523 N Sherman St

Stuart, IA 50250

$26,500A-

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,248 sqft · Built 1995 · Manufactured · Active · 104 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $984/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$139
• Tax + insurance: −$76
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$207
• Net cashflow: $563/mo
• Annual: $6,751/yr
• Cap rate: 31.77%
• Cash-on-cash: 90.99%
• DSCR: 5.05
• 1% rule: 3.71%
• Cash to close: $7,420

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath manufactured listed at $26k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $563 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($984 rent vs $26k).
• It's been on market 104 days — a 9% lower offer ($24k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $24k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $3k of equity ($183 loan paydown + $3k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 77/100 on livability (#181 in IA, #3,246 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment C-, amenities F, commute F.
• West Central Valley Community School District (rural): math 68% / reading 75% proficiency, ranked #115 of 289 in IA (top 40%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.9% of price.
• Market conditions: 30 active listings in the ZIP; 21 units permitted in Guthrie County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Guthrie County population projected at -13% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 2 sale attempts since 6y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $6k (18%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $7k cash investment doubles in ~1 year — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 10, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$34k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Climate carrying-cost: moderate wildfire risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 104 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• 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 A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
• 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.