2975 Shepard Dr

Huntington, WV 25705

$124,900D+

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 972 sqft · Built 1963 · SingleFamily · Pending · 2 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,309/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$655
• Tax + insurance: −$124
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$275
• Net cashflow: $255/mo
• Annual: $3,055/yr
• Cap rate: 8.74%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.73%
• DSCR: 1.39
• 1% rule: 1.05%
• Cash to close: $34,972

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $125k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $255 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $125k).
• Only 2 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $864 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 79/100 on livability (#16 in WV, #2,045 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: crime F, employment F.
• Cabell County Schools (urban): math 31% / reading 42% proficiency, ranked #13 of 55 in WV (top 24%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Zoned schools: Explorer Academy (math 22% / reading 27%, grade F, #287 of 377 statewide, top 85%, 406 students, 0% FRL); Huntington East Middle School (math 18% / reading 32%, grade F, #81 of 109 statewide, top 76%, 585 students, 0% FRL); Huntington High School (math 26% / reading 50%, grade F, #31 of 110 statewide, top 28%, 1,704 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 47% district-wide (47 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Market conditions: 163 active listings in the ZIP; 61 units permitted in Cabell County in 2024 (5 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 3 sale attempts since 3y 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 $86k; 46% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Cap rate 8.7% vs local median 6.5% in Huntington — 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 1963 — 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.
• 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.
• 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.