4186 Pope Ave · Steele, AL 35987

$74,900

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,380 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 86 Days on market

Built 1945 0.99 ac lot ↓ 25% since listing

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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 +30.0/30.0
• 1% rule +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Appreciation +6.4/10.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Schools +3.2/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks

This ranch-style property features a practical single-level design with good structural foundation. The home offers potential for those seeking straightforward one-story living in a classic layout. This three-bedroom, two-bathroom home presents an excellent investment opportunity for those seeking to create value through renovation. The property offers solid structural foundation and generous potential for customization to suit personal preferences. The covered front porch provides a welcoming entrance, while the rear deck creates an outdoor space for entertaining and relaxation. The detached two-car garage offers secure vehicle storage and additional workspace potential. A large storage sh

Key facts

• Covered front porch
• Rear deck
• Large storage shed

Tags

• SINGLE-LEVEL DESIGN
• COVERED FRONT PORCH
• REAR DECK
• DETACHED TWO-CAR GARAGE
• LARGE STORAGE SHED

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Approximately 0.99 acre lot; Flood plain: No
• Financial info: Property qualifies for down payment assistance

Exterior

• Parking: Detached garage; Front garage entry; Driveway parking; 2 total garage spaces (2 on main level)
• Utilities: Public water; Septic system; Electric water heater; Internet service available
• Home design: Existing single-family residence; Crawl space foundation; Siding - wood exterior; Tri-level / split-level features not indicated (listed as No)
• Construction: Wood siding construction
• Exterior features: Open deck; Barn and separate storage building; No pool, patio, or garden/patio listed; Not waterfront

Interior

• Kitchen: Laminate countertops; Built-in dishwasher; Electric stove
• Bedrooms: Master bedroom on main level; Two additional bedrooms on main level
• Flooring: Carpet; Hardwood laminate; Vinyl
• Bathrooms: Two full baths; tub/shower combo and linen closet
• Heating & cooling: Central heating; Central air conditioning
• Interior features: Woodburning fireplace with brick surround in the living room; Ceilings noted as 'Other (See Remarks)'; No additional built-in interior features listed
• Laundry & utility: Main-level laundry room; Washer hookup and electric dryer hookup; Attic access present (attic: yes/other)

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $75k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $466 ($6k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $75k).
• Recommended offer: $70k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#53 in AL) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, amenities F, commute F.
• St Clair County (rural): math 21% / reading 52% proficiency, ranked #33 of 129 in AL (top 26%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Steele Elementary School (math 22% / reading 52%, grade F, #267 of 627 statewide, top 45%, 147 students, 71% FRL); Ashville High School (math 27% / reading 27%, grade F, #90 of 305 statewide, top 35%, 385 students, 74% FRL) — zoned schools average 73% FRL vs 41% district-wide (32 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 16 active listings in the ZIP; 557 units permitted in St. Clair County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $3k of equity ($518 loan paydown + $2k appreciation (2.8% local appreciation)).
• St. Clair County population projected at +11% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (2.8% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $21k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 86 days — a 6% lower offer ($70k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1945 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; moderate wildfire risk; extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $70,406 (6.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 86 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1945 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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: 1.55% ✓
• Cap rate: 13.76%
• Cash-on-cash: 26.66%
• DSCR: 2.19
• GRM: 5.4

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $216,660
• Comps found: 4

Show comp detail 4 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
19099 Us Highway 11	0.38mi	3/2.0	1,248 (-10%)	2mo	$195,000	$156	65
4378 Pope Ave	0.20mi	3/2.0	1,211 (-12%)	7mo	$189,900	$157	65
816 Wood St	0.68mi	3/2.0	1,506 (+9%)	12mo	$355,001	$236	43
4848 Pope Ave	0.67mi	3/1.5	1,323 (-4%)	24mo	$125,000	$94	40

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

Projected returns pro-forma

2.79% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 32.3%
• Equity multiple: 2.80×
• Total profit: $37,851
• Equity at exit: $32,804

10-year hold

• IRR: 32.7%
• Equity multiple: 5.49×
• Total profit: $94,171
• Equity at exit: $49,886

Cash invested: $20,972 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Alabama: 90 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+15
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Right-to-evict in 7 days for non-payment; no rent control; preempted statewide; courts move quickly.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 35987

• Home prices YoY: 1.6%
• Active inventory: 16
• Price-to-rent: 5.4×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,163 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$393
• Tax from tax record: −$29 /mo · $344/yr
• Insurance: −$31
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$244
• Net cashflow: $466

Break-even live

Break-even rent $573

Max offer price $74,900

Occupancy floor 55%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $508	-5% $487	+0% $466	+5% $445	+10% $423
Rent	-10% $374	-5% $420	+0% $466	+5% $512	+10% $558
Rate	-1.0pp $504	-0.5pp $485	base $466	+0.5pp $446	+1.0pp $427

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: $18,725
• Closing costs: $2,247
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 3 events

1. 2026-05-02
   price $74,900
2. 2026-03-28
   price $84,900
3. 2026-03-04
   listed $99,900 Active

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

Tax reassessment forecast AL · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $344 · $29/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $344 · $29/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 5/10 Major
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥106°F today · 20 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 27% 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: $13,952
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,196
• − Property taxes: −$344
• − Insurance: −$374
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,116
• − Management: −$1,116
• − Depreciation: −$2,179
• Taxable income: $4,627
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,110
• After-tax cash flow: $4,480/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: St Clair County
• NCES district ID: 0103062
• Math proficiency: 21% ▼ -34.00%
• Reading proficiency: 52% ▬ 0.00%
• Median HH income: $53,324
• Composite: 31.79/100
• National rank: #5887
• State rank: #33 of 129 in AL

Livability — Steele

• Score: 69/100
• State rank: #53
• US rank: #8495

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Steele, AL
• Population (ZIP): 2,672

Population outlook (St. Clair County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 94,158 people
• By 2030: 97,008 · +3.0%
• By 2040: 101,615 · +7.9%
• By 2050: 104,537 · +11.0%
• By 2075: 109,350 · +16.1%
• By 2100: 106,785 · +13.4%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (77%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 77% Hispanic / Latino 15% Two or more races 11% Black 3%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 13%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 3% Lithuanian 2% Polish 1%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada
• Languages at home: 91% English-only · Spanish 9%

Political lean MEDSL · St. Clair

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+64.1) · D 17.6% · R 81.7%
• 2008→2024 swing: -0.9pp no change · 2008: -63.2pp · 2024: -64.1pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+64.1 2020: R+64.0 2016: R+68.6 2012: R+66.1 2008: R+63.2

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 2.79%
• Current HPI: 171.9314
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.94%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in AL)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$8B
▸Healthcare	1	$5B

Price history

-25.0% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-02 Price Changed $74,900 Greater Alabama MLS
• 2026-03-28 Price Changed $84,900 Greater Alabama MLS
• 2026-03-04 Listed $99,900 Greater Alabama MLS

Property tax history

+3.9%/yr

Latest (2025): $344 · +0.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.