5 bd · 3.0 ba ·
1,733 sqft ·
Built 1926
· MultiFamily
· Active
· 41 DOM
Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)
Estimated rent
$6,357/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
−$3,986
Tax + insurance
−$1,267
HOA
−$0
Vac / Maint / Mgmt
−$1,335
Net cashflow
$-230/mo
Annual
$-2,762/yr
Cap rate
5.93%
Cash-on-cash
-1.30%
DSCR
0.94
1% rule
0.84%
Cash to close
$212,800
Investor read
This is a 5-bed/3.0-bath multifamily listed at $760k. Condition is rated fair.
At list price, monthly cash flow is $-230 ($-3k/yr) — negative.
To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $727k (4.4% below list).
To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $636k (16.4% below list).
It's been on market 41 days — a 3% lower offer ($737k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
Recommended offer: $636k (16.4% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
In year one you build about $28k of equity ($5k loan paydown + $23k appreciation (3.0% local appreciation)).
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: 2 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.
2 sale attempts 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 $274k; list at $760k implies a 177% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$46k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
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 5.9% 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.
Questions for listing agent
What do current leases actually rent for vs. the listed asking? Can we see a recent rent roll and the last 12 months of T-12 income?
It's been on market 41 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 16% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
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?
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?
Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)
Minor: Kitchen cabinets
— Cabinets show some wear and tear.