36 Layer Ave · Buffalo, NY 14207

$179,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,040 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 93 Days on market

Built 1927 3,120 sqft lot Est $185k · at est.

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Why this score? — see what drove the D+ 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 +14.8/30.0
• ARV discount +9.0/15.0
• DSCR +4.5/10.0
• Rent growth +4.5/5.0
• Livability +3.9/5.0
• Schools +3.3/10.0
• 1% rule +2.8/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Welcome to 36 Layer Ave a beautifully updated home in Buffalo’s desirable Black Rock neighborhood! Step inside and be greeted by fresh new flooring and paint throughout, creating a bright and inviting atmosphere. The home features new drywalls, and an updated kitchen with refreshed cabinets, offering both style and functionality. Major improvements include a newer roof, new garage roof and siding, and a new driveway, giving you peace of mind and great curb appeal. The living and dining spaces are filled with natural light, making it perfect for everyday living or entertaining guests. Enjoy a covered front porch for relaxing evenings and a private backyard for outdoor gatherings. Conve

Key facts

• Covered front porch
• New garage roof
• Newer roof

Tags

• UPDATED KITCHEN
• NEWER ROOF
• NEW GARAGE ROOF
• NEW DRIVEWAY
• COVERED FRONT PORCH
• PRIVATE BACKYARD

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $179k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $50 ($603/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $140k (21.9% below list).
• Recommended offer: $140k (21.9% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 77/100 on livability (#195 in NY, #3,011 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime F, employment D-.
• Buffalo City School District (urban): math 41% / reading 40% proficiency, ranked #535 of 590 in NY (top 91%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 75% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: International School (math 8% / reading 17%, grade F, #2,048 of 2,108 statewide, top 97%, 981 students, 92% FRL); Hutchinson Central Technical High School (math 96% / reading 32%, grade B-, #807 of 1,100 statewide, top 73%, 1,175 students, 78% FRL).
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+8.2%/yr); 199 active listings in the ZIP; 33 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 26d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 1,244 units permitted in Erie County in 2024 (563 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 42% of the median local income ($40k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 93 days — a 9% lower offer ($163k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Current owner paid $30k; list at $179k implies a 497% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1927 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $139,886 (21.9% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 93 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 22% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Built in 1927 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
3. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. 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?
6. 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?
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 for-sale + rental construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply typically softens prices + rents 12–24 months out; constrained supply supports both.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 0.78% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.63%
• Cash-on-cash: 1.20%
• DSCR: 1.05
• GRM: 10.7

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $185,120
• Comps found: 12

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
36 Layer Ave	0.00mi	3/1.0	1,040 (0%)	1mo	$185,000	$178	100
5 Ruhl Ave	0.09mi	3/1.0	964 (-7%)	0mo	$234,100	$243	84
242 Hoover Ave	0.41mi	3/1.0	1,035 (-0%)	6mo	$227,500	$220	75
34 Race St	0.20mi	2/1.0 (-1)	960 (-8%)	4mo	$158,500	$165	70
56 Gallatin Ave	0.69mi	3/1.5	1,052 (+1%)	2mo	$178,000	$169	62
212 Hinman Ave	0.59mi	4/1.0 (+1)	1,008 (-3%)	7mo	$275,000	$273	56
145 Hoover Ave	0.49mi	3/2.0	1,143 (+10%)	2mo	$155,000	$136	55
446 Victoria Blvd	0.61mi	3/1.0	1,144 (+10%)	2mo	$265,000	$232	53
133 Mayer Ave	0.60mi	3/1.0	1,134 (+9%)	6mo	$195,000	$172	52
268 Riverside Ave	0.60mi	3/1.0	936 (-10%)	5mo	$150,000	$160	51
384 Mang Ave	0.55mi	3/1.0	1,155 (+11%)	7mo	$267,000	$231	50
82 Beatrice Ave	0.63mi	3/1.0	1,166 (+12%)	2mo	$165,000	$142	48

Match score weights: distance 35% · size 25% · config 20% · recency 20%. Top-matched comps best support the ARV.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 8.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -9.7%
• Equity multiple: 0.63×
• Total profit: $-18,503
• Equity at exit: $26,689

10-year hold

• IRR: 4.8%
• Equity multiple: 1.42×
• Total profit: $21,287
• Equity at exit: $15,477

Cash invested: $50,120 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 15 Strongly Tenant-Friendly
• State New York: 15 Strongly Tenant-Friendly · D+10
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

NYC rent stabilization (~1M units); 2019 HSTPA strengthened tenant rights; courts deeply backlogged.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 14207

• Home prices YoY: -18.9%
• Rents YoY: 8.2%
• Active inventory: 199
• Price-to-rent: 10.7×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,399 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$939
• Tax from tax record: −$42 /mo · $499/yr
• Insurance: −$75
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$294
• Net cashflow: $50

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,335

Max offer price $179,000

Occupancy floor 91%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $152	-5% $101	+0% $50	+5% $0	+10% $-51
Rent	-10% $-60	-5% $-5	+0% $50	+5% $106	+10% $161
Rate	-1.0pp $140	-0.5pp $96	base $50	+0.5pp $4	+1.0pp $-43

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: $44,750
• Closing costs: $5,370
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 33 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
480 W Hazeltine Ave Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	989	$1,900	$1.92	25d	1	0.36mi
68 Laforce Pl Unit U Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	900	$1,099	$1.22	45d	1	0.39mi
134 Philadelphia St Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	871	$1,100	$1.26	5d	1	0.41mi
15 Beatrice Ave Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	950	$1,150	$1.21	16d	1	0.49mi
356 Hertel Ave Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.5	800	$2,300	$2.88	4d	1	0.60mi
239 Crowley Ave Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	966	$1,025	$1.06	5d	1	0.62mi
118 Rano St Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1050	$1,200	$1.14	23d	1	0.62mi
2075 Kenmore Ave Unit 611 Buffalo, NY	2.0	2.0	981	$1,950	$1.99	3d	1	0.64mi
158 Chadduck Ave Buffalo, NY	4.0	1.0	1200	$1,250	$1.04	25d	1	0.78mi
62 Seabrook St Buffalo, NY	4.0	1.0	1300	$2,000	$1.54	3d	1	0.80mi
72 Reservation St Unit 2 Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	950	$1,150	$1.21	25d	1	0.85mi
155 Germain St Apt 1 Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	1000	$1,000	$1.00	12d	1	0.86mi
293 Grote St Buffalo, NY	1.0–2.0	1.0–2.0	817	$2,345	$2.87	3d	1	0.94mi
2522 Delaware Ave Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1150	$1,625	$1.41	3d	1	1.00mi
68 Peter St Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	900	$900	$1.00	25d	1	1.00mi
62 Germain St Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1320	$1,250	$0.95	25d	1	1.03mi
15 Ontario St Unit 1 Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1000	$1,500	$1.50	3d	1	1.06mi
2449 Delaware Ave Unit Upper Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	772	$1,200	$1.55	45d	1	1.06mi
244 Hartwell Rd Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1250	$1,500	$1.20	5d	1	1.10mi
1558 Elmwood Ave Unit 4 Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	800	$1,100	$1.38	45d	1	1.14mi
139 Fordham Dr Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1453	$1,700	$1.17	25d	1	1.19mi
20 Avery Ave Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	1000	$1,300	$1.30	16d	1	1.19mi
2099 Niagara St Unit A Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	1000	$1,197	$1.20	45d	1	1.20mi
237 W Girard Blvd Buffalo, NY	4.0	1.5	1329	$4,000	$3.01	25d	1	1.26mi
77 Lovering Ave #2 Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1450	$1,895	$1.31	45d	1	1.35mi
3113 Delaware Ave Unit 1 Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	1083	$1,200	$1.11	25d	1	1.40mi
140 Commonwealth Ave Unit 1 Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1250	$3,500	$2.80	45d	1	1.41mi
324 Crestwood Ave Apt 2 Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	1016	$1,500	$1.48	16d	1	1.44mi
88 Commonwealth Ave Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1355	$1,695	$1.25	21d	1	1.44mi
52 Kenwood Rd Unit 1 Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	1100	$1,250	$1.14	25d	1	1.44mi
52 Somerton Ave Unit Upper Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	900	$1,200	$1.33	25d	1	1.46mi
79 Commonwealth Ave Buffalo, NY	3.0	1.0	1450	$1,600	$1.10	25d	1	1.48mi
2022 Delaware Ave Unit 5 Buffalo, NY	2.0	1.0	725	$1,250	$1.72	45d	1	1.49mi

Listing history 3 events

1. 2026-01-15
   status Pending
2. 2025-10-13
   listed $179,000 Active
3. 2004-02-09
   soldstatus $30,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast NY · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $499 · $42/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,762 · $147/mo
• Expected delta: +$1,263/yr (+$105/mo · 253.2%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥92°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 1/10 Low
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 4 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $16,786
• − Mortgage interest: −$10,027
• − Property taxes: −$499
• − Insurance: −$895
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,343
• − Management: −$1,343
• − Depreciation: −$5,207
• Taxable loss: −$2,527
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$607
• After-tax cash flow: $1,210/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: Buffalo City School District
• NCES district ID: 3605850
• Math proficiency: 41% ▲ 11.00%
• Reading proficiency: 40% ▲ 7.00%
• Median HH income: $31,665
• Composite: 33.17/100
• National rank: #5544
• State rank: #535 of 590 in NY

Livability — Buffalo

• Score: 77/100
• State rank: #195
• US rank: #3011

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Buffalo, NY
• County: Erie County · 714,559 people
• City population: 440,021
• Metro: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
• Population (ZIP): 26,327
• Household income: $39,753
• Rent vs Own: 65.0% rent · 35.0% own
• Severe rent burden: 2177.0

Population outlook (Erie County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 933,037 people
• By 2030: 935,181 · +0.2%
• By 2040: 928,531 · -0.5%
• By 2050: 905,725 · -2.9%
• By 2075: 834,037 · -10.6%
• By 2100: 708,033 · -24.1%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Highly diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.74)
• Race & ethnicity: White 40% Hispanic / Latino 23% Black 16% Asian 15% Two or more races 14%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Puerto Rican 18% Dominican 2%
• Common ancestry: Romanian 8% Portuguese 1% Arab 1%
• Foreign-born: 19% · Philippines, Canada, India
• Languages at home: 65% English-only · Spanish 14% Other Asian/Pacific 10% Other Indo-European 5%

Political lean MEDSL · Erie

• 2024 margin: Lean D (+9.7) · D 54.8% · R 45.2%
• 2008→2024 swing: -7.9pp toward R · 2008: 17.5pp · 2024: 9.7pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+9.7 2020: D+14.7 2016: D+4.8 2012: D+15.6 2008: D+17.5

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -54.42%
• Current HPI: 233.0902
• Rent YoY: ▲ 8.19%
• Metro: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.60%
• F500 in state: 92

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in NY)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Financial Services	10	$950B
▸Consumer Goods	9	$162B
▸Insurance	4	$225B
▸Telecommunications	2	$144B
▸Pharmaceuticals	2	$112B
▸Media / Entertainment	2	$69B

Price history

+496.7% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-01-15 Pending — WNYREIS
• 2025-10-13 Listed $179,000 WNYREIS
• 2004-02-09 Sold (Public Records) $30,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+7.6%/yr

Latest (2025): $499 · +0.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.