48 Brown St

Pittsfield, MA 01201

$65,000D+

12 bd · 5.0 ba · 4,032 sqft · Built 1920 · MultiFamily · Active · 11 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $7,279/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$341
• Tax + insurance: −$101
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,529
• Net cashflow: $5,308/mo
• Annual: $63,701/yr
• Cap rate: 104.29%
• Cash-on-cash: 350.00%
• DSCR: 16.57
• 1% rule: 11.20%
• Cash to close: $18,200

Investor read

• This is a 4 × 3-bed/1.2-bath units multifamily listed at $65k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $5k ($64k/yr) — positive. Per door: $1k/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($7k rent vs $65k).
• Only 11 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $449 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $2k 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+, schools 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.
• Watch-outs: built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.7%/yr); 276 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.
• 3 sale attempts since 11y 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 $19k; list at $65k implies a 242% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 7.7% rent growth), your $18k cash investment doubles in ~1 year — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 104.3% vs local median 3.6% 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.
• At $7,279/mo this rent would consume 123% of the median local household income ($71k/yr) (locally 1580% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• 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 1920 — 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?
• The area grade is low — what's the realistic commute time and amenity access for the typical tenant pool here? Any planned neighborhood developments (good or bad) we should know about?
• 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.