44 Dominion Rd

Worcester, MA 01605

$540,000B-

3 bd · 3.0 ba · 1,704 sqft · Built 2014 · MultiFamily · Active · 17 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $7,995/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,832
• Tax + insurance: −$717
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,679
• Net cashflow: $2,767/mo
• Annual: $33,210/yr
• Cap rate: 12.44%
• Cash-on-cash: 21.96%
• DSCR: 1.98
• 1% rule: 1.48%
• Cash to close: $151,200

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/3.0-bath multifamily listed at $540k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $3k ($33k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($8k rent vs $540k).
• It's been on market 17 days — a 2% lower offer ($532k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $532k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $4k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $16k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 87/100 on livability (#9 in MA, #312 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: crime A+, amenities A+, commute A+; Watch: cost of living D.
• Worcester (urban): math 17% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #280 of 302 in MA (top 93%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 66% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Chandler Magnet (math 12% / reading 17%, grade F, #873 of 938 statewide, top 94%, 402 students, 0% FRL); Worcester East Middle (math 9% / reading 14%, grade F, #286 of 305 statewide, top 95%, 740 students, 0% FRL); North High (math 10% / reading 28%, grade F, #313 of 343 statewide, top 92%, 1,377 students, 0% FRL) — zoned schools average 0% FRL vs 66% district-wide (66 pts lower); this property's tenant base skews higher-income than the district average.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.8%/yr); 36 active listings in the ZIP; 29 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 25d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 2,293 units permitted in Worcester County in 2024 (1,205 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 3 sale attempts since 12y 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.
• Current owner paid $260k; list at $540k implies a 108% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 4.8% rent growth), your $151k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 12.4% vs local median 4.1% in Worcester — 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 $7,995/mo this rent would consume 176% of the median local household income ($55k/yr) (locally 1991% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• 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 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.