856 21st St

Oakland, CA 94607

$1,150,000B-

6 bd · 4.0 ba · 4,342 sqft · Built 1885 · MultiFamily · Active · 171 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $14,434/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$6,031
• Tax + insurance: −$1,754
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$3,031
• Net cashflow: $3,619/mo
• Annual: $43,422/yr
• Cap rate: 10.07%
• Cash-on-cash: 13.49%
• DSCR: 1.60
• 1% rule: 1.26%
• Cash to close: $322,000

Investor read

• This is a 4 × 7-bed/4.0-bath units multifamily listed at $1.15M.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $4k ($43k/yr) — positive. Per door: $905/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($14k rent vs $1.15M).
• It's been on market 171 days — a 12% lower offer ($1.01M) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $1.01M (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $8k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $34k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 71/100 on livability (#224 in CA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: schools C-, crime F, cost of living F.
• Oakland Unified (urban): math 27% / reading 33% proficiency, ranked #1,007 of 1,400 in CA (top 72%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 68% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Watch-outs: built in 1885 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising (+3.2%/yr); 133 active listings in the ZIP; solid renter incomes; 1,742 units permitted in Alameda County in 2024 (856 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Alameda County population projected at +34% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 6 sale attempts since 22y 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 $629k; list at $1.15M implies a 83% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.2% rent growth), your $322k cash investment doubles in ~9 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 10.1% vs local median 2.4% in Oakland — 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 $14,434/mo this rent would consume 183% of the median local household income ($95k/yr) (locally 2002% 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 171 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% 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 1885 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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.