401 W Elm St

East Rochester, NY 14445

$224,900C

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,219 sqft · Built 1930 · MultiFamily · Pending · 17 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $2,689/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,179
• Tax + insurance: −$753
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$565
• Net cashflow: $192/mo
• Annual: $2,301/yr
• Cap rate: 7.32%
• Cash-on-cash: 3.65%
• DSCR: 1.16
• 1% rule: 1.20%
• Cash to close: $62,972

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/2.5-bath units multifamily listed at $225k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $192 ($2k/yr) — positive. Per door: $96/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $225k).
• It's been on market 17 days — a 2% lower offer ($222k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $222k (1.5% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $2k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $7k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 78/100 on livability (#155 in NY, #2,400 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: amenities A+, cost of living A+, housing A+; Watch: employment D+, crime D.
• East Rochester Union Free School District (suburban): math 50% / reading 51% proficiency, ranked #371 of 590 in NY (top 63%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease.
• Zoned schools: East Rochester Elementary School (math 42% / reading 57%, grade D, #1,085 of 2,108 statewide, top 56%, 458 students, 48% FRL); East Rochester Junior-Senior High School (math 57% / reading 47%, grade D+, #946 of 1,100 statewide, top 88%, 515 students, 51% FRL).
• Watch-outs: property tax is 3.5% of price; built in 1930 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 34 active listings in the ZIP; 10 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals leasing fast (median 12d on market — plan ~1-2 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,169 units permitted in Monroe County in 2024 (591 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Monroe County population projected to shrink 6% by 2050 — rents likely to lag national; underwrite the cash flow, not the appreciation.
• 3 sale attempts since 14y 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 $120k; list at $225k implies a 87% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Cap rate 7.3% vs local median 4.5% in East Rochester — 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 44% of the median local income ($74k/yr) — at the standard rent-burdened threshold; future hikes will face affordability resistance.

Questions for listing agent

• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1930 — 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 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 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?
• 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.