49 Brenton Ter

Pittsfield, MA 01201

$239,000C

4 bd · 1.5 ba · 2,528 sqft · Built 1900 · SingleFamily · Pending · 21 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,400/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,253
• Tax + insurance: −$398
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$504
• Net cashflow: $244/mo
• Annual: $2,931/yr
• Cap rate: 7.52%
• Cash-on-cash: 4.38%
• DSCR: 1.19
• 1% rule: 1.00%
• Cash to close: $66,920

Investor read

• This is a 4-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $239k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $244 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $239k).
• It's been on market 21 days — a 2% lower offer ($235k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $235k (1.5% 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 $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 75/100 on livability (#70 in MA, #3,820 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment C-, amenities D+, crime D.
• Pittsfield (urban): math 19% / reading 34% proficiency, ranked #272 of 302 in MA (top 90%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Stearns (math 32% / reading 52%, grade F, #462 of 938 statewide, top 52%, 234 students, 0% FRL); John T Reid Middle (math 7% / reading 17%, grade F, #283 of 305 statewide, top 93%, 450 students, 0% FRL); Taconic High (math 27% / reading 37%, grade F, #255 of 343 statewide, top 77%, 860 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 50% district-wide (50 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.7%/yr); 278 active listings in the ZIP; 130 units permitted in Berkshire County in 2024 (10 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Berkshire County population projected at -24% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 7.7% rent growth), your $67k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 7.5% vs local median 4.0% in Pittsfield — 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 runs 41% of the median local income ($71k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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?
• Crime grade is D 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?
• What's the average days-on-market for RENTAL listings here right now (not sales)? A rising rental-DOM trend means longer vacancies and softer asking-rent achievability than the comps imply.
• What's the recent tenant-quality profile in this submarket — average credit score on applications, eviction rate, late-payment / NSF rate, and stable-employment percentage? A property-management company in the area should have these aggregated.
• How much new for-sale + rental construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply typically softens prices + rents 12–24 months out; constrained supply supports both.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Moderate: Kitchen cabinets — Dated appearance
• Moderate: Bathtub and fixtures — Appears dated
• Minor: Exterior siding — Weathered
• Minor: Landscaping — Overgrown and in need of maintenance