| Summary | National Percentile | Rank vs Metro |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | 59th | Fair |
| Demographics | 17th | Poor |
| Amenities | 88th | Best |
Multifamily Valuation
| Property Details | |
|---|---|
| Address | 401 N Merrill Rd, Duncanville, TX, 75116, US |
| Region / Metro | Duncanville |
| Year of Construction | 1973 |
| Units | 72 |
| Transaction Date | 2016-05-04 |
| Transaction Price | $5,875,000 |
| Buyer | VALENCE ELECTRON LLC |
| Seller | DUNCANVILLE YACHT CLUB LLC |
401 N Merrill Rd Duncanville Multifamily Investment
Neighborhood occupancy trends are above the metro median, supporting leasing stability for a 1973-built, 72-unit asset, according to WDSuite’s CRE market data. Position within Dallas County offers durable renter demand from nearby employment centers.
The property sits in an Inner Suburb of the Dallas–Plano–Irving metro with a B neighborhood rating, competitive among 1,108 metro neighborhoods (ranked 434th). Amenity access is a local strength: the area ranks 16th of 1,108 for amenity density and places in the top quartile nationally, with strong coverage of grocery, restaurants, parks, and pharmacies that supports day-to-day convenience and resident retention.
For multifamily fundamentals, neighborhood occupancy is above the metro median (71st percentile nationally), a constructive signal for cash flow consistency. Median contract rents in the immediate neighborhood are lower than the broader 3‑mile area, suggesting relative affordability that can aid lease-up and retention while leaving room for selective value-add repositioning where feasible.
Vintage matters: the asset was constructed in 1973, notably older than the neighborhood’s average 1986 building vintage. Investors should underwrite capital planning for building systems and common-area refresh, balanced against the opportunity to capture rent premiums from targeted renovations and improved curb appeal.
Tenure patterns point to a viable renter base. Within the neighborhood, an estimated 37% of housing units are renter-occupied, while the broader 3‑mile radius shows a higher renter concentration, supporting a deeper tenant pool for multifamily. In the 3‑mile area, population and households have expanded over the past five years and are projected to continue growing, which implies a larger tenant base and supports occupancy stability.
Ownership costs in the neighborhood are relatively high versus incomes (above the national midpoint by value-to-income measures), which tends to reinforce reliance on rental housing and can support pricing power for well-maintained units. School ratings track below national norms, which may temper appeal to some family renters; investors can offset with property-level amenities and service quality to drive lease retention.
Neighborhood-level safety metrics for this area are not available in WDSuite at this time. Investors typically compare city and metro trends, inspect property-level incident histories, and assess lighting, access control, and on-site management practices to gauge resident comfort and retention.
Given the Inner Suburb context within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metro, a prudent approach is to benchmark police-report trends and third-party indices at the neighborhood and adjacent areas, and incorporate proactive measures (camera coverage, visibility, and community standards) into operating plans as needed.
Proximity to major Dallas corporate headquarters underpins commuter demand and supports workforce housing dynamics for Duncanville apartments. The following nearby employers concentrate in telecom, healthcare, engineering, building materials, and energy.
- AT&T — telecommunications HQ (10.6 miles) — HQ
- Tenet Healthcare — healthcare services (10.8 miles) — HQ
- Jacobs Engineering Group — engineering & professional services (10.9 miles) — HQ
- Builders Firstsource — building materials (11.0 miles) — HQ
- Hollyfrontier — energy (11.2 miles) — HQ
401 N Merrill Rd offers an older-vintage (1973) 72‑unit footprint in an Inner Suburb location where amenity access ranks among the strongest in the Dallas–Plano–Irving metro and neighborhood occupancy trends sit above the metro median. According to CRE market data from WDSuite, local rents are generally lower than the broader 3‑mile area, indicating relative affordability that can aid retention today with potential to capture incremental premiums through targeted renovations and improved operations.
Demand fundamentals are reinforced by a higher renter concentration in the surrounding 3‑mile radius and ongoing household growth that expands the tenant base. The vintage profile implies near‑term capital planning for building systems and interiors; however, the combination of commuter access to major Dallas employers and strong neighborhood amenities supports a long‑term thesis centered on occupancy stability and value‑add execution. Key risks include below‑average school ratings and income dispersion in the immediate neighborhood, which call for disciplined underwriting and active asset management.
- Above-metro-median neighborhood occupancy supports cash flow stability
- Amenity-rich Inner Suburb location with strong daily-needs access
- 1973 vintage offers value-add and modernization upside with focused CapEx
- Broader 3-mile area shows renter pool expansion, aiding leasing and retention
- Risks: weaker school ratings and older systems require active management