153 W Taylor Ave #6

Wildwood, NJ 08260

$599,900C+

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,490 sqft · Built 2004 · Condo · Under Contract · 63 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $7,399/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$3,146
• Tax + insurance: −$838
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,554
• Net cashflow: $1,861/mo
• Annual: $22,334/yr
• Cap rate: 10.02%
• Cash-on-cash: 13.30%
• DSCR: 1.59
• 1% rule: 1.23%
• Cash to close: $167,972

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath condo listed at $600k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($22k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($7k rent vs $600k).
• It's been on market 63 days — a 6% lower offer ($564k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $564k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $4k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $18k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 74/100 on livability (#176 in NJ, #4,679 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D, crime F, cost of living F.
• Wildwood City School District (suburban): math 12% / reading 27% proficiency, ranked #442 of 472 in NJ (top 94%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 80% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Glenwood Avenue Elementary School (math 8% / reading 27%, grade F, #1,065 of 1,303 statewide, top 83%, 396 students, 89% FRL); Wildwood Middle School (math 12% / reading 22%, grade F, #409 of 431 statewide, top 95%, 172 students, 87% FRL); Wildwood High School (math 22% / reading 47%, grade F, #239 of 399 statewide, top 61%, 263 students, 69% FRL) — zoned schools at 82% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: 436 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 877 units permitted in Cape May County in 2024 (35 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Cape May County population projected at -24% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 2 sale attempts 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.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $168k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 10.0% vs local median 5.6% in Wildwood — 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

• It's been on market 63 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Any open or pending special assessments — roof, HVAC, plumbing, elevator, façade? What's the per-unit balance and payoff schedule, and is the seller paying it off at close or rolling it to the buyer?
• 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?
• 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.