705 Laurel Ln

Norton, VA 24273

$80,000B+

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,922 sqft · Built 1980 · SingleFamily · Active · 30 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,209/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$420
• Tax + insurance: −$142
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$254
• Net cashflow: $393/mo
• Annual: $4,721/yr
• Cap rate: 12.19%
• Cash-on-cash: 21.07%
• DSCR: 1.94
• 1% rule: 1.51%
• Cash to close: $22,400

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $80k.
• 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 ($1k rent vs $80k).
• It's been on market 30 days — a 2% lower offer ($79k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $79k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $667 of equity ($553 loan paydown + $114 appreciation (0.1% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 74/100 on livability (#139 in VA, #4,441 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+; Watch: commute D, crime F, amenities F.
• Norton City Public School District (town): math 68% / reading 85% proficiency, ranked #12 of 131 in VA (top 9%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Zoned schools: Norton Elementary (math 67% / reading 82%, grade A, #220 of 1,108 statewide, top 22%, 501 students, 96% FRL); J.I. Burton High (math 72% / reading 92%, grade A, #40 of 319 statewide, top 15%, 312 students, 96% FRL) — zoned schools average 96% FRL vs 58% district-wide (38 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 40 active listings in the ZIP.
• Norton County population projected to shrink 4% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 2 sale attempts since 11y 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.
• At projected returns (0.1% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $22k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: moderate flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 12.2% vs local median 4.4% in Norton — 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

• 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?
• 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.
• 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.