126 Jones Ave

New Brunswick, NJ 08846

$535,000C

None bd · None ba · 1,485 sqft · Built 1920 · MultiFamily · Active · 9 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $6,461/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,806
• Tax + insurance: −$892
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,357
• Net cashflow: $1,407/mo
• Annual: $16,883/yr
• Cap rate: 9.45%
• Cash-on-cash: 11.27%
• DSCR: 1.50
• 1% rule: 1.21%
• Cash to close: $149,800

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 3-bed/1.5-bath units multifamily listed at $535k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $1k ($17k/yr) — positive. Per door: $703/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($6k rent vs $535k).
• Only 9 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $4k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $16k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 75/100 on livability (#154 in NJ, #3,986 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment C-, schools F, crime F.
• New Brunswick School District (urban): math 4% / reading 23% proficiency, ranked #463 of 472 in NJ (top 98%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 78% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Watch-outs: built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 18 active listings in the ZIP; 26 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 0d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,971 units permitted in Middlesex County in 2024 (1,193 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Middlesex County population projected at +15% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $150k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→15/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 9.4% vs local median 3.9% in New Brunswick — 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.

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?
• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• 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 F-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 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?
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Major: Kitchen cabinets — Old and outdated
• Major: Kitchen countertops — Worn and outdated
• Major: Bathroom fixtures — Dated and worn
• Moderate: Exterior siding — Weathered and discolored
• Minor: Landscaping — Some overgrown vegetation