419 N Monroe St SE · Lowell, MI 49331

$285,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,344 sqft · SingleFamily · 4 Days on market

Built 1900 10,759 sqft lot Est $269k · 6% over

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Why this score? — see what drove the D- 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 +13.2/30.0
• Schools +5.0/10.0
• ARV discount +4.8/15.0
• DSCR +4.0/10.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• 1% rule +3.8/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Dreaming of a walkable small-town lifestyle just 20 minutes from Grand Rapids? Make Lowell your hometown and 419 N. Monroe your new address. This charming 3-bedroom, 1-bath home blends character with thoughtful updates, including a beautifully renovated bathroom, a sun-filled back bedroom, and a versatile flex room completed in 2026. A spacious main-floor laundry room and attached garage add everyday convenience. Outside, enjoy a fully fenced . 24-acre backyard with plenty of room to relax, entertain, and play, complete with a gazebo and storage shed. Live the Downtown Lowell lifestyle--grab coffee at Sweet Seasons Bakery & Cafe, spend afternoons along the Flat River, and enjoy summer concerts and social district cocktails just steps from your front door. Charm, updates, location, and a walkable downtown lifestyle--all for under $300,000.Schedule your tour today!

Key facts

• Renovated bathroom
• Gazebo
• Storage shed

Tags

• RENOVATED BATHROOM
• FLEX ROOM
• MAIN-FLOOR LAUNDRY ROOM
• FULLY FENCED BACKYARD
• GAZEBO
• STORAGE SHED

Property features AI

Exterior

• Parking: Attached 1-car garage
• Utilities: Public water; Electricity available; Natural gas connected; Natural gas water heater
• Home design: Traditional style; Single family residence; Residential property
• Construction: Built in 1900; Brick and vinyl siding construction; Composition roof; Foundation with partial Michigan basement
• Exterior features: Shed(s); Paved road access

Interior

• Kitchen: Oven; Range; Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: Primary bedroom; Bedroom 2; Bedroom 3
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating; Central cooling
• Interior features: Garage door opener; Window treatments; Michigan partial basement; Bonus room
• Laundry & utility: Washer; Dryer; Laundry room

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $285k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-3 ($-31/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $285k (0.2% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $250k (12.3% below list).
• Recommended offer: $250k (12.3% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 6.3% vs local median 2.9% in Lowell — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 80/100 on livability (#76 in MI, #1,669 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F.
• Lowell Area Schools (rural): math 51% / reading 64% proficiency, ranked #51 of 540 in MI (top 9%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Cherry Creek Elementary School (math 49% / reading 61%, grade C, #271 of 1,397 statewide, top 20%, 468 students, 43% FRL); Lowell Middle School (math 47% / reading 62%, grade B-, #80 of 493 statewide, top 17%, 771 students, 30% FRL); Lowell Senior High School (math 44% / reading 64%, grade C-, #123 of 713 statewide, top 17%, 1,099 students, 29% FRL).
• Market conditions: 116 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 2,253 units permitted in Kent County in 2024 (969 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $9k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Kent County population projected at +22% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.

Negotiation context

• Only 4 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 17 sale attempts since 26y 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 $220k; 30% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $250,000 (12.3% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
2. Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
4. 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?
5. 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?
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: 0.88% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.28%
• Cash-on-cash: -0.04%
• DSCR: 1.00
• GRM: 9.5

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $268,800
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
622 N Washington St	0.13mi	3/1.0	1,438 (+7%)	2mo	$246,000	$171	80
607 N Washington St SE	0.12mi	3/2.0	1,248 (-7%)	3mo	$260,000	$208	76
500 N Washington St	0.06mi	2/1.5 (-1)	1,400 (+4%)	9mo	$330,000	$236	76
829 N Jefferson St	0.28mi	3/1.5	1,272 (-5%)	2mo	$326,000	$256	74
517 Front St	0.40mi	3/1.0	1,274 (-5%)	2mo	$255,000	$200	72
414 N Jefferson St	0.12mi	3/2.0	1,500 (+12%)	5mo	$269,500	$180	67
125 S Grove St SE	0.50mi	2/2.0 (-1)	1,342 (-0%)	3mo	$302,000	$225	65
164 S Pleasant Ave	0.69mi	2/1.0 (-1)	1,392 (+4%)	1mo	$220,000	$158	56
416 Kent St	0.33mi	3/2.0	1,506 (+12%)	10mo	$275,000	$183	52
727 Chatham St SE	0.53mi	2/1.0 (-1)	1,158 (-14%)	7mo	$242,000	$209	41
152 S Pleasant Ave SE	0.68mi	3/2.0	1,489 (+11%)	11mo	$286,000	$192	38
1212 Highland Hill Dr SE	0.66mi	3/2.0	1,540 (+15%)	6mo	$294,000	$191	36

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: -16.4%
• Equity multiple: 0.42×
• Total profit: $-46,305
• Equity at exit: $42,494

10-year hold

• IRR: -8.0%
• Equity multiple: 0.49×
• Total profit: $-40,362
• Equity at exit: $24,642

Cash invested: $79,800 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 62 Landlord-Friendly
• State Michigan: 62 Landlord-Friendly · EVEN
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

7-day pay-or-quit; mixed climate; Detroit/AA have some protections.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 49331

• Home prices YoY: -31.2%
• Active inventory: 116
• Price-to-rent: 9.5×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,500 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,495
• Tax from tax record: −$364 /mo · $4,371/yr
• Insurance: −$119
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$525
• Net cashflow: $-3

Break-even live

Break-even rent $2,503

Max offer price $284,540

Occupancy floor 95%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $159	-5% $78	+0% $-3	+5% $-83	+10% $-164
Rent	-10% $-200	-5% $-101	+0% $-3	+5% $96	+10% $195
Rate	-1.0pp $141	-0.5pp $70	base $-3	+0.5pp $-76	+1.0pp $-152

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: $71,250
• Closing costs: $8,550
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 1 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
220 King St #9 Lowell, MI	2.0	2.0	1150	$2,500	$2.17	16d	1	0.09mi

Listing history 3 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $285,000 Active 4 DOM
2. 2026-06-17
   remarks 688-char remark
3. 2026-06-17
   listed $285,000 Active 1 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast MI · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $4,371 · $364/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $4,380 · $365/mo
• Expected delta: +$9/yr (+$1/mo · 0.2%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 6/10 Major FEMA zone X (shaded) · 67% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥97°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $30,000
• − Mortgage interest: −$15,964
• − Property taxes: −$4,371
• − Insurance: −$1,425
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,400
• − Management: −$2,400
• − Depreciation: −$8,291
• Taxable loss: −$4,852
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$1,164
• After-tax cash flow: $1,133/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: Lowell Area Schools
• NCES district ID: 2622050
• Math proficiency: 51% ▼ -6.00%
• Reading proficiency: 64% ▼ -3.00%
• Median HH income: $64,828
• Composite: 50.37/100
• National rank: #1873
• State rank: #51 of 540 in MI

Livability — Lowell

• Score: 80/100
• State rank: #76
• US rank: #1669

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Lowell, MI
• Population (ZIP): 17,419

Population outlook (Kent County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 712,484 people
• By 2030: 748,618 · +5.1%
• By 2040: 814,777 · +14.4%
• By 2050: 868,556 · +21.9%
• By 2075: 966,487 · +35.7%
• By 2100: 967,975 · +35.9%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (88%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 88% Two or more races 7% Hispanic / Latino 4% Black 1%
• Common ancestry: Iranian 16% Romanian 8% Italian 3%
• Foreign-born: 1%
• Languages at home: 98% English-only · French/Haitian/Cajun 1% Spanish 1% Other Asian/Pacific 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Kent

• 2024 margin: Lean D (+5.4) · D 51.8% · R 46.5% · Other 1.7%
• 2008→2024 swing: +4.8pp toward D · 2008: 0.5pp · 2024: 5.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+5.4 2020: D+6.1 2016: R+3.1 2012: R+7.9 2008: D+0.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -120.98%
• Current HPI: 266.8058
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.37%
• F500 in state: 28

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MI)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Automotive Parts	3	$48B
▸Automotive	2	$372B
▸Chemicals	1	$45B
▸Automotive Retail	1	$29B
▸Healthcare / Medical Devices	1	$23B
▸Automotive Technology	1	$20B

Price history

+208.1% since first listed

38 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-14 Listed $285,000 REALCOMP
• 2026-06-14 Listed $285,000 MiRealSource-MiMLS
• 2026-06-14 Listed $285,000 SW Michigan MLS
• 2021-07-13 Sold (Public Records) $220,000 Public Records
• 2021-06-28 Sold (MLS) $220,000 SW Michigan MLS
• 2021-06-28 Sold (MLS) $220,000 REALCOMP
• 2021-05-05 Pending — REALCOMP
• 2021-05-05 Pending — SW Michigan MLS
• 2021-04-29 Listed $195,000 MiRealSource-MiMLS
• 2021-04-29 Listed $195,000 SW Michigan MLS
• 2021-04-29 Listed $195,000 REALCOMP
• 2019-06-28 Sold (Public Records) $163,000 Public Records
• 2019-06-25 Sold (MLS) $163,000 SW Michigan MLS
• 2019-06-25 Sold (MLS) $163,000 REALCOMP
• 2019-05-01 Pending — SW Michigan MLS
• 2019-04-25 Listed $159,900 MiRealSource-MiMLS
• 2019-04-25 Listed $159,900 SW Michigan MLS
• 2019-04-25 Listed $159,900 REALCOMP
• 2015-09-29 Sold (Public Records) $105,000 Public Records
• 2015-09-16 Sold (MLS) $105,000 SW Michigan MLS
• 2015-09-16 Sold (MLS) $105,000 REALCOMP
• 2015-08-03 Listing Removed — SW Michigan MLS
• 2015-05-29 Listed $109,900 SW Michigan MLS
• 2015-05-29 Listed $109,900 REALCOMP
• 2014-09-15 Listing Removed — SW Michigan MLS
• 2008-02-27 Listing Removed — REALCOMP
• 2008-01-04 Listed $49,900 REALCOMP
• 2008-01-04 Listed $49,900 SW Michigan MLS
• 2004-12-15 Sold (Public Records) $100,000 Public Records
• 2004-11-22 Sold (MLS) $100,000 REALCOMP
• 2004-11-22 Sold (MLS) $100,000 SW Michigan MLS
• 2004-08-25 Listed $104,900 REALCOMP
• 2004-08-25 Listed $104,900 SW Michigan MLS
• 2000-12-11 Sold (Public Records) $88,000 Public Records
• 2000-11-27 Sold (MLS) $88,000 REALCOMP
• 2000-11-27 Sold (MLS) $88,000 SW Michigan MLS
• 2000-09-21 Listed $92,500 REALCOMP
• 2000-09-21 Listed $92,500 SW Michigan MLS

Property tax history

+3.6%/yr

Latest (2025): $4,371 · +2.8% YoY. Source: county tax records.