32 Elm St

Potsdam, NY 13676

$249,000B

7 bd · 3.0 ba · 2,864 sqft · Built 1900 · MultiFamily · Active · 170 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,900/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,306
• Tax + insurance: −$712
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$609
• Net cashflow: $273/mo
• Annual: $3,280/yr
• Cap rate: 7.61%
• Cash-on-cash: 4.70%
• DSCR: 1.21
• 1% rule: 1.16%
• Cash to close: $69,720

Investor read

• This is a 7-bed/3.0-bath multifamily listed at $249k. Condition is rated good.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $273 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $249k).
• It's been on market 170 days — a 12% lower offer ($219k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $219k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $27k of equity ($2k loan paydown + $25k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 75/100 on livability (#249 in NY, #3,908 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, cost of living A+, health & safety A+; Watch: crime F, commute F, employment F.
• Potsdam Central School District (town): math 53% / reading 66% proficiency, ranked #258 of 590 in NY (top 44%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: Lawrence Avenue Elementary School (math 72% / reading 72%, grade A-, #378 of 2,108 statewide, top 20%, 551 students, 39% FRL); A A Kingston Middle School (math 27% / reading 54%, grade F, #409 of 729 statewide, top 56%, 368 students, 40% FRL); Potsdam Senior High School (math 92% / reading 92%, grade A+, #171 of 1,100 statewide, top 18%, 372 students, 37% FRL) — zoned schools at 39% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.9% of price; built in 1900 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 147 active listings in the ZIP; 215 units permitted in St. Lawrence County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• St. Lawrence County population projected at -14% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• Current owner paid $23k; list at $249k implies a 983% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $70k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$43k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Cap rate 7.6% vs local median 3.6% in Potsdam — 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 $2,900/mo this rent would consume 61% of the median local household income ($57k/yr) (locally 25% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 170 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Built in 1900 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• 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 A-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?
• 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.