12 bd · 4.0 ba ·
3,506 sqft ·
Built 1926
· MultiFamily
· Under Contract
· 45 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$10,395/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$4,714
Tax + insurance
−$1,498
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$2,183
Net cashflow
$1,999/mo
Annual
$23,991/yr
Cap rate
8.96%
Cash-on-cash
9.53%
DSCR
1.42
1% rule
1.16%
Cash to close
$251,720
Investor read
This is a 4 × 3-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $899k. Condition is rated average.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($24k/yr) — positive. Per door: $500/mo.
The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
Meets the 1% rule at list price ($10k rent vs $899k).
It's been on market 45 days — a 3% lower offer ($872k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $872k (3.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $6k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $27k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
Location reads 69/100 on livability (#277 in NJ) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, health & safety B+; Watch: amenities D+, schools D-, crime D-.
Elizabeth Public Schools (suburban): math 9% / reading 33% proficiency, ranked #430 of 472 in NJ (top 91%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 74% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
Watch-outs: built in 1926 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
Market conditions: Rents falling (-6.0%/yr); 10 active listings in the ZIP; 1,749 units permitted in Union County in 2024 (1,421 in 5+ unit buildings).
Union County population projected at +17% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
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 9.0% vs local median 2.4% in Elizabeth — 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 $10,395/mo this rent would consume 208% of the median local household income ($60k/yr) (locally 2200% 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 45 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 3% 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 1926 — 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?
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)
Minor: Kitchen cabinets
— Dated appearance suggests they could be replaced or updated.
Minor: Paint touch-ups
— Faded paint in some areas indicates touch-ups are needed.