251 Union St · Luzerne, PA 18709

$149,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,346 sqft · SingleFamily public records

Built 1925 3,060 sqft lot Est $184k · 19% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the B- 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 +19.2/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• Appreciation +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +6.1/10.0
• 1% rule +4.5/10.0
• Livability +3.8/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Schools +2.5/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks

3 bedroom 1 bath 2 story in good shape. All windows have been replaced. Newer furnace. Lot in rear not included.

Key facts

• 3,060 sq ft lot

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $149k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $161 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $141k (5.4% below list).
• Recommended offer: $141k (5.4% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 7.6% vs local median 6.1% in Luzerne — meaningfully above typical; check what's discounted (condition, days-on-market, listing class) to confirm the premium yield is real.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#391 in PA, #3,538 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities C-, schools D+, commute F.
• Wyoming Valley West SD (suburban): math 18% / reading 42% proficiency, ranked #445 of 539 in PA (top 83%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: 17 active listings in the ZIP; 31 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 22d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 42% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 349 units permitted in Luzerne County in 2024 (16 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $16k of equity ($1k loan paydown + $15k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Luzerne County population projected at +4% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $42k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 3, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$40k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• Only 0 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1925 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $140,963 (5.4% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1925 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 0.95% ✗
• Cap rate: 7.59%
• Cash-on-cash: 4.64%
• DSCR: 1.21
• GRM: 8.8

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $184,402
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
251 Union St	0.00mi	3/1.0	1,346 (0%)	0mo	$140,000	$104	100
385 Vaughn St	0.27mi	3/1.0	1,368 (+2%)	0mo	$120,000	$88	84
101 Union St	0.23mi	3/1.5	1,419 (+5%)	1mo	$205,000	$144	78
100 Poplar St	0.38mi	2/2.0 (-1)	1,300 (-3%)	0mo	$120,000	$92	68
127 Division St	0.37mi	3/1.5	1,447 (+8%)	1mo	$165,000	$114	67
87 Welles St	0.72mi	3/1.0	1,360 (+1%)	0mo	$172,500	$127	64
692 Schuyler Ave	0.30mi	3/1.5	1,500 (+11%)	2mo	$240,000	$160	63
1051 Murray St	0.61mi	3/1.0	1,440 (+7%)	0mo	$237,000	$165	60
72 Welles St	0.72mi	3/1.5	1,320 (-2%)	4mo	$170,000	$129	58
18 Linden St	0.71mi	3/1.0	1,219 (-9%)	2mo	$190,000	$156	50
29 Ross St	0.53mi	4/1.0 (+1)	1,508 (+12%)	2mo	$207,000	$137	49
14 Ross St	0.56mi	3/2.0	1,540 (+14%)	0mo	$230,000	$149	45

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

10.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 27.6%
• Equity multiple: 3.19×
• Total profit: $91,388
• Equity at exit: $134,231

10-year hold

• IRR: 24.1%
• Equity multiple: 7.26×
• Total profit: $260,999
• Equity at exit: $289,474

Cash invested: $41,720 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 62 Landlord-Friendly
• State Pennsylvania: 62 Landlord-Friendly · EVEN
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

10-day notice; Philadelphia has eviction-court diversion + some protections; otherwise moderate.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 18709

• Home prices YoY: 12.7%
• Active inventory: 17
• Price-to-rent: 8.8×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,410 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$781
• Tax from tax record: −$109 /mo · $1,308/yr
• Insurance: −$62
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$296
• Net cashflow: $161

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,206

Max offer price $149,000

Occupancy floor 84%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $246	-5% $203	+0% $161	+5% $119	+10% $77
Rent	-10% $50	-5% $105	+0% $161	+5% $217	+10% $273
Rate	-1.0pp $236	-0.5pp $199	base $161	+0.5pp $123	+1.0pp $83

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: $37,250
• Closing costs: $4,470
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 31 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
59 Price St Unit 2 Kingston, PA	3.0	1.0	1000	$1,100	$1.10	44d	1	0.54mi
942 Wyoming Ave Unit A Forty Fort, PA	2.0	1.5	1054	$1,600	$1.52	44d	1	0.55mi
47 Price St Apt 2 Kingston, PA	2.0	1.0	1200	$1,200	$1.00	44d	1	0.56mi
98 E Walnut St Kingston, PA	3.0	1.0	1280	$1,500	$1.17	22d	1	0.62mi
27 1/2 Penn St Kingston, PA	3.0	1.0	1200	$1,400	$1.17	44d	1	0.67mi
109 Penn St Unit 1 Kingston, PA	3.0	1.0	1200	$1,400	$1.17	14d	1	0.68mi
109 Penn St Kingston, PA	3.0	1.0	1200	$1,400	$1.17	44d	1	0.68mi
9 Snowden St Forty Fort, PA	3.0	1.0	1500	$1,250	$0.83	22d	1	0.70mi
151 E Walnut St Kingston, PA	2.0	1.0	900	$1,000	$1.11	14d	1	0.70mi
27 Penn St Kingston, PA	3.0	1.5	1225	$1,550	$1.27	22d	1	0.71mi
157 E Walnut St Kingston, PA	2.0	1.0	900	$1,000	$1.11	14d	1	0.71mi
365 N Maple Ave Kingston, PA	3.0	1.0	1600	$1,400	$0.88	22d	1	0.74mi
41 Pulaski St Kingston, PA	3.0	1.5	1292	$1,450	$1.12	22d	1	0.75mi
36 Pulaski St Kingston, PA	3.0	2.0	1432	$1,600	$1.12	14d	1	0.77mi
256 E Grove St Kingston, PA	2.0	1.0	1000	$1,250	$1.25	14d	1	0.78mi
1154 Murray St Kingston, PA	2.0	1.5	1152	$1,600	$1.39	44d	1	0.78mi
104 Meyers St Kingston, PA	3.0	1.0	1200	$1,495	$1.25	44d	1	0.83mi
182 Roosevelt St Kingston, PA	2.0	1.0	1152	$1,625	$1.41	14d	1	0.88mi
11 Holiday Dr Kingston, PA	1.0–3.0	1.0–2.5	1083	$2,639	$2.44	14d	14	0.92mi
266 Rutter Ave Unit 2 Kingston, PA	2.0	1.0	875	$1,270	$1.45	44d	1	1.04mi
9-10 Meyers Ct Kingston, PA	3.0	1.0	1250	$1,500	$1.20	22d	1	1.05mi
238 Rutter Ave Kingston, PA	2.0	1.0	1200	$1,050	$0.88	44d	1	1.08mi
41 Main St Kingston, PA	3.0	1.0	1350	$1,400	$1.04	22d	1	1.10mi
570 Main St Edwardsville, PA	2.0	1.0	1100	$1,180	$1.07	44d	1	1.12mi
400 N Gates Ave Unit 1 Kingston, PA	2.0	2.0	1198	$1,300	$1.09	44d	1	1.21mi
58 Jackson St Kingston, PA	4.0	2.0	1600	$2,000	$1.25	44d	1	1.21mi
321 Shoemaker St Kingston, PA	3.0	1.5	1598	$1,750	$1.10	22d	1	1.26mi
20 N Loveland Ave Kingston, PA	3.0	2.0	1400	$1,775	$1.27	14d	1	1.27mi
141 Short St Edwardsville, PA	3.0	1.0	1040	$1,100	$1.06	44d	1	1.33mi
79 Washington St Kingston, PA	4.0	1.5	1800	$1,750	$0.97	14d	1	1.39mi
27 S Gates Ave Kingston, PA	3.0	2.0	1200	$1,750	$1.46	22d	1	1.49mi

Listing history 2 events

1. 2026-04-22
   historical
2. 2026-04-20
   listed $149,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast PA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,308 · $109/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,831 · $153/mo
• Expected delta: +$523/yr (+$44/mo · 40.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 6/10 Major FEMA zone X · 75% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥97°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 3/10 Moderate 4% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 4 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $16,916
• − Mortgage interest: −$8,346
• − Property taxes: −$1,308
• − Insurance: −$745
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,353
• − Management: −$1,353
• − Depreciation: −$4,335
• Taxable loss: −$525
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$126
• After-tax cash flow: $2,060/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: Wyoming Valley West SD
• NCES district ID: 4225950
• Math proficiency: 18% ▼ -11.00%
• Reading proficiency: 42% ▼ -12.00%
• Median HH income: $42,437
• Composite: 25.38/100
• National rank: #7470
• State rank: #445 of 539 in PA

Livability — Luzerne

• Score: 76/100
• State rank: #391
• US rank: #3538

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Luzerne, PA
• City population: 2,959
• Population (ZIP): 2,959

Population outlook (Luzerne County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 319,505 people
• By 2030: 319,943 · +0.1%
• By 2040: 322,643 · +1.0%
• By 2050: 330,817 · +3.5%
• By 2075: 379,145 · +18.7%
• By 2100: 431,908 · +35.2%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (89%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 89% Two or more races 6% Black 4% Hispanic / Latino 1%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 18% Scotch-Irish 8% Iranian 4%
• Foreign-born: 1%
• Languages at home: 99% English-only · Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Luzerne

• 2024 margin: R (+19.2) · D 40.0% · R 59.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -27.6pp toward R · 2008: 8.4pp · 2024: -19.2pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+19.2 2020: R+14.4 2016: R+19.6 2012: D+4.8 2008: D+8.4

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 28.54%
• Current HPI: 254.1718
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.68%
• F500 in state: 34

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in PA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	2	$309B
▸Insurance	2	$27B
▸Telecommunications / Media	1	$124B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$22B
▸Financial Services	1	$20B
▸Chemicals / Materials	1	$18B

Price history

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-04-22 Delisted — LCAR
• 2026-04-20 Listed $149,000 LCAR

Property tax history

-3.9%/yr

Latest (2026): $1,308 · +0.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.