120 Lusk Ave · Highspire, PA 17034

$142,000

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,000 sqft · Townhouse public records · 39 Days on market

Built 1900 4,356 sqft lot $142/sqft · at area comps Est $152k · 7% under

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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 +13.7/30.0
• ARV discount +10.5/15.0
• Appreciation +5.8/10.0
• DSCR +4.2/10.0
• 1% rule +4.1/10.0
• Livability +3.2/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Schools +0.5/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Just right as a first home or an investment.

Key facts

• Built 1900
• Listed 39 days

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Above-grade finished area per assessor: 1,050 (finished); Improvement and land assessed values available
• Financial info: Ownership: Fee simple

Exterior

• Parking: On-street parking
• Utilities: Public water; Electric hot water
• Home design: Semi-detached frame residence; Single entry level
• Construction: Frame construction; Block foundation; Built year per assessor
• Exterior features: Not in a federal flood zone; Above-grade and below-grade structures

Interior

• Bedrooms: 2 bedrooms on the first upper level
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Baseboard hot water heating (oil-fired); Central air conditioning (electric)
• Interior features: Full basement

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $142k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-44 ($-532/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $134k (5.5% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $130k (8.7% below list).
• Recommended offer: $130k (8.7% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 6.4% vs local median 4.0% in Highspire — 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 63/100 on livability (#1,272 in PA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment D-.
• Steelton-Highspire SD (suburban): math 2% / reading 9% proficiency, ranked #538 of 539 in PA (top 100%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 68% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Steelton-Highspire El Sch (math 2% / reading 12%, grade F, #1,491 of 1,518 statewide, top 98%, 738 students, 100% FRL); Steelton-Highspire Hs (math 2% / reading 6%, grade F, #434 of 437 statewide, top 99%, 599 students, 100% FRL) — zoned schools average 100% FRL vs 68% district-wide (32 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Market conditions: 17 active listings in the ZIP; 5 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 25d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 540 units permitted in Dauphin County in 2024 (194 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $3k of equity ($982 loan paydown + $2k appreciation (1.5% local appreciation)).
• At projected returns (1.5% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $40k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 10, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$31k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 39 days — a 3% lower offer ($138k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts since 17y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $18k (11%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $52k; list at $142k implies a 171% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $56/mo; built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $129,605 (8.7% 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. It's been on market 39 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
3. Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
4. What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
5. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
6. Schools are F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
7. 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?
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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: 0.91% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.39%
• Cash-on-cash: 0.34%
• DSCR: 1.02
• GRM: 9.1

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $151,992
• List price: $142,000
• Delta: -6.57%
• Verdict: FAIR
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 5 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
109 Legion Ave	0.08mi	2/1.5	1,120 (+12%)	18mo	$146,000	$130	59
19 Race St	0.10mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,118 (+12%)	18mo	$175,000	$157	55
525 Mountain View Rd	0.72mi	2/1.5	1,024 (+2%)	13mo	$170,000	$166	50
227 Penn St	0.20mi	3/1.0 (+1)	1,118 (+12%)	22mo	$170,000	$152	47
537 Mountain View Rd	0.74mi	2/1.5	1,024 (+2%)	16mo	$167,000	$163	46

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

Projected returns pro-forma

1.52% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 1.7%
• Equity multiple: 1.09×
• Total profit: $3,526
• Equity at exit: $52,330

10-year hold

• IRR: 6.0%
• Equity multiple: 1.78×
• Total profit: $30,954
• Equity at exit: $72,625

Cash invested: $39,760 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

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

10-day notice; Philadelphia has eviction-court diversion + some protections; otherwise moderate.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 17034

• Home prices YoY: 0.6%
• Active inventory: 17
• Price-to-rent: 9.1×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,296 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$745
• Tax from tax record: −$209 /mo · $2,506/yr
• Insurance: −$59
• Flood insurance flood zone: −$56 /mo · $666/yr
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$272
• Net cashflow: $-44

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,352

Max offer price $134,167

Occupancy floor 98%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $36	-5% $-4	+0% $-44	+5% $-85	+10% $-125
Rent	-10% $-147	-5% $-96	+0% $-44	+5% $7	+10% $58
Rate	-1.0pp $27	-0.5pp $-8	base $-44	+0.5pp $-81	+1.0pp $-119

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: $35,500
• Closing costs: $4,260
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 5 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
502 Eshelman St Highspire, PA	3.0	1.5	1300	$1,585	$1.22	23d	1	0.81mi
599 2nd St Unit 2 Highspire, PA	1.0	1.0	900	$850	$0.94	25d	1	1.04mi
625 Willow St Unit 605D *U/S Highspire, PA	1.0	1.0	900	$1,050	$1.17	25d	1	1.05mi
625 Willow St Unit 610J *U/R Highspire, PA	2.0	1.0	1008	$1,250	$1.24	25d	1	1.05mi
1239 Amber Ln Harrisburg, PA	2.0–3.0	2.5	1414	$1,930	$1.36	15d	9	1.23mi

Listing history 22 events

1. 2026-06-22
   pricedays on market $142,000 Active 39 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $159,900 Active 36 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $159,900 Active 35 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $159,900 Active 34 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $159,900 Active 33 DOM
6. 2026-06-14
   days on market $159,900 Active 31 DOM
7. 2026-06-10
   days on market $159,900 Active 28 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $159,900 Active 27 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $159,900 Active 26 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $159,900 Active 25 DOM
11. 2026-06-05
    days on market $159,900 Active 22 DOM
12. 2026-06-03
    days on market $159,900 Active 21 DOM
13. 2026-06-02
    days on market $159,900 Active 20 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    days on market $159,900 Active 19 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $159,900 Active 18 DOM
16. 2026-05-31
    days on market $159,900 Active 17 DOM
17. 2026-05-14
    listed $159,900 Active 2014-char remark
18. 2026-05-10
    historical $159,900 2014-char remark
19. 2010-02-05
    soldstatus $52,320
20. 2010-01-29
    soldstatus $52,320 44-char remark

    Show marketing remark (44 chars)

    Just right as a first home or an investment.

21. 2009-12-17
    historical 44-char remark

    Show marketing remark (44 chars)

    Just right as a first home or an investment.

22. 2009-06-07
    listed $54,900 44-char remark

    Show marketing remark (44 chars)

    Just right as a first home or an investment.

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

Tax reassessment forecast PA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $2,506 · $209/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,506 · $209/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 10/10 Extreme FEMA zone X (shaded) · 99% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥102°F today · 16 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 3/10 Moderate 6% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 5 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $15,553
• − Mortgage interest: −$7,954
• − Property taxes: −$2,506
• − Insurance: −$1,376
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,244
• − Management: −$1,244
• − Depreciation: −$4,131
• Taxable loss: −$2,904
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$697
• After-tax cash flow: $165/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: Steelton-Highspire SD
• NCES district ID: 4222800
• Math proficiency: 2% ▼ -4.00%
• Reading proficiency: 9% ▼ -12.00%
• Median HH income: $40,685
• Composite: 4.98/100
• National rank: #10040
• State rank: #538 of 539 in PA

Livability — Highspire

• Score: 63/100
• State rank: #1272
• US rank: #15383

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Highspire, PA
• City population: 2,988
• Population (ZIP): 2,988

Population outlook (Dauphin County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 281,628 people
• By 2030: 283,549 · +0.7%
• By 2040: 285,385 · +1.3%
• By 2050: 286,188 · +1.6%
• By 2075: 291,053 · +3.3%
• By 2100: 282,374 · +0.3%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (66%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 66% Black 16% Hispanic / Latino 14% Two or more races 10%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 1% Puerto Rican 5% Cuban 7%
• Common ancestry: Polish 2% Lithuanian 1% Italian 1%
• Foreign-born: 4% · Canada
• Languages at home: 91% English-only · Spanish 6% Russian/Polish/Slavic 1% Other Asian/Pacific 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Dauphin

• 2024 margin: Lean D (+5.9) · D 52.4% · R 46.5% · Other 1.1%
• 2008→2024 swing: -3.1pp toward R · 2008: 9.1pp · 2024: 5.9pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+5.9 2020: D+8.5 2016: D+2.8 2012: D+6.0 2008: D+9.1

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 1.52%
• Current HPI: 266.3558
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 1.68%
• F500 in state: 34

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in PA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Healthcare	2	$309B
▸Insurance	2	$27B
▸Telecommunications / Media	1	$124B
▸Industrial Distribution	1	$22B
▸Financial Services	1	$20B
▸Chemicals / Materials	1	$18B

Price history

+191.3% since first listed

6 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-14 Listed $159,900 BRIGHT MLS
• 2026-05-10 Coming Soon $159,900 BRIGHT MLS
• 2010-02-05 Sold (Public Records) $52,320 Public Records
• 2010-01-29 Sold (MLS) $52,320 BRIGHT MLS
• 2009-12-17 Listing Removed — BRIGHT MLS
• 2009-06-07 Listed $54,900 BRIGHT MLS

Property tax history

+1.5%/yr

Latest (2026): $2,506 · +4.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.