2308 12th St

Lake Charles, LA 70601

$60,000B+

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 771 sqft · Built 1969 · SingleFamily · Active · 378 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $976/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$315
• Tax + insurance: −$63
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$205
• Net cashflow: $393/mo
• Annual: $4,720/yr
• Cap rate: 14.16%
• Cash-on-cash: 28.10%
• DSCR: 2.25
• 1% rule: 1.63%
• Cash to close: $16,800

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $60k. Condition is rated average.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $393 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($976 rent vs $60k).
• It's been on market 378 days — a 12% lower offer ($53k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $53k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $415 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 68/100 on livability (#95 in LA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, amenities F, employment D-.
• Calcasieu Parish (other): math 30% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #29 of 98 in LA (top 30%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: T. H. Watkins Elementary School (math 27% / reading 32%, grade F, #333 of 646 statewide, top 54%, 199 students, 87% FRL); Oak Park Middle School (math 10% / reading 22%, grade F, #180 of 218 statewide, top 83%, 385 students, 83% FRL); Lagrange High School (math 9% / reading 22%, grade F, #217 of 265 statewide, top 82%, 907 students, 76% FRL) — zoned schools average 82% FRL vs 52% district-wide (30 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 20% at this address vs 37% district-wide (-17 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Calcasieu Parish average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.2%/yr); 512 active listings in the ZIP; 31 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 44d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 55% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,298 units permitted in Calcasieu Parish in 2024 (526 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Calcasieu County population projected at +11% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 5 sale attempts; this cycle's ask is 7400% above the opening price — seller raised mid-cycle; expect resistance to lowballs.
• Current owner paid $34k; list at $60k implies a 76% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 6.2% rent growth), your $17k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk; severe wind risk, 99% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→21/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 14.2% vs local median 5.1% in Lake Charles — 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 378 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1969 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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 B-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?
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Minor: kitchen cabinets — Worn but still functional, could be repainted or replaced
• Minor: kitchen countertops — Worn, could be replaced with quartz or granite
• Minor: bathroom fixtures — Standard fixtures, could be replaced with modern ones