168-174 Elm St

Pittsfield, MA 01201

$579,900D+

12 bd · 18.0 ba · 5,640 sqft · Built 1910 · MultiFamily · Active · 341 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $5,385/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$3,041
• Tax + insurance: −$966
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,131
• Net cashflow: $247/mo
• Annual: $2,959/yr
• Cap rate: 6.80%
• Cash-on-cash: 1.82%
• DSCR: 1.08
• 1% rule: 0.93%
• Cash to close: $162,372

Investor read

• This is a 4 × 1-bed/1-bath units multifamily listed at $580k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $247 ($3k/yr) — positive. Per door: $62/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $538k (7.1% below list).
• It's been on market 341 days — a 12% lower offer ($510k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $510k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $4k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $17k 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: Egremont (math 37% / reading 52%, grade F, #421 of 938 statewide, top 48%, 382 students, 0% FRL); Theodore Herberg Middle (math 17% / reading 34%, grade F, #232 of 305 statewide, top 76%, 496 students, 0% FRL); Pittsfield High (math 32% / reading 57%, grade F, #203 of 343 statewide, top 60%, 651 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 1910 — 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.
• 5 sale attempts since 5y 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.
• Cap rate 6.8% vs local median 3.7% 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 $5,385/mo this rent would consume 91% 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

• It's been on market 341 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% 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?
• Built in 1910 — 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?
• 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?