14 Whispering Oaks #19

Huntsville, AL 35824

$264,900D

3 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,613 sqft · Built — · Townhouse · Active · 108 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,885/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,389
• Tax + insurance: −$442
• HOA: −$150
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$396
• Net cashflow: $-491/mo
• Annual: $-5,897/yr
• Cap rate: 4.07%
• Cash-on-cash: -7.95%
• DSCR: 0.65
• 1% rule: 0.71%
• Cash to close: $74,172

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.5-bath townhouse listed at $265k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-491 ($-6k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $194k (26.8% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $189k (28.8% below list).
• It's been on market 108 days — a 9% lower offer ($241k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $189k (28.8% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $20k of equity ($2k loan paydown + $18k appreciation (6.7% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 82/100 on livability (#3 in AL, #1,082 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F.
• Huntsville City (urban): math 21% / reading 46% proficiency, ranked #48 of 129 in AL (top 37%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Williams Elementary School (math 17% / reading 47%, grade F, #331 of 627 statewide, top 57%, 521 students, 45% FRL); Williams Middle School (math 16% / reading 50%, grade F, #101 of 257 statewide, top 40%, 548 students, 58% FRL); Columbia High School (math 12% / reading 17%, grade F, #220 of 305 statewide, top 77%, 954 students, 50% FRL) — zoned schools at 51% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: Rents falling (-3.6%/yr); 110 active listings in the ZIP; 23 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 26d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 48% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; solid renter incomes; 4,709 units permitted in Madison County in 2024 (1,186 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Madison County population projected at +18% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$31k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 6→18/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
• It's been on market 108 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 29% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• 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.
• 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?
• The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
• 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.