1885 Lexington Ave Unit 3E

New York, NY 10035

$599,000D

3 bd · 1.5 ba · 1,251 sqft · Built 2012 · SingleFamily · Active · 258 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $5,998/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$3,141
• Tax + insurance: −$998
• HOA: −$1,720
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,260
• Net cashflow: $-1,121/mo
• Annual: $-13,454/yr
• Cap rate: 4.05%
• Cash-on-cash: -8.02%
• DSCR: 0.64
• 1% rule: 1.00%
• Cash to close: $167,720

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.5-bath single-family listed at $599k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-1k ($-13k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $437k (27.1% below list).
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($6k rent vs $599k).
• It's been on market 258 days — a 12% lower offer ($527k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $437k (27.1% below list) — sets the bar for cash-flow.
• In year one you build about $23k of equity ($4k loan paydown + $19k appreciation (3.2% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 75/100 on livability (#268 in NY, #4,188 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, health & safety A; Watch: crime F, cost of living F.
• Zoned schools: Elm Tree Elementary School (math 27% / reading 52%, grade F, #1,444 of 2,108 statewide, top 71%, 806 students, 94% FRL); Mark Twain Is 239 For The Gifted And Talented (math 90% / reading 96%, grade A+, #6 of 729 statewide, top 1%, 1,207 students, 44% FRL); Midwood High School (math 94% / reading 96%, grade A+, #83 of 1,100 statewide, top 8%, 4,062 students, 73% FRL).
• Watch-outs: HOA is 29% of rent.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+5.6%/yr); 71 active listings in the ZIP; 27 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 21d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 4,467 units permitted in New York County in 2024 (4,463 in 5+ unit buildings).
• New York County population projected at +21% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$38k 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 4.0% vs local median 2.6% in New York — 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 $5,998/mo this rent would consume 160% of the median local household income ($45k/yr) (locally 3992% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

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 258 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 27% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• What does the HOA fee cover, when was the last increase, and are there any pending special assessments or reserve-fund shortfalls?
• 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.
• 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?
• 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?