,000
• Delta: -24.47%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 11 within 1.0 mi

Projected returns pro-forma

4.53% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 27.7%
• Equity multiple: 2.69×
• Total profit: $26,076
• Equity at exit: $29,595

10-year hold

• IRR: 27.0%
• Equity multiple: 5.34×
• Total profit: $66,912
• Equity at exit: $49,822

Cash invested: $15,400 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Texas: 87 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+5
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day notice; statewide preemption; one of the fastest eviction climates; Travis County (Austin) slightly slower.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 78570

• Home prices YoY: 1.9%
• Active inventory: 393
• Price-to-rent: 5.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $895 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$288
• Tax from tax record: −$163 /mo · $1,957/yr
• Insurance: −$23
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$188
• Net cashflow: $232

Break-even live

Break-even rent $601

Max offer price $55,000

Occupancy floor 69%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $264	-5% $248	+0% $232	+5% $217	+10% $201
Rent	-10% $162	-5% $197	+0% $232	+5% $268	+10% $303
Rate	-1.0pp $260	-0.5pp $246	base $232	+0.5pp $218	+1.0pp $204

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: $13,750
• Closing costs: $1,650
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 20 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $55,000 Active 79 DOM
2. 2026-06-21
   days on market $55,000 Active 78 DOM
3. 2026-06-18
   days on market $55,000 Active 76 DOM
4. 2026-06-17
   days on market $55,000 Active 75 DOM
5. 2026-06-16
   days on market $55,000 Active 74 DOM
6. 2026-06-15
   days on market $55,000 Active 73 DOM
7. 2026-06-15
   days on market $55,000 Active 72 DOM
8. 2026-06-13
   pricedays on market $55,000 Active 71 DOM
9. 2026-06-12
   days on market $70,000 Active 70 DOM
10. 2026-06-10
    days on market $70,000 Active 67 DOM
11. 2026-06-08
    days on market $70,000 Active 66 DOM
12. 2026-06-08
    days on market $70,000 Active 65 DOM
13. 2026-06-07
    days on market $70,000 Active 64 DOM
14. 2026-06-03
    days on market $70,000 Active 61 DOM
15. 2026-06-02
    days on market $70,000 Active 60 DOM
16. 2026-06-01
    days on market $70,000 Active 59 DOM
17. 2026-05-31
    days on market $70,000 Active 58 DOM
18. 2026-04-03
    listed $80,000 Active 765-char remark

    Show marketing remark (765 chars)

    Investor opportunity! This property is priced at $80,000 and offers great potential for renovation. The home, built in 1981 per available records, requires interior updates including sheet-rock repair, paint, and general remodeling deal for an investor or handyman. Situated on a spacious lot with mature trees, the property features a covered front porch and a combination of original wood siding and Hardie panel siding added approximately 2010. The home is a frame structure on a pier and beam foundation. Roof has not been replaced since approximately 2010 and has shown no known leaks per seller. Located in an established neighborhood with long-term residents. Property is fenced; repairs needed. Property is being sold as-is. Buyer to verify all information.

19. 2010-03-12
    soldstatus
20. 2001-10-01
    soldstatus

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

Tax reassessment forecast TX · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $1,957 · $163/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,957 · $163/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 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (shaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 2/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 9/10 Extreme 7 d/yr ≥110°F today · 23 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 8/10 Severe 99% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $10,738
• − Mortgage interest: −$3,081
• − Property taxes: −$1,957
• − Insurance: −$275
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$859
• − Management: −$859
• − Depreciation: −$1,600
• Taxable income: $2,107
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$506
• After-tax cash flow: $2,284/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: Mercedes ISD
• NCES district ID: 4830250
• Math proficiency: 12% ▼ -26.00%
• Reading proficiency: 21% ▼ -10.00%
• Median HH income: $27,606
• Composite: 12.84/100
• National rank: #9596
• State rank: #811 of 826 in TX

Livability — Mercedes

• Score: 67/100
• State rank: #547
• US rank: #10619

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Mercedes, TX
• City population: 33,596
• Population (ZIP): 33,596

Population outlook (Hidalgo County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 955,232 people
• By 2030: 1,009,774 · +5.7%
• By 2040: 1,120,332 · +17.3%
• By 2050: 1,225,036 · +28.2%
• By 2075: 1,439,189 · +50.7%
• By 2100: 1,533,429 · +60.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly Hispanic (96%)
• Race & ethnicity: Hispanic / Latino 96% Two or more races 44% White 4%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 91%
• Foreign-born: 20% · Canada
• Languages at home: 18% English-only · Spanish 82%

Political lean MEDSL · Hidalgo

• 2024 margin: Toss-up / Even · D 48.1% · R 51.0%
• 2008→2024 swing: -41.6pp toward R · 2008: 38.7pp · 2024: -2.9pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+2.9 2020: D+17.1 2016: D+40.5 2012: D+41.8 2008: D+38.7

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 4.53%
• Current HPI: 238.8386
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.95%
• F500 in state: 110

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in TX)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Energy	16	$1,198B
▸Technology	5	$198B
▸Engineering / Construction	4	$72B
▸Energy Services	3	$60B
▸Utilities	3	$41B
▸Healthcare	2	$330B

Price history

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-03 Listed $80,000 MCALLENMLS
• 2010-03-12 Sold (Public Records) — Public Records
• 2001-10-01 Sold (Public Records) — Public Records

Property tax history

+8.1%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,957 · +18.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.