Real Estate Investing in Lake Clear, New York (12945)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Franklin County • Population: 535 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 12945 (Lake Clear, NY)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (56/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
3 flags
  • High vacancy: 63.6% of homes vacant — above national norms.
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.
  • High price-to-rent: Price-to-rent ratio 27.3 — hard to cash-flow at these prices.

• Limited market data — this is a very small market; averages are built from few observations and can swing widely. • Modeled rent — no observed market rent for this ZIP; the figure is estimated from HUD fair-market rent.

What’s happening in Lake Clear, NY (12945)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $312,542
Avg Monthly Rent $954
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $71,250
% Renters 0.0%

Market Analysis: 12945 Lake Clear

This part of Franklin County is not an easy win. The 12945 ZIP comes in at softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

For an experienced owner, 12945 can be a a credible choice for hunting ground — but the discount at $313K reflects genuine risk that outside investors often underestimate.

Regionally, 12945 sits on the difficult end of the NY spectrum. The a credible choice for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

The 12945 ZIP's population of 535 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that registers the need for careful underwriting.

New investors are better served looking at Lake Clear's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 12945. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Lake Clear:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 61/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.4× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+6.4%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $954/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Malone, NY Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
6.5%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Malone, NY metro data

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$325K$290K$255K$220K$186K$151KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

📊 How Does 12945 Compare?

Metric 12945 Lake Clear Malone, NY New York
Home Value $312,542 $312,542 N/A $505,608
5-Year CAGR 4.8% 4.8% N/A 6.6%
Avg Rent $954 $954 N/A -
Cap Rate 2.4% 2.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 12945? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 12945 (Lake Clear, NY). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
2.4%
Low
5yr Growth
+4.8%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Malone, NY metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
0%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $312,542
Monthly Rent $954
Price-to-Rent 27.3:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 3.7%
Cap Rate 2.4%
5-Year IRR 7.2%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +6.4% ▲
3-Year CAGR +0.7% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.8% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.8% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 2.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (2.4%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
63.6%
Elevated risk
Landlord Climate
1.0/5
Protective
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.8%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Unfavorable

Demographics in 12945

Population: 535

💰 Median Household Income
$71,250
This area
$71,250
State
$86,376
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
0.0%
This area
0.0%
State
26.4%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.0%
This area
0.0%
State
-24.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
47.9%
This area
47.9%
State
4.2%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
41.9 years
This area
41.9 years
State
7.4 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
63.6%
This area
63.6%
State
19.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 100.0%
👶 Under 18
20.3%
This area
20.3%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
36.2%
This area
36.2%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.6%
This area
5.6%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

2 Nearby 736 Off-Campus Students
C
North Country Community College
1,615 students · 5.9 mi
C
Paul Smiths College of Arts and Science
597 students · 6.9 mi

Investor Insight: With 736 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do home prices stand in Lake Clear, NY?

Expect median prices around $313K in Lake Clear, NY. The market has run at a 0.0% 5-year CAGR, so entry costs have been steady.

Is Lake Clear, NY landlord-friendly?

Landlord-friendliness in Lake Clear, NY is tenant-protective. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.

How deep is the rental pool in Lake Clear, NY?

Lake Clear, NY draws a predictable base of working renters. Demand at the $954/mo rent level is reasonable for standard single-family and small multi rentals.

Should investors worry about vacancy in Lake Clear, NY?

Lake Clear, NY carries elevated vacancy risk. Expect stable absorption at market rents of $954/mo.

Is house hacking profitable in Lake Clear, NY?

For house hackers, Lake Clear, NY is a challenging. The $954/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $313K property.

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How 12945 ranks in Malone, NY

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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