1630 Poplar Way

North Braddock, PA 15104

$59,995B+

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 960 sqft · Built 1920 · Townhouse · Pending · 178 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,027/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$315
• Tax + insurance: −$83
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$216
• Net cashflow: $413/mo
• Annual: $4,957/yr
• Cap rate: 14.56%
• Cash-on-cash: 29.51%
• DSCR: 2.31
• 1% rule: 1.71%
• Cash to close: $16,799

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $60k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $413 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $60k).
• It's been on market 178 days — a 12% lower offer ($53k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $53k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-1.6%/yr); year-one equity from $415 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $973 of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 73/100 on livability (#550 in PA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, employment F.
• Woodland Hills SD (suburban): math 13% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #486 of 539 in PA (top 90%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 69% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Wilkins El Steam Academy (math 8% / reading 17%, grade F, #1,362 of 1,518 statewide, top 92%, 416 students, 100% FRL); Dickson Prep Steam Academy (math 8% / reading 27%, grade F, #455 of 512 statewide, top 89%, 642 students, 100% FRL); Woodland Hills Hs (math 37% / reading 30%, grade F, #323 of 437 statewide, top 74%, 949 students, 89% FRL) — zoned schools average 96% FRL vs 69% district-wide (27 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 37 active listings in the ZIP; 22 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 50% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 2,996 units permitted in Allegheny County in 2024 (1,588 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 4 sale attempts; this cycle's ask has dropped $7k (10%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $45k; 33% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (-1.6% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $17k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• This rent runs 31% of the median local income ($40k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 178 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1920 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• 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.
• 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.