1617 M St

Bedford, IN 47421

$155,000C+

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,019 sqft · Built 1870 · SingleFamily · Active · 18 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,535/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$813
• Tax + insurance: −$142
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$322
• Net cashflow: $258/mo
• Annual: $3,097/yr
• Cap rate: 8.29%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.14%
• DSCR: 1.32
• 1% rule: 0.99%
• Cash to close: $43,400

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $155k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $258 ($3k/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 $154k (1.0% below list).
• It's been on market 18 days — a 2% lower offer ($153k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $153k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 80/100 on livability (#23 in IN, #1,958 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment D, commute F.
• North Lawrence Community Schools (rural): math 35% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #170 of 301 in IN (top 56%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Parkview Elementary School (math 44% / reading 39%, grade F, #478 of 994 statewide, top 49%, 513 students, 63% FRL); Bedford Middle School (math 23% / reading 36%, grade F, #212 of 330 statewide, top 67%, 562 students, 54% FRL); Bedford-North Lawrence High School (math 38% / reading 63%, grade D+, #117 of 369 statewide, top 32%, 1,303 students, 46% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1870 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 158 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 8 units permitted in Lawrence County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Lawrence County population projected at -14% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 3 sale attempts 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.
• Climate carrying-cost: extreme-heat days projected 7→20/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 8.3% vs local median 4.2% in Bedford — 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

• Built in 1870 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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.