Established Car Wash with Mechanic
New
For Sale
$3,300,000
1636 West Tilghman Street, Allentown, PA 18102
Established car wash with mechanic shop spaces at a signalized intersection.
Property Size9,400 SF
Days on Market7
Property Features for 1636 West Tilghman Street
General Information
Standard status
Active
Size
9,400 SF
Property subtype
Commercial
Site & Location
Traffic Count
37,000 vehicles/day
Road Access
Yes
Taxes and HOA fees
Annual Taxes
$38,267
Building Details
Building Size
9,400 SF
Year Built
1950
Listing Agency:
Keller Williams Northampton
(610) 867-8888
Listed By:
Shabana Pathan · License #RS307275
Source:
Bhhspaulfordrealtors
Added: Aug 14
Changed: Aug 20
Last Checked: Aug 20 at 8:49AM
Displayed information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All listing content including descriptions, pricing, images are the copyrighted material of Keller Williams Northampton
Investment Insights
Based on property information with market context.
This commercial property combines an operating car wash with mechanic shop spaces. The improvements were built in 1950, and the car wash has remained at this location for approximately 43 years, providing an established automotive-use component.
Located at 1636 West Tilghman Street in Allentown, the property sits at a signalized intersection along a commercial corridor with reported traffic of approximately 37,000 vehicles per day. Continued automotive use is supported by the existing car wash and mechanic spaces, while other commercial applications may be considered subject to zoning, permitting, and municipal approvals.
Located at 1636 West Tilghman Street in Allentown, the property sits at a signalized intersection along a commercial corridor with reported traffic of approximately 37,000 vehicles per day. Continued automotive use is supported by the existing car wash and mechanic spaces, while other commercial applications may be considered subject to zoning, permitting, and municipal approvals.
Key Highlights
- Operating car wash with mechanic shop spaces
- Car wash has operated at the site for approximately 43 years
- Signalized intersection location on West Tilghman Street
Financial Insights
Estimated NOI and Cap Rate
NOI = area × lease_rate × (100 − vacancy) / 100 × (1 − expense_ratio). Net Operating Income — what the owner takes home each year before mortgage payments and income tax. Effective rent (asking rent minus vacancy losses) minus operating costs (taxes, insurance, maintenance, management).
NOI / Yr
$129,269
Cap rate = NOI / list price × 100. Capitalization rate — annual return on a fully cash purchase, before financing. NOI divided by price. Higher means more income per dollar invested, but usually also more risk or older condition. 5–8% is typical for stabilized commercial property; double digits often signal distressed deals.
Cap Rate
3.92%
Suggested Prices Based on Cap Rates
Cap rates vary significantly by property type, market, and asset quality.
Typical U.S. stable-market ranges:
Multifamily — 4.5% to 6.5% (Class A in primary markets often sub-5%; Class C in secondary markets 6%+)
Industrial / Logistics — 5.0% to 7.0% (compressed heavily in recent years due to e-commerce demand)
Office — 6.5% to 9%+ (wide spread post-2020; CBD Class A vs. suburban Class B varies dramatically)
Retail — 5.5% to 8.5% (grocery-anchored on the low end, unanchored strip centers higher)
Hospitality / Hotels — 7.5% to 10%+ (higher due to operational risk)
Self-Storage — 5.5% to 7.5%
Medical Office — 6.0% to 7.5%
Net Lease (single tenant, credit) — 5.0% to 7.0% depending on tenant credit and lease term
Rules of thumb:
Primary markets (NYC, SF, LA, Boston, DC) trade at lower cap rates than secondary/tertiary markets, often by 100–200 bps (bps, aka basis points; 1 bp = 0.01%).
Class A assets trade ~50–150 bps tighter than Class B, and Class B tighter than Class C.
Cap rates move inversely with price — a lower cap rate means a higher price for the same NOI.
Spread to the 10-year Treasury is a common benchmark; historically 200–400 bps over the 10-year.
Cap Rate 5%
$2,585,380
$2.6M
Cap Rate 7%
$1,846,700
$1.8M
Cap Rate 9%
$1,436,322
$1.4M
Market Conditions
NOI Build-Up for 9,400 SF
Vacancy — income lost from leasable area expected to sit empty during the year, subtracted from gross rent.
EGI (Effective Gross Income) — gross rent minus vacancy losses, the realistic income before paying operating costs.
OpEx (Operating Expenses) — recurring costs to operate the property (property tax, insurance, utilities, maintenance, management); excludes financing and capital improvements.
NOI (Net Operating Income) — income a property generates after operating costs but before financing and taxes.
Gross rent
$180.5K $19.20/SF
− Vacancy
−$8.1K −$0.86/SF
EGI
$172.4K $18.34/SF
− OpEx
−$43.1K −$4.58/SF
NOI
$129.3K $13.75/SF
Area
Allentown, PA
Vacancy
4.50%
Lease Rate
$19.20 /SF/Yr
Expense Ratio
25.00%
Simulate Cap Rate and NOI
Suggested Prices Based on Cap Rates
Cap rates vary significantly by property type, market, and asset quality.
Typical U.S. stable-market ranges:
Multifamily — 4.5% to 6.5% (Class A in primary markets often sub-5%; Class C in secondary markets 6%+)
Industrial / Logistics — 5.0% to 7.0% (compressed heavily in recent years due to e-commerce demand)
Office — 6.5% to 9%+ (wide spread post-2020; CBD Class A vs. suburban Class B varies dramatically)
Retail — 5.5% to 8.5% (grocery-anchored on the low end, unanchored strip centers higher)
Hospitality / Hotels — 7.5% to 10%+ (higher due to operational risk)
Self-Storage — 5.5% to 7.5%
Medical Office — 6.0% to 7.5%
Net Lease (single tenant, credit) — 5.0% to 7.0% depending on tenant credit and lease term
Rules of thumb:
Primary markets (NYC, SF, LA, Boston, DC) trade at lower cap rates than secondary/tertiary markets, often by 100–200 bps (bps, aka basis points; 1 bp = 0.01%).
Class A assets trade ~50–150 bps tighter than Class B, and Class B tighter than Class C.
Cap rates move inversely with price — a lower cap rate means a higher price for the same NOI.
Spread to the 10-year Treasury is a common benchmark; historically 200–400 bps over the 10-year.
Cap Rate 5%
$2,585,380
Cap Rate 7%
$1,846,700
Cap Rate 9%
$1,436,322
Alternative Uses
Best Use
Specialty Retail
$1.85M
$1.62M – $2.15M
NOI $129,269 @ 7.0% cap · market cap 3.92%
Second Best
Retail
$1.65M
$1.45M – $1.93M
NOI $115,779 @ 7.0% cap · market cap 3.51%
Theoretical Best
—
—
same as Best Use
Zoning and permitted uses should be independently verified with authorities.
Property Analytics
Property Profile
Current Use
Lease Details
37,000 VPD
Traffic count
Yes
Paved road access
Location Intelligence
Trade Area within ½ mile
1,994
Businesses Nearby
229k
Monthly Visits Nearby
Explore this area
Business Placement
Foot Traffic Nearby
Shops & Services 57%
Dining 31%
Groceries 9%
Electronics 3%
McDonald's
Dining
29,623 visits/mo
0.3 miles
Wawa
Shops & Services
28,943 visits/mo
0.4 miles
Turkey Hill Minit Market
Shops & Services
19,118 visits/mo
0.2 miles
Burger King
Dining
14,384 visits/mo
0.1 miles
Dunkin' Donuts
Dining
12,437 visits/mo
0.3 miles
Demographics for 18102, PA
51,567
Population
18,788
Households
2.7
Avg Household Size
32
Median Age
11%
College-Educated
76%
High-School Grad
3.0 sq mi
ZIP Area
17,189
Density / Sq Mi
$40,681
Median Household Income
$29,501
Median Earnings
$1,224
Median Rent
$146,600
Median Home Value
Market
Vacancy Rate% for Retail in Northeast region
Questions? Ask Rey
Realmo’s AI knows this listing — price, zoning, demand, history. Ask anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of property is this?
Car wash - Established car wash with mechanic shop spaces at a signalized intersection.
Where is this car wash located?
The property is located at 1636 West Tilghman Street Allentown, PA.
What is the asking price?
The asking price for this property is $3,300,000.
What are key features of this property?
This property features: Operating car wash with mechanic shop spaces; Car wash has operated at the site for approximately 43 years; Signalized intersection location on West Tilghman Street
