7246 Austin Rd · Helena West Side, MT 59602

$99,900

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,782 sqft · Manufactured · 74 Days on market

Built 1994 Fair condition ↓ 37% 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
• Schools +3.8/10.0
• Livability +3.2/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.2/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Key facts

• New flooring
• New paint
• Open layout

Tags

• OPEN LAYOUT
• NEW WINDOWS
• NEW FLOORING
• NEW PAINT
• GRANITE COUNTERTOPS

Property features AI

Finance

• Financial info: Annual tax amount: $500

Exterior

• Home design: Residential property
• Construction: Foundation: see remarks
• Exterior features: Zoned Business

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher; Range; Refrigerator
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms
• Interior features: Dishwasher; Range; Refrigerator
• Laundry & utility: Washer hookup

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath manufactured listed at $100k. Condition is rated fair.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $885 ($11k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $100k).
• Recommended offer: $94k (6.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 65/100 on livability (#133 in MT) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, housing A+, employment B; Watch: schools D-, amenities F, commute F.
• Helena H S (town): math 34% / reading 54% proficiency, ranked #42 of 116 in MT (top 36%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: 195 active listings in the ZIP; solid renter incomes; 456 units permitted in Lewis and Clark County in 2024 (207 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $691 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Lewis and Clark County population projected at +14% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $28k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 74 days — a 6% lower offer ($94k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts since 3y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $25k (20%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.

Risks & watch-outs

• Climate carrying-cost: severe wildfire risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $93,906 (6.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 74 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
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. Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 2.00% ✓
• Cap rate: 16.93%
• Cash-on-cash: 37.98%
• DSCR: 2.69
• GRM: 4.2

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: 34.0%
• Equity multiple: 2.44×
• Total profit: $40,230
• Equity at exit: $14,895

10-year hold

• IRR: 40.9%
• Equity multiple: 4.85×
• Total profit: $107,762
• Equity at exit: $8,638

Cash invested: $27,972 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 82 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Montana: 82 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+11
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

30-day notice; no rent control; preempted; rural-skewed market.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 59602

• Active inventory: 195
• Price-to-rent: 4.2×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,995 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$524
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$125 /mo · $1,498/yr
• Insurance: −$42
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$419
• Net cashflow: $885

Break-even live

Break-even rent $874

Max offer price $99,900

Occupancy floor 51%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $954	-5% $920	+0% $885	+5% $851	+10% $816
Rent	-10% $728	-5% $807	+0% $885	+5% $964	+10% $1,043
Rate	-1.0pp $936	-0.5pp $911	base $885	+0.5pp $859	+1.0pp $833

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: $24,975
• Closing costs: $2,997
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 21 events

1. 2026-06-19
   pricedays on market $99,900 Active 74 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $105,000 Active 73 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $105,000 Active 72 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $105,000 Active 71 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $105,000 Active 70 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   days on market $105,000 Active 68 DOM
7. 2026-06-13
   days on market $105,000 Active 67 DOM
8. 2026-06-10
   days on market $105,000 Active 65 DOM
9. 2026-06-09
   days on market $105,000 Active 64 DOM
10. 2026-06-08
    days on market $105,000 Active 63 DOM
11. 2026-06-07
    days on market $105,000 Active 62 DOM
12. 2026-06-05
    days on market $105,000 Active 59 DOM
13. 2026-06-03
    days on market $105,000 Active 58 DOM
14. 2026-06-02
    days on market $105,000 Active 57 DOM
15. 2026-06-01
    days on market $105,000 Active 56 DOM
16. 2026-05-31
    days on market $105,000 Active 55 DOM
17. 2026-05-30
    days on market $105,000 Active 54 DOM
18. 2026-05-19
    price $110,000
19. 2026-05-11
    price $115,000
20. 2026-04-06
    listed $125,000 Active
21. 2023-02-06
    listed $175,000 Active

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone D · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 8/10 Severe
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 10 d/yr ≥85°F today · 23 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 1/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 7/10 Severe 8 unhealthy d/yr today · 18 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $23,935
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,596
• − Property taxes: −$1,498
• − Insurance: −$500
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,915
• − Management: −$1,915
• − Depreciation: −$2,906
• Taxable income: $9,605
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$2,305
• After-tax cash flow: $8,319/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.

Condition & rehab AI · 12 photos

Fair 45/100 Moderate rehab

The home requires moderate repairs to the exterior and roof, along with some interior maintenance. Updates to the exterior and interior paint, as well as new flooring, would significantly increase its value.

Repairs flagged

• Major exterior siding — Significant wear
• Major roof — Signs of wear and tear
• Minor flooring — Worn but not damaged

Value-add opportunities

• Both paint exterior — Enhances curb appeal and value
• Both paint interior walls — Improves interior appearance and value
• Both replace flooring — Fresh flooring improves aesthetics and value

Renovation cost estimate screening

Repair item	Severity	Est. cost
exterior siding · Significant wear	Major	$15,000–50,000
roof · Signs of wear and tear	Major	$15,000–50,000
flooring · Worn but not damaged	Minor	$500–3,000
Total estimated repair cost · 3 items		$30,500–103,000

Value-add ROI direction

• Both paint exterior — Enhances curb appeal and value ↑
• Both paint interior walls — Improves interior appearance and value ↑
• Both replace flooring — Fresh flooring improves aesthetics and value ↑

ⓘ Cost ranges are severity-bucket heuristics (US national rule-of-thumb). Get contractor quotes + a written scope before underwriting a rehab budget.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Helena H S
• NCES district ID: 3013830
• Math proficiency: 34% ▼ -6.00%
• Reading proficiency: 54% ▼ -3.00%
• Median HH income: $55,565
• Composite: 38.26/100
• National rank: #4238
• State rank: #42 of 116 in MT

Livability — Helena West Side

• Score: 65/100
• State rank: #133
• US rank: #13113

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• County: Lewis and Clark County · 62,482 people
• City population: 29
• Metro: Helena, MT
• Population (ZIP): 30,754
• Household income: $92,985
• Rent vs Own: 15.9% rent · 84.1% own
• Severe rent burden: 105.0

Population outlook (Lewis and Clark County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 72,720 people
• By 2030: 75,403 · +3.7%
• By 2040: 79,496 · +9.3%
• By 2050: 82,741 · +13.8%
• By 2075: 90,296 · +24.2%
• By 2100: 93,425 · +28.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (89%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 89% Two or more races 6% Hispanic / Latino 4%
• Common ancestry: Portuguese 6% Lithuanian 3% Italian 3%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 97% English-only · Spanish 1% German/W. Germanic 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Lewis and Clark

• 2024 margin: Lean R (+5.7) · D 45.4% · R 51.1% · Other 3.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -12.2pp toward R · 2008: 6.5pp · 2024: -5.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+5.7 2020: R+3.9 2016: R+6.9 2012: R+3.6 2008: D+6.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -178.02%
• Current HPI: 243.543
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: Helena, MT
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.41%
• F500 in state: 2

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MT)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Technology / Analytics	1	$2B

Price history

-37.1% since first listed

4 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-19 Price Changed $110,000 MRMLS
• 2026-05-11 Price Changed $115,000 MRMLS
• 2026-04-06 Listed $125,000 MRMLS
• 2023-02-06 Listed $175,000 MRMLS