Cap rate, cash-on-cash return, gross rent multiplier, and total return — every Staten Island investor wants to know what their next purchase will actually pay back. The fastest way to find out is the Investment Property ROI Calculator, but the inputs need to be Staten-Island-specific or the output is fiction. This guide walks through what real 2-4 family numbers look like across Tottenville, Eltingville, New Dorp, Stapleton, St. George, and Heartland Village in 2026 — and where the math actually works.

What’s a typical cap rate on a Staten Island 2-family in 2026?

Cap rate is annual net operating income divided by purchase price. On a Staten Island 2-family priced at $950K with both units rented at $2,400/month each, gross rent runs $57,600/year. Knock out 35% for taxes ($8,400), insurance ($2,800), water ($1,400), maintenance reserve ($3,500), and vacancy ($2,880) — that’s $19,000 in operating costs. NOI lands around $38,600. Cap rate: 4.06%. That’s the typical range — most Staten Island 2-families trade between 3.8% and 5.2% cap depending on neighborhood and condition. Run your specific property through the ROI calculator for an exact number.

Is a Staten Island 3-family a better investment than a 2-family?

On gross rent, almost always yes — three streams of rent versus two. On cap rate, sometimes no, because 3-family asking prices have run ahead of rents in Stapleton, Port Richmond, and St. George. A typical Staten Island 3-family at $1.3M with three units at $2,200 each pulls $79,200 gross / $50,000 NOI / 3.85% cap. Lower than the 2-family example above. The 3-family wins on house-hack math because if you live in one unit and rent the other two, the FHA 3.5% down option still applies and your effective cost of capital drops dramatically.

How much should I put down on a Staten Island investment property?

For a pure investment (non-owner-occupied) loan, plan on 25% down on a 2-4 family, 30%+ on a 5+ unit. For an owner-occupied 2-4 family using FHA, you can go as low as 3.5% down and rent the other units. That’s the single most powerful Staten Island investor strategy for buyers under $400K liquid — buy a 2-3 family in Eltingville, Westerleigh, or Tottenville, live in one unit for 12 months, then move out and convert to a pure rental. Run the affordability piece through the Home Affordability Calculator.

What are the closing costs on a Staten Island investment property?

Buyer-side closing costs on a Staten Island investment 2-family at $950K run roughly $35K–$45K — title insurance, mansion tax (only kicks in at $1M, so a $950K property dodges it), mortgage recording tax, attorney fees, lender fees, and the rest. The NYC Closing Cost Calculator breaks it down line by line. If the property is over $1M, the mansion tax (1% in this bracket) adds roughly another $10K-$25K depending on the price.

Is it worth buying an investment property on Staten Island in 2026?

It depends on the alternative. Staten Island cap rates are below historical norms, but rent growth is steady, taxes are predictable (and grievable — see should you grieve your NYC property tax assessment), and the FHA 2-4 family house-hack still works for owner-occupants. Compared to the Brooklyn equivalent, Staten Island offers more square footage and parking per dollar — which is why so many BK landlords are 1031-exchanging into Staten Island in 2026. For the BK side of the math, see the companion Brooklyn Investment Property ROI 2026 post.

Who do I call to find a Staten Island investment property?

Joseph Ranola at (917) 905-2541 or [email protected]. Joseph will run the cap rate, the cash-on-cash, and the FHA house-hack scenario before you even submit an offer — so you know going in whether the math works. For a deeper dive on agent selection, see Best Real Estate Agent for Selling an Investment Property on Staten Island.