4-plex deal analysis

4-plex deal analysis

Veterinarian · Leesburg, VA · Member since 2014 · 32 posts · 12 votes

Hi all, as usual, the greater brain power is so much appreciated from this group. 

Found a multiplex in Southeast PA that would start me off on my goal of owning 10 4plexes with a cash flow of $150-200/door and looking for your opinions. Namely, wondering what I may be missing because it's been on the market for about 9 months as a short sale. Nice, quiet area. May potentially need new roof in the next 5-10 years, per contractor friend. 

4 unit - Three are 2/1 and the fourth is a 1/1

Asking price: $250,000

ARV: $300,000 per RE agent, but comps are impossible in this small town

Current Rent: $2280 ($760 for each of three occupied units. Fourth unit is vacant and stripped, awaiting remodeling that current owner never got around to doing.)

Estimated repairs on vacant unit, per contractor friend that saw it: $15,000

Estimated rent for updated fourth 1BR/1Ba unit: $700

Utilities (water, trash; electric is metered separately and tenants pay): ~$200

Ran it through the BP calculators a couple times and found that at asking price, 20% down, and only the three units rented, it about breaks even (including 10% vacancy, 6% repairs, 8% capex, and 10% PM). 

If I got it for $200,000 (which is about 70% of ARV minus repairs), repaired the vacant unit and rented it, the place cash flows ~$150/door. I know that's not huge, but it's a big deal for this area. I haven't been able to find anything that cash flows at all. Here's the link with all the details. 

So, if $200k works for my numbers and that's what it's worth to me, that's a reasonable offer?

Do you guys see any loopholes that I'm missing that is scaring away other investors?

Of course, I don't have the cash to put down on this myself, and that's my biggest hesitation. If I were the only one that would get burned from trying this, I'd be in it already. Just want to make sure it's at least a "good" deal before I drag someone else's money into it.

You all rock, 

Emily

1Reply
9 views

Most Popular Reply

Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2016 · 55 posts · 28 votes
10y

For grins lets say you get it for $225,000, and its ARV is $300,000

Lets call your cash outlay $65,000 (20% down, $20k for improvements) . Keep in mind some banks require greater than 20% for multi unit income property

Total Rents $2,980

Total expenses $1192 (at 40%, some people use 50% as a guide). Might I suggest you skip the PM?

Monthly P&I (180,000 @4.5%) $912

Where would you get the cash to put down? That's a big missing detail....I'll ignore that for now and assume you have the $65,000

Cash Flow = 2980 - (1192 + 912) = 876 or $219 a unit

Year 1 Cash on Cash = (876*12)/65,000 = 16%

Total ROI Year 1 (cash flow + equity + appreciation at 2%) = (10,512 + 2903 + 6,000)/ 65,000 = 29%

Numbers look fine if you have the $65,000 or someone is giving you a no interest loan...I did this very quickly by hand :)

See this reply in the discussion

6 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Gino BarbaroPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · St Augustine, FL · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    10y

    @Emily S.

    Hi Emily

    I have learned that very few offers  can be construed as an insult, especially if you have the numbers backing up your offer.  Find out if the property has the other 3 units occupied and see if you can get any actual numbers, tax return.  The fact that it has been on the market for 9 months is an indication that the price is a bit high.  Sellers are scared off by having a unit that needs work, but that is good because it lowers the perceived value of the property.

    Gino

  • Rental Property Investor · Saint Louis, MO · Member since 2016 · 162 posts · 53 votes
    10y

    If you are getting $200/door, I would say that's a good deal.

    In your numbers, you didn't list taxes nor insurance.  I ran your numbers through my worksheet, adding 1200 for insurance and 1500 for taxes with a 30 year note at 5% and show $206 total (or ~ $69/door).  My numbers do not show the fourth unit.  Once that's complete, and rents for $700, that would kick it up to $167/door.

    Be warned, the $15k estimate may end up costing $20k. When you cash out refi, if you are going this route, you should recoup the rehab money (assuming ARV is $300k).

    If you can get the purchase price down to $230k with the fourth unit, it brings your per door to $188.

    I'm not an expert, so if someone can show how my numbers are wrong, I'd love to hear about it.

  • Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2016 · 55 posts · 28 votes
    10y

    For grins lets say you get it for $225,000, and its ARV is $300,000

    Lets call your cash outlay $65,000 (20% down, $20k for improvements) . Keep in mind some banks require greater than 20% for multi unit income property

    Total Rents $2,980

    Total expenses $1192 (at 40%, some people use 50% as a guide). Might I suggest you skip the PM?

    Monthly P&I (180,000 @4.5%) $912

    Where would you get the cash to put down? That's a big missing detail....I'll ignore that for now and assume you have the $65,000

    Cash Flow = 2980 - (1192 + 912) = 876 or $219 a unit

    Year 1 Cash on Cash = (876*12)/65,000 = 16%

    Total ROI Year 1 (cash flow + equity + appreciation at 2%) = (10,512 + 2903 + 6,000)/ 65,000 = 29%

    Numbers look fine if you have the $65,000 or someone is giving you a no interest loan...I did this very quickly by hand :)

  • Veterinarian · Leesburg, VA · Member since 2014 · 32 posts · 12 votes
    10y

    @Gino Barbaro - The other three units are occupied with long term tenants. Those units could definitely use updating but I'm unlikely to kick (good) long term tenants out just to renovate. Hopefully the work needed on the vacant unit is what's keeping people away. Thanks for your feedback!

    @Jeremy Paschedag - I did enter taxes ($3580 per year) and a wild guess at insurance ($900) on the BP calculator! The ~$150/door did take taxes and insurance into consideration. And you're right, I'll have to confirm that ARV is $300,000 with just making the fourth unit livable, as opposed to renovating all four units. The refi is exactly what I would shoot for, if the numbers still work.

    @Brad Saari - Totally get that the 200k offer may not get accepted. I'd likely have to walk away from it though, as I'd like to be more conservative with my costs (using closer to 50% as opposed to 40%). And heck yes the lack of funds is a big missing detail! I'm going to explore partnerships in this area and Philadelphia area and try to secure that, or at least an interested party. Then run it all again with different numbers without the unicorn no-interest loan ;)

    Thanks guys, this is so helpful! Looks like if there are no major surprises on inspection and I can secure funding and a refinance option, it's at least worth pursuing. 

    Emily

  • Contractor · Chadds Ford, PA · Member since 2015 · 567 posts · 460 votes
    10y

    Hi @Emily S., Sounds like a pretty good deal to me if you can get it for $200k. If it goes higher you might be getting a little thin especially in the unfortunate but possible scenario where one of your existing tenants decides to leave and you have to renovate two units. 

    On the other side, there is a chance you could raise rents a little bit in all of the units and increase that per door number off the bat. 

    Keep in mind, if you aren't embarrassed by your offer then you paid too much. It has been on the market for a while and the bank may just take a low offer. 

    Good luck! I live in SE PA so if you need anything feel free to reach out and hopefully I can help! 

  • Veterinarian · Leesburg, VA · Member since 2014 · 32 posts · 12 votes
    10y

    Hi @Rich O'Neill, thank you! There's definitely room to raise rents for the market, but given that they've been good long term tenants, and I plan on separating the water meters eventually, I'd like to add value like a laundry unit in the basement before getting those rents right up to market value. 

    I was just in town at Limoncello a couple weeks ago. I miss that town and Chester County a lot! Thanks for the offer, I'll PM you. 

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.