677 Ellis St

San Francisco, CA 94109

$2,575,000B+

None bd · 14.0 ba · 7,047 sqft · Built 1908 · MultiFamily · Active · 17 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $37,646/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$13,504
• Tax + insurance: −$4,488
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$7,906
• Net cashflow: $11,749/mo
• Annual: $140,985/yr
• Cap rate: 11.77%
• Cash-on-cash: 19.55%
• DSCR: 1.87
• 1% rule: 1.46%
• Cash to close: $721,000

Investor read

• This is a 14 × 1-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $2.58M.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $12k ($141k/yr) — positive. Per door: $839/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($38k rent vs $2.58M).
• It's been on market 17 days — a 2% lower offer ($2.54M) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $2.54M (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $147k of equity ($18k loan paydown + $129k appreciation (5.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 76/100 on livability (#90 in CA, #3,143 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: crime F, cost of living F.
• San Francisco Unified (urban): math 50% / reading 56% proficiency, ranked #322 of 1,400 in CA (top 23%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Lilienthal (Claire) Elementary (669 students, 19% FRL); Giannini (A.P.) Middle (1,192 students, 34% FRL); Lowell High (2,632 students, 37% FRL) — zoned schools average 30% FRL vs 49% district-wide (19 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1908 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+15.6%/yr); 165 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; solid renter incomes; 750 units permitted in San Francisco County in 2024 (688 in 5+ unit buildings).
• San Francisco County population projected at +39% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 9 sale attempts since 2y 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 $1.79M; 44% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• At projected returns (5.0% appreciation + 8.0% rent growth), your $721k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$236k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Cap rate 11.8% vs local median 2.1% in San Francisco — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• 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 1908 — 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 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?
• 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?
• 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.
• 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.