246 Hemlock Ln

Wilkesboro, NC 28654

$235,000F

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,092 sqft · Built 1979 · SingleFamily · Pending · 1 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,260/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,232
• Tax + insurance: −$188
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$265
• Net cashflow: $-425/mo
• Annual: $-5,097/yr
• Cap rate: 4.12%
• Cash-on-cash: -7.75%
• DSCR: 0.66
• 1% rule: 0.54%
• Cash to close: $65,800

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $235k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-425 ($-5k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $160k (31.9% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $126k (46.4% below list).
• Only 1 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Recommended offer: $126k (46.4% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $25k of equity ($2k loan paydown + $24k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#166 in NC) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D, crime F, amenities F.
• Wilkes County Schools (rural): math 55% / reading 50% proficiency, ranked #59 of 178 in NC (top 33%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Wilkesboro Elementary School (math 57% / reading 42%, grade D, #417 of 1,410 statewide, top 32%, 370 students, 99% FRL); Central Wilkes Middle School (math 42% / reading 44%, grade D-, #191 of 475 statewide, top 41%, 576 students, 99% FRL); Wilkes Central High School (math 42% / reading 57%, grade D, #311 of 535 statewide, top 60%, 752 students, 54% FRL) — zoned schools average 84% FRL vs 56% district-wide (28 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 51 active listings in the ZIP; 134 units permitted in Wilkes County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Wilkes County population projected at -18% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 2 sale attempts since 2y 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.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$40k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Cap rate 4.1% vs local median 2.2% in Wilkesboro — 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

• 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?
• Built in 1979 — 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.
• Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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?
• 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?
• 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.