503 S Farmerville St

Ruston, LA 71270

$73,000B

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,803 sqft · Built 1980 · SingleFamily · Active · 60 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,510/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$383
• Tax + insurance: −$104
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$317
• Net cashflow: $707/mo
• Annual: $8,481/yr
• Cap rate: 17.91%
• Cash-on-cash: 41.49%
• DSCR: 2.85
• 1% rule: 2.07%
• Cash to close: $20,440

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $73k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $707 ($8k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $73k).
• It's been on market 60 days — a 3% lower offer ($71k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $71k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $505 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 68/100 on livability (#86 in LA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+; Watch: amenities C-, crime F, commute F.
• Lincoln Parish (town): math 35% / reading 45% proficiency, ranked #24 of 98 in LA (top 24%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 62% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Hillcrest Elementary School (397 students, 70% FRL); Ruston Junior High School (math 23% / reading 38%, grade F, #112 of 218 statewide, top 52%, 558 students, 60% FRL); Ruston High School (math 53% / reading 60%, grade C, #26 of 265 statewide, top 10%, 1,310 students, 50% FRL) — zoned schools at 60% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.6%/yr); 423 active listings in the ZIP; 6 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 51d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 67% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 171 units permitted in Lincoln Parish in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Lincoln County population projected at +15% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.6% rent growth), your $20k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 17.9% vs local median 3.0% in Ruston — 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 $1,510/mo this rent would consume 49% of the median local household income ($37k/yr) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 60 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are B-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?
• 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?
• 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)

• Minor: Landscaping — Overgrown grass and shrubs need trimming.
• Minor: Fencing — Fencing appears worn and may need minor repairs or replacement.
• Minor: HVAC maintenance — No visible issues, but may need cleaning or minor repairs.