123 Mason Ave

Binghamton, NY 13904

$196,000F

3 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,462 sqft · Built 1910 · SingleFamily · Pending · 12 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,509/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,028
• Tax + insurance: −$726
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$317
• Net cashflow: $-562/mo
• Annual: $-6,741/yr
• Cap rate: 2.85%
• Cash-on-cash: -12.28%
• DSCR: 0.45
• 1% rule: 0.77%
• Cash to close: $54,880

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/2.0-bath single-family listed at $196k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $-562 ($-7k/yr) — negative.
• To cash-flow at today's rent, offer at most $155k (21.1% below list).
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $151k (23.0% below list).
• Only 12 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• Recommended offer: $151k (23.0% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $21k of equity ($1k loan paydown + $20k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 78/100 on livability (#174 in NY, #2,710 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, cost of living A+; Watch: crime F, employment F.
• Binghamton City School District (urban): math 30% / reading 44% proficiency, ranked #557 of 590 in NY (top 94%) — families likely to look elsewhere, expect single-tenant / working-renter base with shorter leases; 61% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Calvin Coolidge School (math 27% / reading 37%, grade F, #1,646 of 2,108 statewide, top 80%, 312 students, 72% FRL); Binghamton High School (math 71% / reading 79%, grade A-, #631 of 1,100 statewide, top 58%, 1,341 students, 69% FRL).
• Zoned-school proficiency averages 54% at this address vs 37% district-wide (+16 pts) — the actual schools serving this property are materially stronger than the Binghamton City School District average implies; a family-tenant draw the district grade alone would hide.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.9% of price; built in 1910 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 41 active listings in the ZIP; 8 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 50% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 340 units permitted in Broome County in 2024 (269 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Broome County population projected at -13% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 2 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 $112k; list at $196k implies a 75% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$34k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Cap rate 2.9% vs local median 6.4% in Binghamton — below-typical yield; the buyer is paying a premium for something (appreciation thesis, condition, location) that the cap rate doesn't capture.

Questions for listing agent

• 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?
• Built in 1910 — 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?
• 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 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?
• 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?
• 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.