3753 42nd Street
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3753 42nd Street

Atop 10% of multifamily

San Diego, CA 92105

$1,250,000
STR-eligible · San Diego Tier 3 · TOT 12.75%

One license per person in San Diego: whether you can hold it depends on you, not only the home.

33 licensed short-term rentals within ½ mile (23 whole home), from the cities' license and permit lists of Nov 13, 2026.

Pass at asking: -$1,730/mo full cashflow at 20% down, 7.36% rate.

Works at $1,023,623 (18% under asking), or at 41% down.

Rent $10,160/mo: 5 units of about 600 sqft, each priced from up to 21 closed leases within 0.5 mi ($9,235–$10,920).

Beds

—

Baths

—

Sqft

3,000

Year Built

1937

Days on Market

149

Property Type

Multi-Family

HOA/mo

N/A

MLS ID

NDP2605803

This property is in San Diego (92105). View neighborhood stats →

Virtual Tour

About This Property

We're pleased to present Forty Second Street Apartments, a 5-unit multifamily investment opportunity located at 3753-3759 42nd Street in San Diego, California. Situated on an approximately 7,427 square foot lot, the property consists of three separate residential buildings totaling approximately 3,000 square feet and features a diverse unit mix of (1) four-bedroom/two-bath unit, (1) two-bedroom/one-bath unit, (1) one-bedroom/one-bath unit, and (2) studio units. Originally constructed in 1937, the property offers investors a unique blend of stable cash flow, strong rental demand, and significant value-add potential in the highly sought-after City Heights / Colina Del Sol submarket. The property benefits from separate gas and electric metering, helping reduce operating expenses and improve management efficiency. Additional amenities include two gated parking spaces, a secure gated entry, a communal courtyard, and supplemental income generated through parking revenue. The property's diverse unit mix appeals to a broad tenant base, ranging from individual renters to larger households seeking affordable housing options within central San Diego. Ideally located in the heart of City Heights, the property provides convenient access to major employment centers, shopping, dining, schools, and public transportation. Residents benefit from close proximity to Interstate 15, Interstate 805, Downtown San Diego, Mission Valley, North Park, Kensington, and Balboa Park, making the location highly desirable for commuters and long-term tenants alike. The surrounding neighborhood continues to experience reinvestment and revitalization, supporting strong rental demand and long-term appreciation prospects. With three separate buildings, a favorable unit mix, utility efficiencies, gated parking, and demonstrated rental upside, Forty Second Street Apartments presents an attractive opportunity for investors seeking a centrally located San Diego asset with both immediate income and future growth potential. Buyer to verify all property information, including but not limited to square footage, lot size, unit count, unit mix, parking configuration, utility metering, permits, financial information, rental projections, and all other material aspects of the property.

Multifamily · 5 units

Valued on income: each unit priced from closed leases nearby, then added up. County records: 5 units.

UnitUnitsRent eachSubtotal
Average unit~600 sqft · 21 leases within 0.5 mi5$2,032$10,160
Gross rent, all units$10,160/mo

The listing describes 1 × 4-bed, 1 × 2-bed, 1 × 1-bed, 2 × studio. Units of different sizes are priced as the average unit: by bed count alone, unit rents ran 17% off in our backtest.

Gross rent multiplier
10.3

Price ÷ a year's gross rent

Price per unit
$250,000

Median $331,250 across 31 listed 5+ unit buildings in San Diego County

NOI (a year)
$68,094

Default vacancy, management, upkeep, tax, insurance

Cap rate
5.45%

Its grade compares it with other multifamily listings only: a building valued on income isn't ranked against houses and condos.

Five or more units take a commercial loan, whose terms differ from a home loan's; the cashflow below uses the site's default 20% down, 30-year terms. FHA's owner-occupied 3.5% down covers 2–4 units only.

Compare other buildings on the small multifamily page.

Mortgage Calculator

Est. Monthly Payment

$8,511

Principal & Interest$6,897
Property Tax$1,250
Insurance$365
%($250,000)
%
Loan Term

Location

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Zoned Schools

  • Elementary

    Cherokee Point Elementary · grades PK-5 · San Diego Unified

  • Middle

    Wilson Middle · grades 6-8 · San Diego Unified

  • High

    Hoover High · grades 9-12 · San Diego Unified

The district's assigned schools for this parcel, from its attendance boundaries and rules. Boundaries change: confirm with the district before you buy.

Renovation math

Flagged Light Value-Add from the listing remarks — “value-add”.

Asking now
$1.25M

$417/sqft

Worth finished
$1.77M

$588/sqft × 3,000 sqft

Budget to renovate
$515,098

$172/sqft to spend

Comparable finished homes nearby suggest this is worth $1.77M once it's brought to par — about $515,098 above the asking price. That spread is your renovation budget before the deal stops working.

Rent once renovated

Rent at par
$9,216/mo

$3.07/sqft × 3,000 sqft, median of 5 comps

Cashflow at that rent
−$2,457/mo

cap rate 4.70%, DSCR 1.08

Heads up: the rent estimate elsewhere on this page ($10,160/mo) is above what comparable finished homes here support. A home that needs work does not out-rent them, so treat $9,216/mo as the ceiling.

Buying at asking and achieving par rent, excluding the renovation spend itself. We don't publish a current-condition rent: no listing remark says how much work a home needs, and mid-renovation it earns nothing.

Based on 5 comparable homes of the same property type and size currently listed nearby — asking prices and modelled rents, not closed sales. A contractor's scope, not this page, decides what a renovation actually costs.

This is a 5-unit building: on the mid-term and short-term tabs, enter the rent, nightly rate and occupancy for all units combined.

Investment Score

72A
Est. Monthly Rent
$10,160

5 units of about 600 sqft, each priced from up to 21 closed leases within 0.5 mi · $9,235–$10,920

Monthly Cashflow

Rent − PITIA

+$1,648
Full Cashflow

Incl. vacancy, PM, maint, capex

-$1,730

What would make this work?

$1,730/mo short at 20% down; 41% down or +$2,247/mo rent closes it.

Break-even price

18% under asking

$1,023,623
Break-even rent

$2,247/mo above the estimate

$12,407/mo
Cashflow at 35% down
−$437/mo
Down payment to break even

$512,500 cash

41%
Rate to break even

at 20% down

4.67%

Mortgage (P+I)
$6,897
Cap Rate
5.45%
Cash-on-Cash
-8.30%
DSCR

Need ≥ 1.25 for DSCR loan

1.19

NOI (Annual)
$68,094
Price-to-Rent

Lower = better for investors

10.3

* Modelled at 20% down, 7.36% rate, 30yr · vacancy 8% · PM 10% · capex 5% · maintenance 1%/yr.

Estimates only. Not financial advice. Verify all figures independently with a licensed professional before making any investment decision.

Open Full Calculator
ACashflow−$1,730/mo