530 Columbia Ave · Sunnyvale, CA 94085

$2,080,000

54 bd · 42.0 ba · 4,101 sqft · MultiFamily public records · 45 Days on market

Built 1961 8,646 sqft lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the B+ grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +29.7/30.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• Schools +8.3/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• 1% rule +7.1/10.0
• Appreciation +4.1/10.0
• Livability +4.1/5.0
• Rent growth +4.0/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Multi-family units

County records classify this as Multi-Family (5+ Unit). Listing-text estimate: 6 units. confirmed

5+ unit building — per-unit beds/baths from public records are typically unavailable; the breakdown below (if shown) is an estimate from the listing text.

Listing remarks MLS

530 Columbia Ave is a well-positioned, 6-unit apartment property built in 1961. This asset offers a versatile and highly desirable unit mix, anchored by a spacious three-bedroom, two-bathroom single story owners unit that includes a private two-car attached garage perfect for an owner-occupant or a premium rental. Can be purchased together or separately with the 9 unit apartment property located at 215 Charles St. in Sunnyvale. Also listed on MLS# ML82046338

Key facts

• 8,646 sq ft lot
• 2 garage spots
• Built 1961

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Landscape expense approximately $1,200; Trash expense approximately $5,311; Utility expenses approximately $10,624
• Financial info: Complex contains at least 6 units; Annual rental income approximately $130,356; Annual gross income approximately $127,265; Gross scheduled income approximately $131,201; Other income approximately $845; Total expenses approximately $57,737; Other expenses approximately $1,537; Vacancy factor: 3%; Gross rent multiplier: 15.85; Individual unit rents: 3-bed $2,780; 2-bed $1,506; 1-bed $1,277
• HOA & community: No HOA information provided

Exterior

• Parking: Attached garage; Carport; Covered parking; Off-street parking and on-street parking; Parking area with tandem parking; Two garage spaces plus two-car carport (minimum); One additional parking space
• Security: No security features provided
• Utilities: Public water; Sewer: public; Individual electric and gas meters; Primary water meter and separate electric and gas meters; Public utilities
• Home design: Individual ownership; Zoned R3
• Construction: Concrete perimeter foundation; Single building
• Exterior features: Composition/shingle roof; Cable TV and satellite dish available; Tenants pay utilities for electric, gas, and heating

Interior

• Kitchen: No kitchen appliance details provided
• Bedrooms: One 3-bedroom unit; One 2-bedroom unit; Four 1-bedroom units
• Flooring: Carpet; Laminate; Tile; Vinyl/Linoleum
• Bathrooms: One unit with 2 full bathrooms; One unit with 1 full bathroom; Four units with 1 full bathroom each
• Heating & cooling: Gas heating and wall furnaces; Ceiling fans and window/wall cooling units
• Interior features: Carpet, laminate, tile, and vinyl/linoleum flooring
• Laundry & utility: No laundry appliance details provided

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 6 × 9-bed/7.0-bath units multifamily listed at $2.08M.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $8k ($91k/yr) — positive. Per door: $1k/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($25k rent vs $2.08M).
• Recommended offer: $2.02M (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Cap rate 10.7% vs local median 1.2% in Sunnyvale — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 82/100 on livability (#37 in CA, #1,258 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: cost of living F.
• Fremont Union High (urban): math 87% / reading 91% proficiency, ranked #6 of 517 in CA (top 1%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Zoned schools: Fremont High (math 67% / reading 82%, grade B+, #78 of 1,170 statewide, top 7%, 2,171 students, 23% FRL).
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 74% at this address vs 89% district-wide (-14 pts) — the specific schools serving this property underperform the Fremont Union High average; the district grade overstates school quality for this exact location.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+6.2%/yr); 45 active listings in the ZIP; high-income renter base; 3,838 units permitted in Santa Clara County in 2024 (1,886 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $25,195/mo this rent would consume 157% of the median local household income ($192k/yr) (locally 585% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-1.9%/yr); year-one equity from $14k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $39k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Santa Clara County population projected at +24% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• At projected returns (-1.9% appreciation + 6.2% rent growth), your $582k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 45 days — a 3% lower offer ($2.02M) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• 2 sale attempts 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.

Recommended offer $2,017,600 (3.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 45 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
3. What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
4. Built in 1961 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
5. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
6. Schools are B-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?
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. How much new apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.21% ✓
• Cap rate: 10.66%
• Cash-on-cash: 15.59%
• DSCR: 1.69
• GRM: 6.9

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-1.85% appreciation · 6.17% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 12.8%
• Equity multiple: 1.56×
• Total profit: $328,774
• Equity at exit: $418,383

10-year hold

• IRR: 22.0%
• Equity multiple: 3.33×
• Total profit: $1,358,024
• Equity at exit: $371,386

Cash invested: $582,400 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 18 Strongly Tenant-Friendly
• State California: 18 Strongly Tenant-Friendly · D+13
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

AB1482 statewide rent cap (10% + CPI). Cities (SF/LA/Berkeley) layer stricter rules. Just-cause statewide.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 94085

• Home prices YoY: -0.5%
• Rents YoY: 6.2%
• Active inventory: 45
• Price-to-rent: 41.3×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $25,195 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$10,908
• Tax from tax record: −$561 /mo · $6,735/yr
• Insurance: −$867
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$5,291
• Net cashflow: $7,568

Break-even live

Break-even rent $15,615

Max offer price $2,080,000

Occupancy floor 65%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $8,746	-5% $8,157	+0% $7,568	+5% $6,980	+10% $6,391
Rent	-10% $5,578	-5% $6,573	+0% $7,568	+5% $8,564	+10% $9,559
Rate	-1.0pp $8,616	-0.5pp $8,097	base $7,568	+0.5pp $7,029	+1.0pp $6,481

6-unit breakdown (identical units grouped — click to expand)

Units	Beds	Baths	Est. rent
▸ 6× units	9	7	$25,194
Total (6 units)			$25,195

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $520,000
• Closing costs: $62,400
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 16 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $2,080,000 Active 45 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $2,080,000 Active 42 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $2,080,000 Active 41 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $2,080,000 Active 40 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $2,080,000 Active 39 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $2,080,000 Active 37 DOM
7. 2026-06-09
   days on market $2,080,000 Active 33 DOM
8. 2026-06-08
   days on market $2,080,000 Active 32 DOM
9. 2026-06-07
   days on market $2,080,000 Active 31 DOM
10. 2026-06-05
    days on market $2,080,000 Active 28 DOM
11. 2026-06-03
    days on market $2,080,000 Active 27 DOM
12. 2026-06-02
    days on market $2,080,000 Active 26 DOM
13. 2026-06-01
    days on market $2,080,000 Active 25 DOM
14. 2026-05-31
    days on market $2,080,000 Active 24 DOM
15. 2026-05-08
    listed $2,080,000 Active 462-char remark

    Show marketing remark (462 chars)

    530 Columbia Ave is a well-positioned, 6-unit apartment property built in 1961. This asset offers a versatile and highly desirable unit mix, anchored by a spacious three-bedroom, two-bathroom single story owners unit that includes a private two-car attached garage perfect for an owner-occupant or a premium rental. Can be purchased together or separately with the 9 unit apartment property located at 215 Charles St. in Sunnyvale. Also listed on MLS# ML82046338

16. 2026-05-08
    listed $2,080,000 Active 462-char remark

    Show marketing remark (462 chars)

    530 Columbia Ave is a well-positioned, 6-unit apartment property built in 1961. This asset offers a versatile and highly desirable unit mix, anchored by a spacious three-bedroom, two-bathroom single story owners unit that includes a private two-car attached garage perfect for an owner-occupant or a premium rental. Can be purchased together or separately with the 9 unit apartment property located at 215 Charles St. in Sunnyvale. Also listed on MLS# ML82046338

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast CA · Resets to sale price

• Current annual tax: $6,735 · $561/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $15,808 · $1,317/mo
• Expected delta: +$9,073/yr (+$756/mo · 134.7%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 3/10 Moderate FEMA zone X · 20% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 4/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥92°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 1/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 7/10 Severe 13 unhealthy d/yr today · 13 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $302,340
• − Mortgage interest: −$116,512
• − Property taxes: −$6,735
• − Insurance: −$10,400
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$24,187
• − Management: −$24,187
• − Depreciation: −$60,509
• Taxable income: $59,809
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$14,354
• After-tax cash flow: $76,466/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Fremont Union High
• NCES district ID: 0614430
• Math proficiency: 87% ▲ 9.00%
• Reading proficiency: 91% ▲ 10.00%
• Median HH income: $128,947
• Composite: 82.66/100
• National rank: #20
• State rank: #6 of 517 in CA

Livability — Sunnyvale

• Score: 82/100
• State rank: #37
• US rank: #1258

Category grades

Amenities A+ Commute A+ Cost of living F Crime C+ Employment A+ Housing B Health & safety A+ User ratings C+

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Sunnyvale, CA
• County: Santa Clara County · 1,806,974 people
• City population: 154,236
• Metro: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
• Population (ZIP): 24,024
• Household income: $192,417
• Rent vs Own: 61.9% rent · 38.1% own
• Severe rent burden: 585.0

Population outlook (Santa Clara County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 2,179,074 people
• By 2030: 2,301,297 · +5.6%
• By 2040: 2,528,195 · +16.0%
• By 2050: 2,712,135 · +24.5%
• By 2075: 2,998,701 · +37.6%
• By 2100: 2,931,429 · +34.5%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.65)
• Race & ethnicity: Asian 48% Hispanic / Latino 30% White 17% Two or more races 10%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 24%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 1% Italian 1% Lithuanian 1%
• Foreign-born: 55% · China, Canada, South Korea
• Languages at home: 34% English-only · Spanish 23% Chinese 21% Other Indo-European 7%

Political lean MEDSL · Santa Clara

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+40.0) · D 68.1% · R 28.1% · Other 3.8%
• 2008→2024 swing: -0.9pp no change · 2008: 40.9pp · 2024: 40.0pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+40.0 2020: D+47.4 2016: D+52.5 2012: D+42.1 2008: D+40.9

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -1.85%
• Current HPI: 409.9671
• Rent YoY: ▲ 6.17%
• Metro: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 3.21%
• F500 in state: 116

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in CA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Technology	27	$1,492B
▸Financial Services	3	$174B
▸Retail	3	$44B
▸Insurance	3	$26B
▸Media / Entertainment	2	$115B
▸Pharmaceuticals / Biotech	2	$62B

Price history

+0.0% since first listed

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-08 Listed $2,080,000 bridgeMLS, Bay East AOR, or Contra Costa AOR
• 2026-05-08 Listed $2,080,000 MLSListings

Property tax history

+1.8%/yr

Latest (2025): $6,735 · +3.6% YoY. Source: county tax records.