28 Waverly St

Potsdam, NY 13676

$165,000D-

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,188 sqft · Built 1920 · SingleFamily · Pending · 4 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,450/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$865
• Tax + insurance: −$499
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$304
• Net cashflow: $-218/mo
• Annual: $-2,620/yr
• Cap rate: 4.70%
• Cash-on-cash: -5.67%
• DSCR: 0.75
• 1% rule: 0.88%
• Cash to close: $46,200

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $165k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-218 ($-3k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $126k (23.4% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $145k (12.1% below list).
• Only 4 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Recommended offer: $126k (23.4% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.
• In year one you build about $18k of equity ($1k loan paydown + $16k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 75/100 on livability (#249 in NY, #3,908 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, cost of living A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime F, commute F, employment F.
• Potsdam Central School District (town): math 53% / reading 66% proficiency, ranked #258 of 590 in NY (top 44%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Lawrence Avenue Elementary School (math 72% / reading 72%, grade A-, #378 of 2,108 statewide, top 20%, 551 students, 39% FRL); A A Kingston Middle School (math 27% / reading 54%, grade F, #409 of 729 statewide, top 56%, 368 students, 40% FRL); Potsdam Senior High School (math 92% / reading 92%, grade A+, #171 of 1,100 statewide, top 18%, 372 students, 37% FRL) — zoned schools at 39% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.1% of price; built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 118 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 215 units permitted in St. Lawrence County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• St. Lawrence County population projected at -14% 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 $130k; 27% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• By year 3, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$45k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Questions for listing agent

• What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
• Built in 1920 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• 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?
• 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.