56 Amherst St

Rochester, NY 14607

$289,900B+

4 bd · 4.0 ba · 2,835 sqft · Built 1925 · MultiFamily · Active · 95 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $4,970/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,520
• Tax + insurance: −$355
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,044
• Net cashflow: $2,051/mo
• Annual: $24,617/yr
• Cap rate: 14.78%
• Cash-on-cash: 30.33%
• DSCR: 2.35
• 1% rule: 1.71%
• Cash to close: $81,172

Investor read

• This is a 3 × 3-bed/4.0-bath units multifamily listed at $290k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($25k/yr) — positive. Per door: $684/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($5k rent vs $290k).
• It's been on market 95 days — a 9% lower offer ($264k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $264k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $9k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#222 in NY, #3,482 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime F, employment F.
• Rochester City School District (urban): math 21% / reading 26% proficiency, ranked #589 of 590 in NY (top 100%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 82% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Joseph C Wilson Foundation Academy (math 8% / reading 17%, grade F, #2,049 of 2,108 statewide, top 98%, 404 students, 91% FRL); East Lower School (math 2% / reading 22%, grade F, #715 of 729 statewide, top 98%, 304 students, 86% FRL); Edison Career And Technology High School (math 44% / reading 50%, grade D-, #1,007 of 1,100 statewide, top 93%, 1,233 students, 91% FRL).
• Watch-outs: built in 1925 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.6%/yr); 79 active listings in the ZIP; 12 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 60d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 83% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 1,169 units permitted in Monroe County in 2024 (591 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Monroe County population projected to shrink 6% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 3 sale attempts since 13y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• Current owner paid $107k; list at $290k implies a 171% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.6% rent growth), your $81k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 14.8% vs local median 7.7% in Rochester — 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.
• This rent per unit runs 33% of the median local income ($60k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 95 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% 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?
• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Built in 1925 — 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 D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Major: Metal roof — Aged and weathered
• Major: Siding — Wear and discoloration
• Major: Landscaping — Sparse and overgrown