525 W 12th St · Benton, KY 42025

$134,900

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 920 sqft · Other · 24 Days on market

Built 1950 0.30 ac lot

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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 +25.0/30.0
• Appreciation +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +8.2/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• 1% rule +5.4/10.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Schools +2.9/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks MLS

Motivated Seller! Here is your perfect starter home or place to retire! Completely remodeled, (finishing touches happening now!) this home has so much character! New appliances, new floors and fixtures! It is nestled at the end of a quiet street. Don't wait, it won't last at $74,900.00!

Key facts

• 2 car carport
• Nearby kentucky lake
• Updated kitchen

Tags

• UPDATED KITCHEN
• STACKABLE WASHER AND DRYER
• 2 CAR CARPORT
• MINUTES FROM SHOPPING
• NEARBY KENTUCKY LAKE

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Attached garage; 2-space carport; Gravel parking
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer
• Home design: Single-family residence; 1 story
• Construction: Frame construction with vinyl siding; Composition and metal roof; Slab foundation; Built as a residential single-family home
• Exterior features: Level to rolling slope lot; Covered patio/porch

Interior

• Kitchen: Dishwasher; Cooktop; Microwave; Refrigerator; Electric water heater
• Flooring: Carpet; Laminate; Tile
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Electric heating; Heat pump; Ceiling fan cooling
• Interior features: Eat-in kitchen; Covered patio/porch
• Laundry & utility: Dryer

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $135k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $296 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $135k).
• Recommended offer: $133k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#171 in KY) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F.
• Marshall County (rural): math 29% / reading 38% proficiency, ranked #73 of 165 in KY (top 44%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Benton Elementary School (math 36% / reading 41%, grade F, #234 of 676 statewide, top 36%, 527 students, 51% FRL); South Marshall Middle (math 21% / reading 39%, grade F, #146 of 217 statewide, top 69%, 462 students, 55% FRL).
• Market conditions: 178 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 121 units permitted in Marshall County in 2024 (5 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $14k of equity ($933 loan paydown + $13k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Marshall County population projected to shrink 9% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $38k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 3, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$37k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 24 days — a 2% lower offer ($133k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts since 10y ago 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.
• Current owner paid $72k; list at $135k implies a 88% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1950 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $132,876 (1.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1950 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 1.04% ✓
• Cap rate: 8.92%
• Cash-on-cash: 9.39%
• DSCR: 1.42
• GRM: 8.0

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

10.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 31.1%
• Equity multiple: 3.44×
• Total profit: $92,248
• Equity at exit: $121,529

10-year hold

• IRR: 26.9%
• Equity multiple: 7.80×
• Total profit: $256,751
• Equity at exit: $262,081

Cash invested: $37,772 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Kentucky: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+16
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

7-day pay-or-quit (URLTA cities); generally landlord-friendly.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 42025

• Home prices YoY: 7.1%
• Active inventory: 178
• Price-to-rent: 8.0×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,408 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$707
• Tax from tax record: −$53 /mo · $638/yr
• Insurance: −$56
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$296
• Net cashflow: $296

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,034

Max offer price $134,900

Occupancy floor 74%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $372	-5% $334	+0% $296	+5% $257	+10% $219
Rent	-10% $184	-5% $240	+0% $296	+5% $351	+10% $407
Rate	-1.0pp $364	-0.5pp $330	base $296	+0.5pp $261	+1.0pp $225

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: $33,725
• Closing costs: $4,047
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 2 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
306 W 14th St Benton, KY	2.0	1.0	1000	$999	$1.00	44d	1	0.31mi
102 Highland Dr Benton, KY	2.0	1.0	1100	$1,975	$1.80	44d	1	0.40mi

Listing history 14 events

1. 2026-06-15
   days on market $134,900 Active 24 DOM
2. 2026-06-14
   days on market $134,900 Active 22 DOM
3. 2026-06-12
   days on market $134,900 Active 21 DOM
4. 2026-06-09
   days on market $134,900 Active 18 DOM
5. 2026-06-08
   days on market $134,900 Active 17 DOM
6. 2026-06-07
   days on market $134,900 Active 16 DOM
7. 2026-06-03
   days on market $134,900 Active 12 DOM
8. 2026-06-02
   days on market $134,900 Active 11 DOM
9. 2026-06-01
   days on market $134,900 Active 10 DOM
10. 2026-05-31
    days on market $134,900 Active 9 DOM
11. 2026-05-30
    days on market $134,900 Active 8 DOM
12. 2026-05-19
    listed $134,900 Active
13. 2016-07-29
    soldstatus $71,650 287-char remark

    Show marketing remark (287 chars)

    Motivated Seller! Here is your perfect starter home or place to retire! Completely remodeled, (finishing touches happening now!) this home has so much character! New appliances, new floors and fixtures! It is nestled at the end of a quiet street. Don't wait, it won't last at $74,900.00!

14. 2016-02-08
    listed $74,900 287-char remark

    Show marketing remark (287 chars)

    Motivated Seller! Here is your perfect starter home or place to retire! Completely remodeled, (finishing touches happening now!) this home has so much character! New appliances, new floors and fixtures! It is nestled at the end of a quiet street. Don't wait, it won't last at $74,900.00!

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

Tax reassessment forecast KY · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $638 · $53/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,160 · $97/mo
• Expected delta: +$522/yr (+$43/mo · 81.7%)

ⓘ 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 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥108°F today · 20 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 3/10 Moderate 7% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $16,898
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,556
• − Property taxes: −$638
• − Insurance: −$674
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,352
• − Management: −$1,352
• − Depreciation: −$3,924
• Taxable income: $1,401
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$336
• After-tax cash flow: $3,211/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: Marshall County
• NCES district ID: 2103810
• Math proficiency: 29% ▼ -7.00%
• Reading proficiency: 38% ▼ -16.00%
• Median HH income: $45,324
• Composite: 28.62/100
• National rank: #6710
• State rank: #73 of 165 in KY

Livability — Benton

• Score: 69/100
• State rank: #171
• US rank: #8655

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Benton, KY
• Population (ZIP): 19,238

Population outlook (Marshall County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 30,647 people
• By 2030: 30,276 · -1.2%
• By 2040: 29,232 · -4.6%
• By 2050: 27,940 · -8.8%
• By 2075: 25,289 · -17.5%
• By 2100: 21,188 · -30.9%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (95%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 95% Two or more races 2% Hispanic / Latino 2%
• Common ancestry: Iranian 2% Slovak 2% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 1% · Canada
• Languages at home: 98% English-only · Spanish 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Marshall

• 2024 margin: Solid R (+56.7) · D 21.0% · R 77.7% · Other 1.3%
• 2008→2024 swing: -32.0pp toward R · 2008: -24.7pp · 2024: -56.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+56.7 2020: R+52.4 2016: R+51.9 2012: R+34.2 2008: R+24.7

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 19.11%
• Current HPI: 288.75
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.81%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in KY)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	1	$118B
▸Food / Beverage	1	$7B

Price history

+80.1% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-19 Listed $134,900 WKRMLS
• 2016-07-29 Sold (MLS) $71,650 WKRMLS
• 2016-02-08 Listed $74,900 WKRMLS

Property tax history

+6.2%/yr

Latest (2025): $638 · -1.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.