4 bd · 4.0 ba ·
2,486 sqft ·
Built 1943
· MultiFamily
· Active
· 263 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$18,981/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$3,330
Tax + insurance
−$949
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$3,986
Net cashflow
$10,716/mo
Annual
$128,589/yr
Cap rate
26.54%
Cash-on-cash
72.32%
DSCR
4.22
1% rule
2.99%
Cash to close
$177,800
Investor read
This is a 4 × 4-bed/4.0-bath units multifamily listed at $635k.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $11k ($129k/yr) — positive. Per door: $3k/mo.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($19k rent vs $635k).
It's been on market 263 days — a 12% lower offer ($559k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $559k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $4k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $19k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 77/100 on livability (#74 in CA, #2,860 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: crime F, cost of living F.
Berkeley Unified (urban): math 61% / reading 67% proficiency, ranked #175 of 1,400 in CA (top 12%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
Zoned schools: Malcolm X Elementary (459 students, 29% FRL); Martin Luther King Middle (871 students, 20% FRL); Berkeley High (math 74% / reading 98%, grade A, #25 of 1,170 statewide, top 2%, 3,204 students, 23% FRL).
Zoned-school proficiency averages 86% at this address vs 64% district-wide (+22 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Berkeley Unified average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
Watch-outs: built in 1943 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.6%/yr); 44 active listings in the ZIP; 11 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 8d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); solid renter incomes; 1,742 units permitted in Alameda County in 2024 (856 in 5+ unit buildings).
Alameda County population projected at +34% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
Current owner paid $334k; list at $635k implies a 90% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.6% rent growth), your $178k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
Cap rate 26.5% vs local median 2.0% in Berkeley — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.
At $18,981/mo this rent would consume 228% of the median local household income ($100k/yr) (locally 1183% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.
Questions for listing agent
It's been on market 263 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
Built in 1943 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
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 A-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?
Crime grade is F in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
CashFlowRE · CFR-2B38XQ5NKQSG8W
· Data 3 h agocashflowre.app · 2026-05-29