Brief #01
Assumable shortlist #01
6855 Manzanita Ave. Keep, with conditions.
6855 Manzanita Avenue in Twentynine Palms is the first keep on my assumable shortlist. One VA loan at 2.7 percent, a gap of $23,655, and about $344 a month of cash flow before vacancy and repairs. The verdict is keep, pass with conditions. This is an illustrative screen. It is not an offer to buy or sell the house, and it is not a promise of profit.
I am Joe Homs, designated broker of Pellego, California DRE #00702131. I have 50+ years in this market, 600+ closed transactions, and 8 books. 350 people are licensed with Pellego, Inc. I screened this house on October 31, 2026, Pacific time. The index of briefs is the assumable shortlist. The book is Assuming Advantage.
The house
| Address | 6855 Manzanita Ave, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 |
|---|---|
| MLS | MLS# JT25070679 · Active · San Bernardino County / CRMLS · about 532 days on market |
| Property | Single-family · 4 bedrooms / 2 bathrooms · 1,682 sf · built 2011 |
| HOA | $0 |
| List price | $330,500 |
| Screen date | October 31, 2026 (Pacific time) |
The loan and the carry
One VA loan. The rate is 2.7 percent. The balance on the screen is $306,845. Principal and interest is $1,407.67 a month. The gap is the list price minus that balance: $330,500 minus $306,845 is $23,655.
Market rent on the screen is $2,165 a month. Tax is about $302.96 a month, from 1.1 percent of the list price divided by 12. The insurance estimate is $110.17 a month, from 0.4 percent of the list price divided by 12. HOA is $0. Cash flow is rent, minus tax, minus insurance, minus HOA, minus principal and interest: about $344 a month. That figure is before vacancy and capital expenses.
| Assumable loan | Single VA · 2.7% · balance $306,845 · principal and interest $1,407.67 per month |
|---|---|
| Gap | $23,655 (list price $330,500 minus balance $306,845) |
| Market rent | $2,165 per month |
| Tax | About $302.96 per month (1.1% of list price, divided by 12) |
| Insurance | Estimate $110.17 per month (0.4% of list price, divided by 12) |
| HOA | $0 |
| Cash flow | About +$344 per month before vacancy and capital expenses |
Verdict
KEEP — pass-with-conditions. On the October 31, 2026 screen, this was the property that cleared every element I was using: a VA loan, a single-family house, one lien, a price at or under $500,000, at least 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, a rate under 4 percent, positive cash flow, a gap inside the $0 to $100,000 band, and an active CRMLS listing. A rate under 3 percent on a 2011 house, with $23,655 to close the gap, is the profile this shortlist exists to find. About $344 a month before vacancy and repairs is the cushion. I would not move it to an offer until the conditions below are checked.
Conditions
- About 532 days on market is a flag, not a feature. Ask the listing agent why it has not sold. The reason may be the lender’s assumption timeline, the seller’s VA entitlement (a non-veteran who assumes the loan can leave that entitlement tied up), the condition, or the price. Use the stale listing as leverage on price and terms.
- Re-verify the loan balance and the servicer. Order the lender’s payoff and assumption package. The $23,655 gap is only as good as the current balance.
- Validate the rent. The $2,165 market rent has to hold against Twentynine Palms comps and against basic allowance for housing. Underwrite vacancy at 8 percent and capital expenses at 5 percent. The carry is then roughly breakeven, and that result is still inside the screen.
- Get a real insurance quote. This is high-desert country, with wildfire and wind. The 0.4 percent estimate may be light. Do not treat $110.17 a month as the premium until a carrier prices the house.
What this screen left off
Three kinds of properties came off the list, so the keep file stays a keep file.
- Charger Court in Hemet. The cash flow was negative.
- Lausanne Drive in Crestline. Short sale, and underwater.
- Properties whose gap was acceptable and that had more than one lien. I am preferring a single loan. A second lien adds cash and complexity.
Brief #02 is 21903 Esaws in Apple Valley. The carry on that one is thin. I will not publish an address that is still unverified.
Source
SoCal VA assumable MLS-verified workbook, about October 26, 2026. I screened the file on October 31, 2026. County and MLS: San Bernardino County, CRMLS, MLS# JT25070679, status Active, about 532 days on market.
Read this with the brief
Start with assumable mortgage basics and the VA assumable mortgage requirements. The longer treatment is Assuming Advantage. The rest of how I work with investors is on the investors page.
How to reach me
Work: (949) 625-4533. Direct cell: (949) 394-0149. Open daily, 9 AM to 8 PM. The office is at 23121 Verdugo Dr #100, Laguna Hills, CA 92653.
This brief is an illustrative underwriting screen. It is not an offer to sell or buy 6855 Manzanita Ave. It is not a solicitation of the listing. It is not legal advice or tax advice. It is not a promise of profit. The rent, tax, insurance, balance, and days on market can change. A buyer has to qualify with the lender and with the VA. Verify every figure yourself before you write an offer.
The record
- 50+ years in Orange County real estate. Licensed since 1977.
- 600+ closed transactions.
- 4.9 from 63 Google reviews.
- 350 Pellego team members, licensed with Pellego, Inc.
- Author of 8 real estate books.
- My license is DRE #00702131. Pellego, Inc. corporation license is DRE #02043232.
- Work (949) 625-4533. Direct cell (949) 394-0149.
- Office: 23121 Verdugo Dr #100, Laguna Hills, CA 92653. Open daily, 9 AM to 8 PM.
Questions
What is the verdict on 6855 Manzanita Ave?
Keep, pass with conditions. On the October 31, 2026 screen it was the property that cleared the list: single VA loan, single-family house, rate under 4 percent, positive cash flow, gap inside the band, and active in CRMLS. I would not move it to an offer until the conditions on this page are checked.
Why does about 532 days on market matter?
About 532 days on market is a flag, not a feature. Ask the listing agent why it has not sold. The reason may be the lender’s assumption timeline, the seller’s VA entitlement if a non-veteran assumes the loan, the condition, or the price. Use the stale listing as leverage on price and terms.
What happens to the cash flow after vacancy and repairs?
The screen cash flow is about $344 a month: rent of $2,165, minus tax of about $302.96, an insurance estimate of $110.17, HOA of $0, and principal and interest of $1,407.67. Underwrite vacancy at 8 percent and capital expenses at 5 percent and the carry is roughly breakeven. That result is still inside the screen. It is not a promise of profit.
Are you offering to sell or buy this listing?
No. This page is an illustrative underwriting screen. It is not an offer to sell or buy 6855 Manzanita Ave, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277. It is not a solicitation of the listing. It is not legal or tax advice. The numbers can change. A buyer has to qualify with the lender and with the VA. Verify the balance, the rent, the tax, and the insurance yourself.
How do I talk to you about this house?
Call the work line at (949) 625-4533 or my direct cell at (949) 394-0149. I am Joe Homs, designated broker of Pellego, California DRE #00702131. The office is at 23121 Verdugo Dr #100, Laguna Hills, CA 92653. The first meeting is free.
Free investor consultation
Ask me about Manzanita.
The conditions are the work.
I will not treat this as an offer until the days on market, the payoff, the rent, and the insurance are checked. The first meeting is free.