128 Beacon St

Gate City, VA 24251

$125,000C+

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 720 sqft · Built 1951 · SingleFamily · Active Under Contract · 26 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,150/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$656
• Tax + insurance: −$82
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$242
• Net cashflow: $171/mo
• Annual: $2,054/yr
• Cap rate: 7.94%
• Cash-on-cash: 5.87%
• DSCR: 1.26
• 1% rule: 0.92%
• Cash to close: $35,000

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $125k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $171 ($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 $115k (8.0% below list).
• It's been on market 26 days — a 2% lower offer ($123k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $115k (8.0% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $1k of equity ($864 loan paydown + $280 appreciation (0.2% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 62/100 on livability (#400 in VA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, crime B; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Scott County Public School District (rural): math 66% / reading 73% proficiency, ranked #33 of 131 in VA (top 25%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Shoemaker Elementary (math 64% / reading 72%, grade B+, #366 of 1,108 statewide, top 33%, 450 students, 81% FRL); Gate City Middle (math 74% / reading 71%, grade A, #61 of 342 statewide, top 18%, 333 students, 78% FRL); Gate City High (math 77% / reading 82%, grade A-, #63 of 319 statewide, top 22%, 619 students, 77% FRL) — zoned schools average 79% FRL vs 48% district-wide (31 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: built in 1951 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 50 active listings in the ZIP; 22 units permitted in Scott County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Scott County population projected at -24% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 2 sale attempts since 7y 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.
• Current owner paid $36k; list at $125k implies a 252% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (0.2% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $35k cash investment doubles in ~8 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 7.9% vs local median 4.4% in Gate City — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Built in 1951 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Major: kitchen cabinets — dated and in poor condition
• Major: kitchen countertops — dated and in poor condition
• Major: bathroom fixtures — dated and in poor condition