540 Niagara St · Utica, NY 13501

$144,900

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,268 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 243 Days on market

Built 1940 Fair condition 2,088 sqft lot $114/sqft · 32% below area Est $212k · 32% under ↓ 3% since listing

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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 +24.1/30.0
• ARV discount +15.0/15.0
• Appreciation +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +7.8/10.0
• 1% rule +6.2/10.0
• Schools +4.7/10.0
• Livability +4.0/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.2/5.0

Listing remarks MLS

This inviting corner home sits on a generous double lot in an established residential area known for its peaceful setting and well-kept properties. The oversized driveway offers abundant parking, and the location provides excellent access to Downtown Utica, the NYS Thruway, Route 5S, the North–South Arterial, and is just minutes from the new dog park and TR Proctor Park. The owner has enjoyed nearly 20 years here, and it shows. The spacious yard is ideal for everyday living, while the home’s location places you close to hospitals, colleges, restaurants, convenience stores, and more. With 4 bedrooms and over 1,200 square feet of living space, this home is comfortable, practical, and easy to maintain—featuring a newer furnace and updated insulation for efficient heating. A great opportunity in a well-located neighborhood—ready for its next chapter.

Key facts

• Spacious yard
• Newer furnace
• Double lot

Tags

• DOUBLE LOT
• OVERSIZED DRIVEWAY
• SPACIOUS YARD
• UPDATED INSULATION
• NEWER FURNACE

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $145k. Condition is rated fair.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $286 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $145k).
• Recommended offer: $128k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 80/100 on livability (#104 in NY, #1,589 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: commute A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment D, crime F.
• Utica City School District (urban): math 33% / reading 38% proficiency, ranked #562 of 590 in NY (top 95%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 71% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: General Herkimer Elementary School (math 29% / reading 42%, grade F, #1,566 of 2,108 statewide, top 74%, 597 students, 76% FRL); John F Kennedy Middle School (math 27% / reading 35%, grade F, #534 of 729 statewide, top 73%, 695 students, 77% FRL); Thomas R Proctor High School (math 86% / reading 62%, grade B+, #659 of 1,100 statewide, top 60%, 2,675 students, 76% FRL) — zoned schools at 76% FRL track the district average.
• Market conditions: 204 active listings in the ZIP; 3 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 93d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 204 units permitted in Oneida County in 2024 (68 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 37% of the median local income ($53k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $15k of equity ($1k loan paydown + $14k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Oneida County population projected at -12% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $41k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 3, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$39k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 243 days — a 12% lower offer ($128k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1940 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $127,512 (12.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. It's been on market 243 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
2. Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
3. Built in 1940 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
4. Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
5. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
6. 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?
7. 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?
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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: 1.12% ✓
• Cap rate: 8.66%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.47%
• DSCR: 1.38
• GRM: 7.4

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $211,766
• List price: $144,900
• Delta: -31.58%
• Verdict: UNDERPRICED
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 11 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
1014 Ontario St	0.23mi	3/1.0	1,250 (-1%)	14mo	$219,000	$175	76
1807 Blandina St	0.10mi	3/1.0	1,150 (-9%)	6mo	$206,700	$180	75
1616 Rutger St	0.17mi	3/1.5	1,347 (+6%)	11mo	$195,000	$145	70
1809 Lansing St	0.15mi	4/2.0 (+1)	1,086 (-14%)	2mo	$210,000	$193	59
1105 South St	0.46mi	3/1.0	1,344 (+6%)	14mo	$140,000	$104	57
1130 Hilton Ave	0.63mi	3/1.5	1,252 (-1%)	20mo	$160,000	$128	50
1129 Hilton Ave	0.61mi	4/1.5 (+1)	1,344 (+6%)	7mo	$185,400	$138	49
1152 Tilden Ave	0.64mi	2/1.5 (-1)	1,250 (-1%)	15mo	$140,000	$112	48
1165 Jefferson Ave	0.73mi	3/1.0	1,170 (-8%)	13mo	$145,000	$124	42
1200 Kiniry St	0.69mi	2/1.0 (-1)	1,185 (-6%)	23mo	$198,790	$168	33
1142 Ontario St	0.57mi	2/2.5 (-1)	1,134 (-11%)	16mo	$215,000	$190	31

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

Projected returns pro-forma

10.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 30.5%
• Equity multiple: 3.40×
• Total profit: $97,181
• Equity at exit: $130,537

10-year hold

• IRR: 26.4%
• Equity multiple: 7.70×
• Total profit: $271,887
• Equity at exit: $281,509

Cash invested: $40,572 (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 →

Seller's market Market conditions within 1.0 mi — comparable homes for sale

Active competition Active MLS

• For sale now: 2 active · 10 under contract
• Months of supply: 2.0 mo (50%/mo absorbed)
• Median asking: $224,950 ($199/sqft)
• Median days on market: 62 d
• This list price: lowest-priced of the active set
• ARV vs active asking: -16.1% vs current asking $/sqft

Closed sales set the value; these active listings set current market conditions and a practical price ceiling.

ZIP-level market 13501

• Home prices YoY: 5.6%
• Active inventory: 204
• Price-to-rent: 7.4×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,630 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$760
• Tax est. 1.5%: −$181 /mo · $2,174/yr
• Insurance: −$60
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$342
• Net cashflow: $286

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,268

Max offer price $144,900

Occupancy floor 77%

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $387	-5% $336	+0% $286	+5% $236	+10% $186
Rent	-10% $158	-5% $222	+0% $286	+5% $351	+10% $415
Rate	-1.0pp $359	-0.5pp $323	base $286	+0.5pp $249	+1.0pp $211

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: $36,225
• Closing costs: $4,347
• Club membership (one-time): —
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 3 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
807 Eagle St Utica, NY	3.0	1.0	1526	$1,300	$0.85	93d	1	0.94mi
214 Wildwood Rdg Frankfort, NY	2.0	1.5	1040	$2,200	$2.12	93d	1	1.30mi
1124 Dudley Ave Unit 1 Utica, NY	3.0	1.0	1300	$1,400	$1.08	93d	1	1.39mi

Listing history 50 events

1. 2026-08-08
   days on market $144,900 Active 243 DOM
2. 2026-08-07
   days on market $144,900 Active 242 DOM
3. 2026-08-06
   days on market $144,900 Active 241 DOM
4. 2026-08-05
   days on market $144,900 Active 240 DOM
5. 2026-08-04
   days on market $144,900 Active 239 DOM
6. 2026-08-03
   days on market $144,900 Active 238 DOM
7. 2026-07-31
   days on market $144,900 Active 235 DOM
8. 2026-07-29
   days on market $144,900 Active 233 DOM
9. 2026-07-27
   days on market $144,900 Active 231 DOM
10. 2026-07-25
    days on market $144,900 Active 229 DOM
11. 2026-07-23
    days on market $144,900 Active 227 DOM
12. 2026-07-22
    days on market $144,900 Active 226 DOM
13. 2026-07-21
    days on market $144,900 Active 225 DOM
14. 2026-07-18
    days on market $144,900 Active 222 DOM
15. 2026-07-16
    days on market $144,900 Active 220 DOM
16. 2026-07-16
    days on market $144,900 Active 219 DOM
17. 2026-07-14
    days on market $144,900 Active 218 DOM
18. 2026-07-13
    days on market $144,900 Active 217 DOM
19. 2026-07-12
    days on market $144,900 Active 216 DOM
20. 2026-07-11
    days on market $144,900 Active 215 DOM
21. 2026-07-10
    days on market $144,900 Active 214 DOM
22. 2026-07-09
    days on market $144,900 Active 213 DOM
23. 2026-07-08
    days on market $144,900 Active 212 DOM
24. 2026-07-07
    days on market $144,900 Active 211 DOM
25. 2026-07-06
    days on market $144,900 Active 210 DOM
26. 2026-07-05
    days on market $144,900 Active 209 DOM
27. 2026-07-04
    days on market $144,900 Active 208 DOM
28. 2026-07-03
    days on market $144,900 Active 207 DOM
29. 2026-07-02
    days on market $144,900 Active 206 DOM
30. 2026-07-01
    days on market $144,900 Active 205 DOM
31. 2026-06-30
    days on market $144,900 Active 204 DOM
32. 2026-06-29
    days on market $144,900 Active 203 DOM
33. 2026-06-28
    days on market $144,900 Active 202 DOM
34. 2026-06-28
    days on market $144,900 Active 201 DOM
35. 2026-06-27
    days on market $144,900 Active 200 DOM
36. 2026-06-26
    days on market $144,900 Active 199 DOM
37. 2026-06-23
    days on market $144,900 Active 196 DOM
38. 2026-06-22
    days on market $144,900 Active 195 DOM
39. 2026-06-19
    days on market $144,900 Active 193 DOM
40. 2026-06-18
    days on market $144,900 Active 192 DOM
41. 2026-06-17
    days on market $144,900 Active 191 DOM
42. 2026-06-16
    days on market $144,900 Active 190 DOM
43. 2026-06-15
    days on market $144,900 Active 189 DOM
44. 2026-06-14
    days on market $144,900 Active 187 DOM
45. 2026-06-13
    days on market $144,900 Active 186 DOM
46. 2026-06-10
    days on market $144,900 Active 184 DOM
47. 2026-06-09
    days on market $144,900 Active 183 DOM
48. 2026-06-08
    days on market $144,900 Active 182 DOM
49. 2026-06-07
    days on market $144,900 Active 181 DOM
50. 2026-06-03
    days on market $144,900 Active 177 DOM

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

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 2/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥95°F today · 17 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 2/10 Low 100% 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: $19,561
• − Mortgage interest: −$8,117
• − Property taxes: −$2,174
• − Insurance: −$724
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,565
• − Management: −$1,565
• − Depreciation: −$4,215
• Taxable income: $1,201
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$288
• After-tax cash flow: $3,148/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.

Condition & rehab AI · 2 photos

Fair 45/100 Moderate rehab Est. rehab $31,700–$57,060 screening

This single-family home requires significant repairs and maintenance, including roof, siding, and flooring. Painting and repairing these areas will improve its curb appeal and increase its value.

Repairs flagged

• Major roof — Significant water damage is visible on the ground
• Major siding — The siding is peeling and the paint is faded
• Major flooring — The condition of the exterior suggests it may be old and in need of replacement

Value-add opportunities

• Both painting — Fresh paint can improve the curb appeal and make the home look more inviting ↑
• Both roof repair — Fixing the roof will prevent further water damage and improve the home's structural integrity ↑
• Both siding repair — Repairing the siding will improve the home's appearance and increase its value ↑

ⓘ Rehab cost is a screening estimate — Moderate scope × the home's square footage at US $/sqft rules of thumb (the same model as the Flip Finder). Get contractor quotes + a written scope before underwriting.

F Composite school gradezoned avg 47/100

Zoned Schools

Elementary General Herkimer Elementary School F NY #1,566/2,108 Nat'l #22,764/41,679 Middle John F Kennedy Middle School F NY #534/729 Nat'l #8,646/14,009 High Thomas R Proctor High School B+ NY #659/1,100 Nat'l #1,751/17,239

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Utica City School District
• NCES district ID: 3629370
• Math proficiency: 33% ▼ -7.00%
• Reading proficiency: 38% ▲ 2.00%
• Median HH income: $31,834
• Composite: 29.01/100
• National rank: #6613
• State rank: #562 of 590 in NY

A Composite livability gradescore 80/100

Livability — Utica

• Score: 80/100
• State rank: #104
• US rank: #1589

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Utica, NY
• County: Oneida County · 225,223 people
• City population: 72,968
• Metro: Utica-Rome, NY
• Population (ZIP): 38,931
• Household income: $52,548
• Rent vs Own: 49.2% rent · 50.8% own
• Severe rent burden: 8% of renters

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Population outlook (Oneida County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 225,223 people
• By 2030: 220,384 · -2.1%
• By 2040: 209,071 · -7.2%
• By 2050: 197,920 · -12.1%
• By 2075: 175,541 · -22.1%
• By 2100: 148,491 · -34.1%

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Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Highly diverse neighborhood (Simpson 0.70)
• Race & ethnicity: White 49% Two or more races 15% Hispanic / Latino 14% Black 14% Asian 14%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Puerto Rican 8% Dominican 4%
• Common ancestry: American 8% Romanian 3% Lithuanian 1%
• Foreign-born: 25% · Canada, Philippines, Vietnam
• Languages at home: 62% English-only · Other Asian/Pacific 11% Russian/Polish/Slavic 10% Spanish 9%

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Political lean MEDSL · Oneida

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+21.3) · D 39.4% · R 60.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -15.2pp toward R · 2008: -6.1pp · 2024: -21.3pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+21.3 2020: R+15.5 2016: R+21.1 2012: R+5.3 2008: R+6.1

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 20.28%
• Current HPI: 382.3726
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: Utica-Rome, NY
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.60%
• F500 in state: 92

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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

-3.3% since first listed

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-12 Price Changed $144,900 CNYIS
• 2025-12-08 Listed $149,900 CNYIS

Property tax history

-11.6%/yr

Latest (2025): $211 · +5.3% YoY. Source: county tax records.