52 Sterling St · Somerville, MA 02144

$1,075,000

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,112 sqft · MultiFamily public records · 44 Days on market

Built 1920 3,485 sqft lot $509/sqft · 10% below area Est $1190k · 10% under

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Why this score? — see what drove the D 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).

• ARV discount +11.8/15.0
• Cash flow +7.2/30.0
• Appreciation +7.0/10.0
• Livability +4.2/5.0
• Rent growth +3.5/5.0
• Schools +3.2/10.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• 1% rule +1.4/10.0
• DSCR +1.3/10.0

Multi-family units

County records classify this as Multi-Family (2-4 Unit). Listing-text estimate: 2 units. confirmed

Listing remarks

INQUIRE REGARDING TOUR THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON. This 2-family has been thoughtfully maintained by the same family since the 1950s. Each unit offers 1,100+ SF with a living room, dining room, 2 bedrooms, and hardwood floors throughout both living areas. A full ~1,000 SF unfinished attic creates a clear path to townhouse-style expansion for the upstairs unit. When not in use by the family over the years, the home has a strong rental history and both units are currently rented. Separate gas, electric, and utilities with a coin-op laundry in the basement. The house rear has upper and lower private deck areas, which overlook the backyard area. Easy access to RT 16 + RT 2, close to Davis Square, Wh

Key facts

• Private deck areas
• Unfinished attic
• Coin-op laundry

Tags

• UNFINISHED ATTIC
• PRIVATE DECK AREAS
• STRONG RENTAL HISTORY
• COIN-OP LAUNDRY
• EASY ACCESS TO RT 16
• CLOSE TO DAVIS SQUARE

Property features AI

Finance

• Other: Property is active; Total building area 2,112 (above grade finished area)
• HOA & community: Not a senior community

Exterior

• Parking: Open parking for 3 cars; Paved driveway; Off-street parking; Tandem parking
• Utilities: Public water; Public sewer; Electric with circuit breakers and individually metered units
• Home design: 2-family, up/down configuration; 3 stories; 3 total levels
• Construction: Frame construction; Block foundation; Shingle roof; Built (year per public records)
• Exterior features: Porch; Balcony; Level lot; Public road frontage

Interior

• Kitchen: Range; Dishwasher; Refrigerator
• Flooring: Hardwood
• Bathrooms: 2 full bathrooms
• Heating & cooling: Steam heat
• Interior features: Living room; Dining room; Kitchen; 10 total rooms

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $1.07M.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-1k ($-18k/yr) — negative. Per door: $-750/mo.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $810k (24.6% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $688k (36.0% below list).
• Recommended offer: $688k (36.0% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• Cap rate 4.6% vs local median 2.2% in Somerville — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 84/100 on livability (#18 in MA, #752 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, employment A+; Watch: cost of living F.
• Somerville (suburban): math 26% / reading 43% proficiency, ranked #223 of 302 in MA (top 74%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.2%/yr); 52 active listings in the ZIP; 40 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 25d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); high-income renter base; 3,670 units permitted in Middlesex County in 2024 (2,611 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At $6,880/mo this rent would consume 55% of the median local household income ($150k/yr) (locally 1177% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $49k of equity ($7k loan paydown + $42k appreciation (3.9% local appreciation)).
• Middlesex County population projected at +20% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$80k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• It's been on market 44 days — a 3% lower offer ($1.04M) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Current owner paid $170k; list at $1.07M implies a 532% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 58% 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.

Recommended offer $688,000 (36.0% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. 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?
2. It's been on market 44 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 36% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
3. Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
4. What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
5. Built in 1920 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
6. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
7. 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?
8. 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?
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. How much new apartment / multifamily construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply (>2% of stock underway) typically softens rents 12–24 months out; light construction supports rent growth.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 0.64% ✗
• Cap rate: 4.62%
• Cash-on-cash: -5.98%
• DSCR: 0.73
• GRM: 13.0

CMA / ARV

• ARV (median comp): $1,189,708
• List price: $1,075,000
• Delta: -9.64%
• Verdict: FAIR
• Comps: 20 within 1.0 mi

Show comp detail 12 sales within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
16 Hamilton Rd	0.30mi	4/2.0	2,210 (+5%)	5mo	$1,015,000	$459	74
62-64 Waldo Rd	0.50mi	4/2.0	2,116 (+0%)	7mo	$1,075,000	$508	71
114 Capen St	0.19mi	4/2.0	2,288 (+8%)	9mo	$850,000	$372	70
86 Quincy St	0.17mi	4/2.0	2,346 (+11%)	12mo	$935,000	$399	64
15 Quincy St	0.27mi	5/2.0 (+1)	2,210 (+5%)	15mo	$1,212,000	$548	63
32-34 Pinkham Rd	0.24mi	5/3.0 (+1)	2,280 (+8%)	5mo	$1,050,000	$461	62
281 Alewife Brook Pkwy	0.16mi	5/2.0 (+1)	2,350 (+11%)	9mo	$1,175,000	$500	61
8-10 Bowdoin St	0.60mi	4/2.0	2,150 (+2%)	14mo	$1,300,000	$605	57
78 Everett St	0.62mi	4/2.0	2,240 (+6%)	8mo	$1,300,000	$580	54
12-14 Quincy St	0.29mi	5/2.0 (+1)	2,336 (+11%)	12mo	$1,120,000	$479	54
14 Moore St	0.65mi	4/3.0	2,354 (+12%)	7mo	$1,230,000	$523	40
60 Auburn St	0.57mi	4/2.0	2,410 (+14%)	13mo	$1,298,000	$539	39

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

Projected returns pro-forma

3.9% appreciation · 4.15% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 5.1%
• Equity multiple: 1.31×
• Total profit: $94,130
• Equity at exit: $538,973

10-year hold

• IRR: 8.2%
• Equity multiple: 2.39×
• Total profit: $418,803
• Equity at exit: $876,729

Cash invested: $301,000 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 20 Strongly Tenant-Friendly
• State Massachusetts: 20 Strongly Tenant-Friendly · D+15
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Cambridge / Boston historically rent-controlled (preempted 1994 but consideration ongoing); strong tenant protections; court backlogs.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 02144

• Home prices YoY: 1.0%
• Rents YoY: 4.2%
• Active inventory: 52
• Price-to-rent: 26.0×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $6,880 high
• Mortgage (P&I): −$5,637
• Tax from tax record: −$849 /mo · $10,190/yr
• Insurance: −$448
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,445
• Net cashflow: $-1,499

Break-even live

Break-even rent $8,778

Max offer price $810,142

Occupancy floor —

Sensitivity live

Price	-10% $-891	-5% $-1,195	+0% $-1,499	+5% $-1,804	+10% $-2,108
Rent	-10% $-2,043	-5% $-1,771	+0% $-1,499	+5% $-1,228	+10% $-956
Rate	-1.0pp $-958	-0.5pp $-1,226	base $-1,499	+0.5pp $-1,778	+1.0pp $-2,061

2-unit breakdown (identical units grouped — click to expand)

Units	Beds	Baths	Est. rent
▸ 2× units	2	1	$6,880
Total (2 units)			$6,880

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: $268,750
• Closing costs: $32,250
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Rent comps 40 comps

Address	Beds	Baths	Sqft	Rent	$/sqft	DOM	Units	Dist
38 Sterling St Somerville, MA	4.0	2.0	1800	$4,500	$2.50	15d	1	0.01mi
37 Sterling St #2 Somerville, MA	5.0	2.0	2700	$4,750	$1.76	17d	1	0.03mi
37 Sterling St Somerville, MA	5.0	2.0	2000	$4,950	$2.48	44d	1	0.03mi
190 North St Somerville, MA	5.0	2.0	1700	$4,950	$2.91	19d	1	0.14mi
138 W Adams St Somerville, MA	4.0	2.0	1700	$3,950	$2.32	4d	1	0.21mi
142 W Adams St Somerville, MA	5.0	2.0	2000	$6,500	$3.25	17d	1	0.22mi
65 Conwell Ave Unit 1 Somerville, MA	5.0	2.0	1500	$5,500	$3.67	44d	1	0.24mi
49 Sunset Rd Unit 49 West Somerville, MA	4.0	2.0	1610	$3,900	$2.42	19d	1	0.26mi
33 Chetwynd Rd #2 Somerville, MA	4.0	1.0	2016	$4,390	$2.18	44d	1	0.29mi
275 Boston Ave Medford, MA	3.0	2.5	1550	$3,600	$2.32	44d	1	0.32mi
275 Boston Ave Medford, MA	3.0	2.5	1550	$3,600	$2.32	25d	1	0.32mi
16 Curtis Ave Somerville, MA	5.0	2.0	1600	$6,000	$3.75	44d	1	0.34mi
14 Curtis Ave Somerville, MA	5.0	2.0	1600	$6,000	$3.75	44d	1	0.34mi
29 Belknap St Somerville, MA	4.0	2.0	1500	$4,400	$2.93	44d	1	0.36mi
157 Boston Ave #1 Somerville, MA	4.0	3.0	1865	$5,950	$3.19	25d	1	0.36mi
44 Orchard St Medford, MA	4.0	1.0	1600	$4,600	$2.88	21d	1	0.41mi
44 Orchard St Unit 2 Medford, MA	4.0	1.0	1500	$4,000	$2.67	18d	1	0.41mi
7 Dickson St Unit 1 Somerville, MA	5.0	3.0	2000	$7,000	$3.50	44d	1	0.48mi
15 Taylor St Medford, MA	4.0	2.0	1400	$3,900	$2.79	18d	1	0.50mi
110 Sharon St Medford, MA	3.0	1.0	1400	$3,200	$2.29	44d	1	0.55mi
133 Winthrop St Medford, MA	5.0	2.0	2084	$5,800	$2.78	11d	1	0.60mi
1108 Broadway Somerville, MA	3.0	2.0	1901	$5,001	$2.63	44d	1	0.60mi
26 Marathon St Arlington, MA	4.0	2.0	2000	$4,400	$2.20	25d	1	0.62mi
5 Claremon St Somerville, MA	5.0	2.0	2000	$5,200	$2.60	25d	1	0.66mi
63 Foster St Unit 63 Arlington, MA	4.0	2.0	1400	$4,000	$2.86	13d	1	0.75mi
34 Leonard St Unit 2 Somerville, MA	3.0	1.0	1500	$4,500	$3.00	6d	1	0.78mi
216 Broadway Unit 2 Arlington, MA	5.0	2.0	1500	$4,800	$3.20	25d	1	0.79mi
195 College Ave Somerville, MA	5.0	1.0	1600	$6,500	$4.06	44d	1	0.83mi
25 Simpson Ave Somerville, MA	4.0	2.0	1800	$5,200	$2.89	44d	1	0.84mi
585 High St Apt 2 Medford, MA	3.0	1.0	2100	$3,800	$1.81	18d	1	0.84mi
942 Broadway Somerville, MA	4.0	2.0	1400	$4,500	$3.21	44d	1	0.85mi
942 Broadway Somerville, MA	4.0	2.0	1400	$4,400	$3.14	0d	1	0.85mi
19 Adams St Unit 2 Arlington, MA	4.0	2.0	1500	$4,000	$2.67	6d	1	0.85mi
61 Warren St Unit 2 Medford, MA	4.0	3.0	3000	$6,000	$2.00	6d	1	0.88mi
71 Stanley Ave Medford, MA	5.0	5.5	2103	$6,995	$3.33	44d	1	0.89mi
70 Stanley Ave Unit 70 Medford, MA	5.0	5.5	2103	$7,500	$3.57	6d	1	0.90mi
70 Stanley Ave Medford, MA	5.0	5.5	2103	$6,995	$3.33	44d	1	0.90mi
1 Whittemore Ave Cambridge, MA	1.0–4.0	1.0–3.5	1234	$6,292	$5.10	0d	8	0.90mi
47 Summer St Medford, MA	4.0	1.0	1500	$3,800	$2.53	25d	1	0.91mi
17 Gorham Rd Unit 2 Medford, MA	3.0	1.5	1739	$3,500	$2.01	4d	1	0.91mi

Listing history 17 events

1. 2026-06-21
   days on market $1,075,000 Active 44 DOM
2. 2026-06-18
   days on market $1,075,000 Active 41 DOM
3. 2026-06-17
   days on market $1,075,000 Active 40 DOM
4. 2026-06-16
   days on market $1,075,000 Active 39 DOM
5. 2026-06-15
   days on market $1,075,000 Active 38 DOM
6. 2026-06-13
   days on market $1,075,000 Active 36 DOM
7. 2026-06-13
   days on market $1,075,000 Active 35 DOM
8. 2026-06-09
   days on market $1,075,000 Active 32 DOM
9. 2026-06-08
   days on market $1,075,000 Active 31 DOM
10. 2026-06-07
    days on market $1,075,000 Active 30 DOM
11. 2026-06-04
    days on market $1,075,000 Active 27 DOM
12. 2026-06-03
    days on market $1,075,000 Active 26 DOM
13. 2026-06-02
    days on market $1,075,000 Active 25 DOM
14. 2026-06-01
    statusdays on market $1,075,000 Active 24 DOM
15. 2026-05-31
    days on market $1,075,000 Price Changed 23 DOM
16. 2026-05-08
    listed $1,119,999 New 996-char remark
17. 1997-01-02
    soldstatus $170,000

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

Tax reassessment forecast MA · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $10,190 · $849/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $11,706 · $976/mo
• Expected delta: +$1,516/yr (+$126/mo · 14.9%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 6/10 Major 7 d/yr ≥97°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 6/10 Major 58% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 3/10 Moderate 3 unhealthy d/yr today · 3 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $82,560
• − Mortgage interest: −$60,217
• − Property taxes: −$10,190
• − Insurance: −$5,375
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$6,605
• − Management: −$6,605
• − Depreciation: −$31,273
• Taxable loss: −$37,704
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$9,049
• After-tax cash flow: $-8,943/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.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: Somerville
• NCES district ID: 2510890
• Math proficiency: 26% ▼ -18.00%
• Reading proficiency: 43% ▼ -6.00%
• Median HH income: $71,304
• Composite: 31.9/100
• National rank: #5858
• State rank: #223 of 302 in MA

Livability — Somerville

• Score: 84/100
• State rank: #18
• US rank: #752

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Somerville, MA
• County: Middlesex County · 1,437,704 people
• City population: 78,456
• Metro: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
• Population (ZIP): 25,448
• Household income: $150,313
• Rent vs Own: 63.4% rent · 36.6% own
• Severe rent burden: 1177.0

Population outlook (Middlesex County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 1,740,269 people
• By 2030: 1,817,187 · +4.4%
• By 2040: 1,963,195 · +12.8%
• By 2050: 2,087,461 · +20.0%
• By 2075: 2,344,036 · +34.7%
• By 2100: 2,383,776 · +37.0%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (72%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 72% Asian 11% Two or more races 10% Hispanic / Latino 8% Black 3%
• Hispanic origin (detail): Mexican 2% Puerto Rican 1%
• Common ancestry: Russian 5% Romanian 4% Lithuanian 2%
• Foreign-born: 17% · Canada, China, South Korea
• Languages at home: 79% English-only · Other Indo-European 7% Spanish 4% Chinese 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Middlesex

• 2024 margin: Solid D (+39.5) · D 68.5% · R 29.0% · Other 2.5%
• 2008→2024 swing: +9.3pp toward D · 2008: 30.1pp · 2024: 39.5pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+39.5 2020: D+45.2 2016: D+38.1 2012: D+26.9 2008: D+30.1

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 3.90%
• Current HPI: 389.6981
• Rent YoY: ▲ 4.15%
• Metro: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
• State GDP YoY: ▲ 2.28%
• F500 in state: 38

Industry mix (Fortune 500 HQ in MA)

Industry	F500 HQs	Revenue
▸Technology	3	$17B
▸Insurance	2	$84B
▸Retail	2	$76B
▸Life Sciences	1	$43B
▸Energy Technology	1	$31B
▸Aerospace / Defense	1	$18B

Price history

+532.4% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-28 Price Changed $1,075,000 MLS PIN
• 2026-05-08 Listed $1,119,999 MLS PIN
• 1997-01-02 Sold (Public Records) $170,000 Public Records

Property tax history

+4.4%/yr

Latest (2025): $10,190 · +6.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.