214 Hickory Rd · Bennington, VT 05201

$259,000

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 816 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 14 Days on market

Built 1960 0.28 ac lot Est $259k · at est.

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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).

• Cash flow +13.4/30.0
• ARV discount +7.4/15.0
• Schools +5.0/10.0
• DSCR +4.0/10.0
• Livability +3.2/5.0
• 1% rule +2.7/10.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks MLS

Completely renovated, well insulated 3-Bedroom, 2-Bathroom cottage in Woodford Lake Estates. All appliances and new furniture included, choice of gas or wood stove. Bedrooms each have flush mounted electric heat option with separate thermostat. Woodford Estates abuts the National Forest with direct access to the VAST snowmobile trails and has its own 34 acre private lake for kayaking, canoeing, swimming and fishing. 6 Miles to Bennington, 12 to Wilmington and 30 to Manchester. Full septic and home inspection available

Key facts

• Propane gas stove
• Detached shed
• 0.28 acre lot

Tags

• WATER AND BEACH ACCESS
• PROPANE GAS STOVE
• DETACHED SHED
• VAST SNOWMOBILE TRAILS
• STATE AND NATIONAL FOREST LAND
• MOUNT SNOW SKI RESORT

Property features AI

Finance

• HOA & community: Association amenities: clubhouse, beach access/rights, boat launch, snow removal; Road frontage maintained by association (gravel, private)

Exterior

• Parking: Gravel driveway
• Utilities: Drilled well (water restrictions apply); Private sewer: 500 gallon system with drywell; 100 Amp electrical service with circuit breakers; Green Mountain Power electric provider; Propane (LP/Bottle) available; High-speed internet available
• Home design: Cottage/Camp style; Gray exterior; Corrugated metal roof; Existing structure (built 1960)
• Construction: Wood frame construction; Vinyl siding; Year built 1960
• Exterior features: Beach access (shared-private); Lake access to Big Pond; Near trails and snowmobile/ATV trails; Rural setting

Interior

• Kitchen: Range - Gas; Exhaust hood; Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: Master bedroom on second level; Two additional bedrooms on second level
• Flooring: Carpet; Laminate; Vinyl plank
• Bathrooms: One full bathroom; One half bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Multi-fuel heating; Electric heating; Gas stove; Wall heating units
• Interior features: Six total rooms; Living room; Kitchen/dining area; Half bath on main level; Full bath on second level
• Laundry & utility: Washer; Dryer; Tankless water heater

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $259k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $4 ($45/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $200k (22.7% below list).
• Recommended offer: $200k (22.7% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 64/100 on livability (#63 in VT) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: housing A+, health & safety A+, cost of living A; Watch: employment C-, crime D, schools F.
• Market conditions: 65 active listings in the ZIP; 59 units permitted in Bennington County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• This rent runs 40% of the median local income ($60k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $8k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Bennington County population projected at -23% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• Only 14 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 3 sale attempts since 23y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.

Recommended offer $200,301 (22.7% below list)

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1960 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. Crime grade is D 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?
5. 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?
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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: 0.77% ✗
• Cap rate: 6.31%
• Cash-on-cash: 0.06%
• DSCR: 1.00
• GRM: 10.8

CMA / ARV

• ARV (on-the-fly): $258,672
• Comps found: 1

Show comp detail 1 sale within ~0.75 mi

Address	Dist	Beds/Ba	Sqft	Sold	Price	$/sf	Match
214 Hickory Rd	0.00mi	3/1.5	816 (0%)	0mo	$259,000	$317	98

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

Projected returns pro-forma

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

5-year hold

• IRR: -16.3%
• Equity multiple: 0.42×
• Total profit: $-41,829
• Equity at exit: $38,618

10-year hold

• IRR: -8.0%
• Equity multiple: 0.50×
• Total profit: $-36,519
• Equity at exit: $22,394

Cash invested: $72,520 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 41 Moderately Tenant-Leaning
• State Vermont: 41 Moderately Tenant-Leaning · D+15
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Just-cause in Burlington (2022); strong habitability.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 05201

• Home prices YoY: -19.3%
• Active inventory: 65
• Price-to-rent: 10.8×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $2,003 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,358
• Tax from tax record: −$112 /mo · $1,350/yr
• Insurance: −$108
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$421
• Net cashflow: $4

Break-even live

Break-even rent $1,998

Max offer price $259,000

Occupancy floor 95%

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: $64,750
• Closing costs: $7,770
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 11 events

1. 2026-05-17
   status Pending
2. 2026-05-06
   historical Active with Contract
3. 2026-05-02
   listed $259,000 Active
4. 2023-07-19
   soldstatus $250,000
5. 2023-07-14
   soldstatus $250,000 Closed 523-char remark

   Show marketing remark (523 chars)

   Completely renovated, well insulated 3-Bedroom, 2-Bathroom cottage in Woodford Lake Estates. All appliances and new furniture included, choice of gas or wood stove. Bedrooms each have flush mounted electric heat option with separate thermostat. Woodford Estates abuts the National Forest with direct access to the VAST snowmobile trails and has its own 34 acre private lake for kayaking, canoeing, swimming and fishing. 6 Miles to Bennington, 12 to Wilmington and 30 to Manchester. Full septic and home inspection available

6. 2023-06-05
   historical Active with Contract 523-char remark

   Show marketing remark (523 chars)

   Completely renovated, well insulated 3-Bedroom, 2-Bathroom cottage in Woodford Lake Estates. All appliances and new furniture included, choice of gas or wood stove. Bedrooms each have flush mounted electric heat option with separate thermostat. Woodford Estates abuts the National Forest with direct access to the VAST snowmobile trails and has its own 34 acre private lake for kayaking, canoeing, swimming and fishing. 6 Miles to Bennington, 12 to Wilmington and 30 to Manchester. Full septic and home inspection available

7. 2023-05-22
   listed $260,500 Active 523-char remark

   Show marketing remark (523 chars)

   Completely renovated, well insulated 3-Bedroom, 2-Bathroom cottage in Woodford Lake Estates. All appliances and new furniture included, choice of gas or wood stove. Bedrooms each have flush mounted electric heat option with separate thermostat. Woodford Estates abuts the National Forest with direct access to the VAST snowmobile trails and has its own 34 acre private lake for kayaking, canoeing, swimming and fishing. 6 Miles to Bennington, 12 to Wilmington and 30 to Manchester. Full septic and home inspection available

8. 2023-03-25
   price $276,000
9. 2022-06-30
   soldstatus $156,000
10. 2004-08-16
    soldstatus $85,000
11. 2003-08-23
    listed $89,900

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

Tax reassessment forecast VT · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,350 · $112/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $3,135 · $261/mo
• Expected delta: +$1,786/yr (+$149/mo · 132.3%)

ⓘ 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 1/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥84°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 3/10 Moderate 7% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $24,036
• − Mortgage interest: −$14,508
• − Property taxes: −$1,350
• − Insurance: −$1,295
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,923
• − Management: −$1,923
• − Depreciation: −$7,535
• Taxable loss: −$4,497
• Est. tax savings @ 24.0%: +$1,079
• After-tax cash flow: $1,124/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)

No district data.

Livability — Bennington

• Score: 64/100
• State rank: #63
• US rank: #14446

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• County: Bennington County · 14,998 people
• City population: 14,998
• Metro: Bennington, VT
• Population (ZIP): 14,998
• Household income: $59,798
• Rent vs Own: 39.1% rent · 60.9% own
• Severe rent burden: 982.0

Population outlook (Bennington County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 34,407 people
• By 2030: 32,975 · -4.2%
• By 2040: 29,711 · -13.6%
• By 2050: 26,638 · -22.6%
• By 2075: 21,318 · -38.0%
• By 2100: 16,086 · -53.2%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (92%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 92% Two or more races 4% Hispanic / Latino 3%
• Common ancestry: Lithuanian 10% Slovak 7% Romanian 3%
• Foreign-born: 2% · Canada
• Languages at home: 96% English-only · Spanish 2% Other Indo-European 1%

Political lean MEDSL · Bennington

• 2024 margin: Strong D (+22.5) · D 60.0% · R 37.5% · Other 2.6%
• 2008→2024 swing: -10.9pp toward R · 2008: 33.4pp · 2024: 22.5pp
• All cycles: 2024: D+22.5 2020: D+27.3 2016: D+22.1 2012: D+33.3 2008: D+33.4

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -60.78%
• Current HPI: 254.5149
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: Bennington, VT
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

+188.1% since first listed

11 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-17 Pending — PrimeMLS
• 2026-05-06 Contingent — PrimeMLS
• 2026-05-02 Listed $259,000 PrimeMLS
• 2023-07-19 Sold (Public Records) $250,000 Public Records
• 2023-07-14 Sold (MLS) $250,000 PrimeMLS
• 2023-06-05 Contingent — PrimeMLS
• 2023-05-22 Listed $260,500 PrimeMLS
• 2023-03-25 Price Changed $276,000 PrimeMLS
• 2022-06-30 Sold (Public Records) $156,000 Public Records
• 2004-08-16 Sold (MLS) $85,000 PrimeMLS
• 2003-08-23 Listed $89,900 PrimeMLS

Property tax history

+1.0%/yr

Latest (2024): $1,350 · -17.0% YoY. Source: county tax records.