401 Jefferson Ave · Lowden, IA 52255

$84,999

4 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,608 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 26 Days on market

Built 1903 9,583 sqft lot Est $138k · 39% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the A 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 +30.0/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +9.5/10.0
• Appreciation +7.7/10.0
• Schools +5.3/10.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks

Step into timeless charm with this beautiful 4-bedroom, 1-bath home built in 1903. Featuring stunning original woodwork throughout, this home blends historic character with modern living. The main level offers convenient living space, including a bedroom, spacious living and dining areas, main floor laundry and plenty of natural light. Upstairs, you'll find three generously sized bedrooms with great closet space. Enjoy the outdoors with a spacious backyard-perfect for entertaining, gardening, or play-and an oversized detached 2-car garage with finished Loft area that provides plenty of storage and workspace. Situated on a corner lot in a quiet neighborhood, this home offers small-town livin

Key facts

• Spacious backyard
• Main floor laundry
• Original woodwork

Tags

• ORIGINAL WOODWORK
• MAIN FLOOR LAUNDRY
• SPACIOUS BACKYARD
• DETACHED GARAGE
• FINISHED LOFT AREA
• CORNER LOT

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 4-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $85k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $368 ($4k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $85k).
• Recommended offer: $84k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 69/100 on livability (#384 in IA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A-; Watch: amenities F, commute F.
• North Cedar Community School District (rural): math 61% / reading 63% proficiency, ranked #219 of 289 in IA (top 76%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Market conditions: 12 active listings in the ZIP; 89 units permitted in Cedar County in 2024 (40 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $5k of equity ($587 loan paydown + $5k appreciation (5.4% local appreciation)).
• Cedar County population projected to shrink 9% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• At projected returns (5.4% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $24k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 7, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$34k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 26 days — a 2% lower offer ($84k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 5 sale attempts since 22y ago; this cycle's ask is 9% above the opening price — seller raised mid-cycle; expect resistance to lowballs.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1903 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $83,724 (1.5% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1903 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. Schools are B-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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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: 1.45% ✓
• Cap rate: 11.49%
• Cash-on-cash: 18.55%
• DSCR: 1.83
• GRM: 5.7

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $138,288
• Comps found: 9

Show comp detail 9 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
401 Jefferson Ave	0.00mi	4/1.0	1,608 (0%)	4mo	$80,000	$50	97
701 Hall Ave	0.15mi	4/2.0	1,684 (+5%)	9mo	$144,500	$86	74
202 5th St	0.14mi	4/1.5	1,525 (-5%)	12mo	$137,500	$90	73
121 Grant Ave	0.17mi	4/1.5	1,680 (+4%)	21mo	$175,000	$104	66
404 10th St	0.30mi	4/3.0	1,662 (+3%)	11mo	$267,000	$161	63
805 Mckinley Ave	0.24mi	5/3.5 (+1)	1,640 (+2%)	10mo	$250,000	$152	62
605 Jefferson Ave	0.11mi	4/1.5	1,793 (+12%)	19mo	$43,200	$24	58
402 Harding Ave	0.24mi	3/2.0 (-1)	1,740 (+8%)	12mo	$110,000	$63	56
507 Hall Ave	0.10mi	3/2.0 (-1)	1,821 (+13%)	22mo	$143,000	$79	46

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

Projected returns pro-forma

5.43% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 29.8%
• Equity multiple: 2.90×
• Total profit: $45,181
• Equity at exit: $50,430

10-year hold

• IRR: 28.2%
• Equity multiple: 5.85×
• Total profit: $115,456
• Equity at exit: $88,965

Cash invested: $23,800 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly
• State Iowa: 83 Strongly Landlord-Friendly · R+6
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

3-day pay-or-quit; mostly landlord-friendly statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 52255

• Home prices YoY: 3.2%
• Active inventory: 12
• Price-to-rent: 5.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,234 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$446
• Tax from tax record: −$126 /mo · $1,510/yr
• Insurance: −$35
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$259
• Net cashflow: $368

Break-even live

Break-even rent $768

Max offer price $84,999

Occupancy floor 65%

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: $21,250
• Closing costs: $2,550
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 26 events

1. 2026-05-24
   status Pending
2. 2026-05-24
   status Pending
3. 2026-05-22
   status Pending
4. 2026-02-20
   soldstatus $80,000 Closed
5. 2026-02-20
   soldstatus $80,000 Closed
6. 2026-02-20
   soldstatus $80,000 Closed
7. 2026-02-20
   soldstatus $80,000 Closed
8. 2026-02-20
   soldstatus $80,000
9. 2026-01-15
   status Pending
10. 2026-01-14
    historical
11. 2026-01-08
    status Active
12. 2026-01-06
    historical
13. 2026-01-05
    historical
14. 2025-11-15
    price
15. 2025-10-09
    listed Active
16. 2025-07-03
    price
17. 2025-06-13
    status Active
18. 2025-06-13
    historical
19. 2025-06-13
    historical
20. 2025-06-02
    status Pending
21. 2025-04-14
    price
22. 2025-01-17
    listed Active
23. 2021-08-06
    historical
24. 2021-08-06
    historical
25. 2004-06-10
    soldstatus $72,000
26. 2004-03-24
    listed $78,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast IA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,510 · $126/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,510 · $126/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 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥104°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 2 unhealthy d/yr today · 2 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $14,809
• − Mortgage interest: −$4,761
• − Property taxes: −$1,510
• − Insurance: −$425
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,185
• − Management: −$1,185
• − Depreciation: −$2,473
• Taxable income: $3,271
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$785
• After-tax cash flow: $3,630/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: North Cedar Community School District
• NCES district ID: 1917100
• Math proficiency: 61% ▼ -5.00%
• Reading proficiency: 63% ▼ -7.00%
• Median HH income: $54,549
• Composite: 53.17/100
• National rank: #1507
• State rank: #219 of 289 in IA

Livability — Lowden

• Score: 69/100
• State rank: #384
• US rank: #8177

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Lowden, IA
• Population (ZIP): 1,100

Population outlook (Cedar County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 18,416 people
• By 2030: 18,294 · -0.7%
• By 2040: 17,771 · -3.5%
• By 2050: 16,841 · -8.6%
• By 2075: 14,503 · -21.2%
• By 2100: 11,301 · -38.6%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (94%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 94% Hispanic / Latino 5% Two or more races 5%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 2%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 6% Slovak 5% Portuguese 3%
• Languages at home: 99% English-only · Spanish 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Cedar

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+21.8) · D 38.4% · R 60.1% · Other 1.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -31.4pp toward R · 2008: 9.6pp · 2024: -21.8pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+21.8 2020: R+17.0 2016: R+18.1 2012: D+4.4 2008: D+9.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 5.43%
• Current HPI: 175.6028
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.48%
• F500 in state: 4

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in IA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	1	$16B
▸Retail / Convenience	1	$15B

Price history

+2.6% since first listed

26 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-24 Pending — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-05-24 Pending — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-05-22 Pending — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-02-20 Sold (Public Records) $80,000 Public Records
• 2026-02-20 Sold (MLS) $80,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-02-20 Sold (MLS) $80,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-02-20 Sold (MLS) $80,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-02-20 Sold (MLS) $80,000 MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-15 Pending — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-14 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-08 Relisted — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-06 Listing Removed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2026-01-05 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-11-15 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-10-09 Listed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-07-03 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-06-13 Relisted — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-06-13 Listing Removed — MRED as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-06-13 Listing Removed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-06-02 Pending — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-04-14 Price Changed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2025-01-17 Listed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2021-08-06 Listing Removed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2021-08-06 Listing Removed — RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2004-06-10 Sold (MLS) $72,000 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid
• 2004-03-24 Listed $78,000 RMLSA as Distributed by MLS Grid

Property tax history

+2.8%/yr

Latest (2025): $1,510 · +15.6% YoY. Source: county tax records.