33 Hillhurst Ave

New Britain, CT 06053

$399,000C+

5 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,858 sqft · Built 1928 · MultiFamily · Under Contract · 42 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,805/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,092
• Tax + insurance: −$742
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$799
• Net cashflow: $171/mo
• Annual: $2,054/yr
• Cap rate: 6.81%
• Cash-on-cash: 1.84%
• DSCR: 1.08
• 1% rule: 0.95%
• Cash to close: $111,720

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 3-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $399k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $171 ($2k/yr) — positive. Per door: $86/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $380k (4.6% below list).
• It's been on market 42 days — a 3% lower offer ($387k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $380k (4.6% below list) — sets the bar for 1% rule.
• In year one you build about $43k of equity ($3k loan paydown + $40k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 74/100 on livability (#67 in CT, #4,936 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: health & safety A+, cost of living A, housing A; Watch: crime D, employment D.
• New Britain School District (suburban): math 6% / reading 17% proficiency, ranked #153 of 153 in CT (top 100%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 71% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Zoned schools: Diloreto Elementary & Middle School (math 4% / reading 15%, grade F, #522 of 553 statewide, top 95%, 842 students, 73% FRL); Slade Middle School (math 0% / reading 8%, grade F, #174 of 175 statewide, top 99%, 795 students, 77% FRL); New Britain High School (math 10% / reading 31%, grade F, #162 of 194 statewide, top 83%, 2,331 students, 71% FRL) — zoned schools at 74% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1928 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents rising fast (+4.9%/yr); 71 active listings in the ZIP; 2 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 1,867 units permitted in Capitol Planning Region in 2024 (1,399 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 3 sale attempts since 25y ago with the ask held roughly flat each time — persistent listings suggest the price (not the market) is what's stuck; bring a comps-based counter.
• Current owner paid $144k; list at $399k implies a 177% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 4.9% rent growth), your $112k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$69k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Cap rate 6.8% vs local median 4.2% in New Britain — top-decile yield for the area; either an underpriced asset or a hidden risk that comps aren't pricing in. Stress-test before assuming the spread holds.
• At $3,805/mo this rent would consume 73% of the median local household income ($63k/yr) (locally 1835% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 42 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 5% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1928 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Schools are F-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• Crime grade is D in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
• What's the average days-on-market for RENTAL listings here right now (not sales)? A rising rental-DOM trend means longer vacancies and softer asking-rent achievability than the comps imply.