220 South St

Holyoke, MA 01040

$160,000B-

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,560 sqft · Built 1915 · SingleFamily · Active · 15 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,025/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$839
• Tax + insurance: −$338
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$425
• Net cashflow: $422/mo
• Annual: $5,068/yr
• Cap rate: 9.46%
• Cash-on-cash: 11.31%
• DSCR: 1.50
• 1% rule: 1.27%
• Cash to close: $44,800

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $160k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $422 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $160k).
• It's been on market 15 days — a 2% lower offer ($158k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $158k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $1k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $5k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 62/100 on livability (#203 in MA) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, health & safety A+, housing B; Watch: crime F, amenities F, employment D-.
• Holyoke (suburban): math 5% / reading 14% proficiency, ranked #302 of 302 in MA (top 100%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 82% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Joseph Metcalf School (math 17% / reading 32%, grade F, #721 of 938 statewide, top 79%, 373 students, 0% FRL); Holyoke High (math 13% / reading 35%, grade F, #299 of 343 statewide, top 87%, 1,515 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 82% district-wide (82 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 24% at this address vs 10% district-wide (+15 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Holyoke average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Watch-outs: built in 1915 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 43 active listings in the ZIP; 17 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 23d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 41% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 453 units permitted in Hampden County in 2024 (116 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Hampden County population projected at +5% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $45k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 9.5% vs local median 5.3% in Holyoke — 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 $2,025/mo this rent would consume 45% of the median local household income ($54k/yr) (locally 2404% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1915 — 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 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?
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.