158 Railroad St · Groton, VT 05046

$199,999

4 bd · 2.5 ba · 3,182 sqft · MultiFamily public records · 5 Days on market

Built 1890 0.43 ac 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 +30.0/30.0
• DSCR +10.0/10.0
• 1% rule +8.1/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Appreciation +6.7/10.0
• Schools +5.0/10.0
• Livability +3.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Multi-family units

County records classify this as Multi-Family (2-4 Unit). Listing-text estimate: 2 units. confirmed

Listing remarks

Motivated sellers are offering this in-town duplex with excellent income-producing potential. The first unit features 2 bedrooms and 1 full bath, highlighted by a spacious living room with soaring cathedral ceilings, a cozy pellet stove, and a unique spiral staircase that adds character and charm. The second unit offers 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths, providing ample living space for tenants or owner-occupants. While the property does need some repairs and updates, including replacement of a portion of the roof, as well as some drywall and flooring work, it presents a great opportunity to build equity and increase value. Situated on a convenient in-town lot close to local amenities, this property

Key facts

• 0.43 acre lot
• 2 garage spots
• Listed 4 days

Property features AI

Finance

• Other:
• Financial info:
• HOA & community:

Exterior

• Parking: Detached or attached 2-car garage capacity
• Security:
• Utilities: Drilled well; 1000-gallon sewer (septic); 200 amp electric service
• Home design: Duplex; Existing structure; White exterior
• Construction: Wood frame with vinyl siding; Standing seam metal roof; Year built: 1
• Exterior features: Located in town; Crushed stone/gravel driveway; Road frontage on a paved public road

Interior

• Kitchen:
• Bedrooms: Two-unit property: one 2-bedroom unit and one 3+ bedroom unit
• Flooring:
• Bathrooms: Two full bathrooms (total for property)
• Heating & cooling: Oil heating; Pellet stove; No central air
• Interior features: Walkout basement with concrete floor
• Laundry & utility:

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 1×3.0bd/1.5ba + 1×2.0bd/1.0ba units multifamily listed at $200k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $792 ($10k/yr) — positive. Per door: $396/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $200k).

Location & tenants

• Location reads 59/100 on livability (#97 in VT) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: crime C-, employment D, health & safety D.
• Market conditions: 11 active listings in the ZIP; 112 units permitted in Caledonia County in 2024 (15 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $8k of equity ($1k loan paydown + $7k appreciation (3.4% local appreciation)).
• Caledonia County population projected at -20% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (3.4% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $56k cash investment doubles in ~4 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 5, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$35k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• Only 5 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1890 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major flood risk — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.

Recommended offer $199,999

Questions for the listing agent

1. Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
2. What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
3. Built in 1890 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
4. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
5. Schools are F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 1.31% ✓
• Cap rate: 11.05%
• Cash-on-cash: 16.98%
• DSCR: 1.76
• GRM: 6.4

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

3.35% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 24.2%
• Equity multiple: 2.40×
• Total profit: $78,253
• Equity at exit: $93,883

10-year hold

• IRR: 24.7%
• Equity multiple: 4.63×
• Total profit: $203,291
• Equity at exit: $147,837

Cash invested: $56,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 41 Moderately Tenant-Leaning
• State Vermont: 41 Moderately Tenant-Leaning · D+15
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Just-cause in Burlington (2022); strong habitability.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 05046

• Home prices YoY: 2.0%
• Active inventory: 11
• Price-to-rent: 12.2×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,613 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,049
• Tax from tax record: −$140 /mo · $1,676/yr
• Insurance: −$83
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$549
• Net cashflow: $792

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,610

Max offer price $199,999

Occupancy floor 65%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $906	-5% $849	+0% $792	+5% $736	+10% $679
Rent	-10% $586	-5% $689	+0% $792	+5% $896	+10% $999
Rate	-1.0pp $893	-0.5pp $843	base $792	+0.5pp $741	+1.0pp $688

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

Units	Beds	Baths	Est. rent
1× unit	3.0	1.5	$1,371
1× unit	2.0	1	$1,243
Total (2 units)			$2,613

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: $50,000
• Closing costs: $6,000
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 5 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $199,999 Active 5 DOM
2. 2026-06-19
   days on market $199,999 Active 3 DOM
3. 2026-06-18
   days on market $199,999 Active 2 DOM
4. 2026-06-17
   remarks 699-char remark
5. 2026-06-17
   listed $199,999 Active 1 DOM

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

Tax reassessment forecast VT · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,676 · $140/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,738 · $228/mo
• Expected delta: +$1,062/yr (+$88/mo · 63.4%)

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 6/10 Major FEMA zone X · 72% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 2/10 Low 8 d/yr ≥90°F today · 18 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 3% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $31,356
• − Mortgage interest: −$11,203
• − Property taxes: −$1,676
• − Insurance: −$1,000
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$2,508
• − Management: −$2,508
• − Depreciation: −$5,818
• Taxable income: $6,642
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$1,594
• After-tax cash flow: $7,915/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)

No district data.

Livability — Groton

• Score: 59/100
• State rank: #97
• US rank: #19904

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Groton, VT
• Population (ZIP): 1,234

Population outlook (Caledonia County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 29,828 people
• By 2030: 28,820 · -3.4%
• By 2040: 26,262 · -12.0%
• By 2050: 23,780 · -20.3%
• By 2075: 18,516 · -37.9%
• By 2100: 13,647 · -54.2%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (93%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 93% Two or more races 5%
• Common ancestry: Slovak 7% Lithuanian 6% Romanian 3%
• Foreign-born: 4%
• Languages at home: 97% English-only · Other Indo-European 1% Spanish 1% French/Haitian/Cajun 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Caledonia

• 2024 margin: D (+12.4) · D 54.5% · R 42.0% · Other 3.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: -10.8pp toward R · 2008: 23.3pp · 2024: 12.4pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+12.4 2020: D+15.2 2016: D+7.0 2012: D+22.9 2008: D+23.3

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 3.35%
• Current HPI: 173.4355
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

1 event — show timeline

• 2026-06-17 Listed $199,999 PrimeMLS

Property tax history

-2.9%/yr

Latest (2024): $1,676 · +9.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.