1 bd · 1.0 ba ·
891 sqft ·
Built —
· Townhouse
· Active
· 198 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$1,101/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$1,042
Tax + insurance
−$331
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$231
Net cashflow
$-504/mo
Annual
$-6,044/yr
Cap rate
3.25%
Cash-on-cash
-10.86%
DSCR
0.52
1% rule
0.55%
Cash to close
$55,648
Investor read
This is a 1-bed/1.0-bath townhouse listed at $134k. Condition is rated poor.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $-504 ($-6k/yr) — negative.
To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $126k (6.1% below list).
To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $110k (17.8% below list).
It's been on market 198 days — a 12% lower offer ($118k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $110k (17.8% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $6k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 79/100 on livability (#5 in ND, #2,213 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: housing A+, health & safety A+, cost of living A; Watch: crime C-, amenities D+, commute F.
Bismarck 1 (urban): math 41% / reading 42% proficiency, ranked #25 of 53 in ND (top 47%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; only 19% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
Zoned schools: Centennial Elementary School (math 57% / reading 52%, grade C, #39 of 236 statewide, top 21%, 382 students, 23% FRL); Horizon Middle School (math 42% / reading 50%, grade D+, #13 of 35 statewide, top 35%, 1,044 students, 14% FRL); Century High School (math 43% / reading 63%, grade C-, #14 of 144 statewide, top 9%, 1,427 students, 12% FRL) — zoned schools at 17% FRL track the district average.
Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+11.8%/yr); 587 active listings in the ZIP; 8 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 71d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; solid renter incomes; 259 units permitted in Burleigh County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
Burleigh County population projected at +61% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
This rent is only 13% of the median local income ($102k/yr) — well below the 30% rent-burden line; pricing power to push rent on renewal without tenant pushback.
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?
It's been on market 198 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 18% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
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?
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.
Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)
Major: roof
— Significant damage and potential leaks.
Major: exterior siding
— Severe wear and possible rot.
Major: flooring
— Visible wear and potential damage.
Major: interior walls/paint
— Significant wear and peeling paint.