223 Ridge Creek Dr

Troutman, NC 28166

$266,900D+

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,508 sqft · Built 1996 · SingleFamily · Active · 59 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,048/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,400
• Tax + insurance: −$171
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$430
• Net cashflow: $47/mo
• Annual: $567/yr
• Cap rate: 6.51%
• Cash-on-cash: 0.76%
• DSCR: 1.03
• 1% rule: 0.77%
• Cash to close: $74,732

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $267k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $47 ($567/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $205k (23.3% below list).
• It's been on market 59 days — a 3% lower offer ($259k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $205k (23.3% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $8k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 64/100 on livability (#342 in NC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: housing A+, cost of living A-; Watch: amenities F, commute F, health & safety F.
• Iredell-Statesville Schools (rural): math 53% / reading 52% proficiency, ranked #51 of 178 in NC (top 29%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Troutman Elementary (math 63% / reading 44%, grade C, #335 of 1,410 statewide, top 24%, 698 students, 54% FRL); The Brawley School (math 91% / reading 88%, grade A+, #2 of 475 statewide, top 0%, 639 students, 9% FRL); South Iredell High (math 47% / reading 72%, grade C+, #216 of 535 statewide, top 43%, 1,711 students, 34% FRL).
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 68% at this address vs 52% district-wide (+15 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Iredell-Statesville Schools average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+2.1%/yr); 266 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; solid renter incomes; 1,955 units permitted in Iredell County in 2024 (128 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Iredell County population projected at +26% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 3 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 $194k; 38% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→17/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 6.5% vs local median 3.1% in Troutman — 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 59 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 23% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• 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?
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.