Two-Family Residential Income
For Sale
$1,074,990
52 Sterling St, Somerville, MA 02144
Two rented units each feature living and dining space, two bedrooms, and hardwood floors, with a large unfinished attic expansion area.
Property Size2,112 SF
Price / SF$508.99
Days on Market122
Property Features for 52 Sterling St
General Information
Standard status
Active
Size
2,112 SF
Total Parking Spaces
3
Property subtype
Multi-Family
Zoning
NR
Occupancy
100%
Net Operating Income
$52,800
Additional Details
Highway Access
Yes
Multifamily Units
2
Taxes and HOA fees
Annual Taxes
$10,931
Building Details
Building Size
2,112 SF
Year Built
1920
Stories
3
Listing Agency:
Prestige Realty Experts Inc.
(833) 668-4649
Listed By:
Chris Bernier
(978) 578-5013
Source:
Churchillprop
Added: May 8
Changed: Sep 6
Last Checked: Sep 6 at 4:40AM
Displayed information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. All listing content including descriptions, pricing, images are the copyrighted material of Prestige Realty Experts Inc.
Investment Insights
Based on property information with market context.
This two-family has been thoughtfully maintained by the same family since the 1950s and is currently configured with two separate units. Each unit offers 1,100+ SF with a living room, dining room, two bedrooms, and hardwood floors throughout the living areas. A full ~1,000 SF unfinished attic provides a clear path to townhouse-style expansion for the upstairs unit.
The home includes a coin-op laundry in the basement and separate gas, electric, and utilities for each unit. The rear of the property offers upper and lower private deck areas overlooking the backyard. Convenient access to RT 16 and RT 2 places it near Davis Square, Whole Foods, Dilboy Field, the Alewife bike path, Tufts, and other university amenities.
Both units are currently rented, and the property benefits from a maintenance and updates hard-drive compiled by the long-term owner.
The home includes a coin-op laundry in the basement and separate gas, electric, and utilities for each unit. The rear of the property offers upper and lower private deck areas overlooking the backyard. Convenient access to RT 16 and RT 2 places it near Davis Square, Whole Foods, Dilboy Field, the Alewife bike path, Tufts, and other university amenities.
Both units are currently rented, and the property benefits from a maintenance and updates hard-drive compiled by the long-term owner.
Key Highlights
- 2‑family built in 1920 with both units currently rented
- Each unit offers 1,100+ SF with living room, dining room, 2 bedrooms, and hardwood floors
- ~1,000 SF unfinished attic provides a path to townhouse‑style expansion for the upstairs unit
Financial Insights
Estimated NOI and Cap Rate
NOI = area × lease_rate × (100 − vacancy) / 100 × (1 − expense_ratio). Net Operating Income — what the owner takes home each year before mortgage payments and income tax. Effective rent (asking rent minus vacancy losses) minus operating costs (taxes, insurance, maintenance, management).
NOI / Yr
$44,691
Cap rate = NOI / list price × 100. Capitalization rate — annual return on a fully cash purchase, before financing. NOI divided by price. Higher means more income per dollar invested, but usually also more risk or older condition. 5–8% is typical for stabilized commercial property; double digits often signal distressed deals.
Cap Rate
4.16%
Suggested Prices Based on Cap Rates
Cap rates vary significantly by property type, market, and asset quality.
Typical U.S. stable-market ranges:
Multifamily — 4.5% to 6.5% (Class A in primary markets often sub-5%; Class C in secondary markets 6%+)
Industrial / Logistics — 5.0% to 7.0% (compressed heavily in recent years due to e-commerce demand)
Office — 6.5% to 9%+ (wide spread post-2020; CBD Class A vs. suburban Class B varies dramatically)
Retail — 5.5% to 8.5% (grocery-anchored on the low end, unanchored strip centers higher)
Hospitality / Hotels — 7.5% to 10%+ (higher due to operational risk)
Self-Storage — 5.5% to 7.5%
Medical Office — 6.0% to 7.5%
Net Lease (single tenant, credit) — 5.0% to 7.0% depending on tenant credit and lease term
Rules of thumb:
Primary markets (NYC, SF, LA, Boston, DC) trade at lower cap rates than secondary/tertiary markets, often by 100–200 bps (bps, aka basis points; 1 bp = 0.01%).
Class A assets trade ~50–150 bps tighter than Class B, and Class B tighter than Class C.
Cap rates move inversely with price — a lower cap rate means a higher price for the same NOI.
Spread to the 10-year Treasury is a common benchmark; historically 200–400 bps over the 10-year.
Cap Rate 5%
$893,820
$893.8K
Cap Rate 7%
$638,443
$638.4K
Cap Rate 9%
$496,567
$496.6K
Market Conditions
NOI Build-Up for 2,112 SF
Vacancy — income lost from leasable area expected to sit empty during the year, subtracted from gross rent.
EGI (Effective Gross Income) — gross rent minus vacancy losses, the realistic income before paying operating costs.
OpEx (Operating Expenses) — recurring costs to operate the property (property tax, insurance, utilities, maintenance, management); excludes financing and capital improvements.
NOI (Net Operating Income) — income a property generates after operating costs but before financing and taxes.
Gross rent
$67.2K $31.80/SF
− Vacancy
−$3.3K −$1.57/SF
EGI
$63.8K $30.23/SF
− OpEx
−$19.2K −$9.07/SF
NOI
$44.7K $21.16/SF
Area
Middlesex County, MA
Vacancy
4.94%
Lease Rate
$31.80 /SF/Yr
Expense Ratio
30.00%
Simulate Cap Rate and NOI
Suggested Prices Based on Cap Rates
Cap rates vary significantly by property type, market, and asset quality.
Typical U.S. stable-market ranges:
Multifamily — 4.5% to 6.5% (Class A in primary markets often sub-5%; Class C in secondary markets 6%+)
Industrial / Logistics — 5.0% to 7.0% (compressed heavily in recent years due to e-commerce demand)
Office — 6.5% to 9%+ (wide spread post-2020; CBD Class A vs. suburban Class B varies dramatically)
Retail — 5.5% to 8.5% (grocery-anchored on the low end, unanchored strip centers higher)
Hospitality / Hotels — 7.5% to 10%+ (higher due to operational risk)
Self-Storage — 5.5% to 7.5%
Medical Office — 6.0% to 7.5%
Net Lease (single tenant, credit) — 5.0% to 7.0% depending on tenant credit and lease term
Rules of thumb:
Primary markets (NYC, SF, LA, Boston, DC) trade at lower cap rates than secondary/tertiary markets, often by 100–200 bps (bps, aka basis points; 1 bp = 0.01%).
Class A assets trade ~50–150 bps tighter than Class B, and Class B tighter than Class C.
Cap rates move inversely with price — a lower cap rate means a higher price for the same NOI.
Spread to the 10-year Treasury is a common benchmark; historically 200–400 bps over the 10-year.
Cap Rate 5%
$893,820
Cap Rate 7%
$638,443
Cap Rate 9%
$496,567
Alternative Uses
Best Use
Multifamily LT 5
$638.4K
$558.6K – $744.9K
NOI $44,691 @ 7.0% cap · market cap 4.16%
Second Best
Apartment 5plus
$600.3K
$525.3K – $700.4K
NOI $42,022 @ 7.0% cap · market cap 3.91%
Theoretical Best
Office A
$1.25M
$1.09M – $1.46M
NOI $87,521 @ 7.0% cap · market cap 8.14%
Zoning and permitted uses should be independently verified with authorities.
Property Analytics
Property Profile
Current Use
Lease Details
2
Residential units
100%
Occupancy
Yes
Highway access
Location Intelligence
Trade Area within ½ mile
986
Businesses Nearby
Explore this area
Business Placement
Demographics for 02144, MA
25,497
Population
11,881
Households
2.1
Avg Household Size
31
Median Age
75%
College-Educated
96%
High-School Grad
1.1 sq mi
ZIP Area
23,179
Density / Sq Mi
$140,591
Median Household Income
$74,639
Median Earnings
$2,654
Median Rent
$987,000
Median Home Value
Market
Vacancy Rate% for Multifamily in Northeast region
Questions? Ask Rey
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Frequently Asked Questions
What type of property is this?
Duplex - Two rented units each feature living and dining space, two bedrooms, and hardwood floors, with a large unfinished attic expansion area.
Where is this duplex located?
The property is located at 52 Sterling St Somerville, MA.
What is the asking price?
The asking price for this property is $1,074,990.
What are key features of this property?
This property features: 2‑family built in 1920 with both units currently rented; Each unit offers 1,100+ SF with living room, dining room, 2 bedrooms, and hardwood floors; ~1,000 SF unfinished attic provides a path to townhouse‑style expansion for the upstairs unit
