141 Dewey Ave

Pittsfield, MA 01201

$145,000C+

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 2,386 sqft · Built 1930 · Other · Active · 20 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,781/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$760
• Tax + insurance: −$242
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$374
• Net cashflow: $405/mo
• Annual: $4,861/yr
• Cap rate: 9.65%
• Cash-on-cash: 11.97%
• DSCR: 1.53
• 1% rule: 1.23%
• Cash to close: $40,600

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $145k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $405 ($5k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $145k).
• It's been on market 20 days — a 2% lower offer ($143k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $143k (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 $4k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 75/100 on livability (#70 in MA, #3,820 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: commute A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment C-, amenities D+, crime D.
• Pittsfield (urban): math 19% / reading 34% proficiency, ranked #272 of 302 in MA (top 90%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Crosby (math 2% / reading 17%, grade F, #914 of 938 statewide, top 98%, 270 students, 0% FRL); Taconic High (math 27% / reading 37%, grade F, #255 of 343 statewide, top 77%, 860 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 50% district-wide (50 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1930 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+7.7%/yr); 278 active listings in the ZIP; 130 units permitted in Berkshire County in 2024 (10 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Berkshire County population projected at -24% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• Current owner paid $85k; list at $145k implies a 71% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 7.7% rent growth), your $41k cash investment doubles in ~7 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Cap rate 9.6% vs local median 3.6% in Pittsfield — 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.
• This rent runs 30% of the median local income ($71k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• Built in 1930 — 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 D-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 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?
• This sits on a lake — are riparian / water-frontage rights deeded with the parcel? Any dock permits, shoreline easements, or HOA water-use restrictions?
• What's the documented flood / surge / shoreline-erosion history here (FEMA AND non-FEMA — e.g., storm surge, creek backup, septic-field saturation)?
• Any water-quality or seasonal algae-bloom issues that affect tenant satisfaction or short-term-rental demand?
• 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.