23 18th St

Lowell, MA 01850

$749,000C-

9 bd · 4.0 ba · 4,164 sqft · Built 1925 · MultiFamily · Active · 120 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $7,864/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$3,928
• Tax + insurance: −$1,072
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,651
• Net cashflow: $1,213/mo
• Annual: $14,551/yr
• Cap rate: 8.24%
• Cash-on-cash: 6.94%
• DSCR: 1.31
• 1% rule: 1.05%
• Cash to close: $209,720

Investor read

• This is a 3 × 3-bed/?-bath units multifamily listed at $749k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $1k ($15k/yr) — positive. Per door: $404/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($8k rent vs $749k).
• It's been on market 120 days — a 9% lower offer ($682k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $682k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $5k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $22k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 80/100 on livability (#36 in MA, #1,677 nationally) — a professional / high-income tenant draw. Strengths: amenities A+, commute A+, health & safety A+; Watch: schools C-, crime F, cost of living F.
• Lowell (suburban): math 20% / reading 28% proficiency, ranked #277 of 302 in MA (top 92%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover; 64% free/reduced lunch — lower-income household profile, screen leases tightly.
• Watch-outs: built in 1925 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 21 active listings in the ZIP; 3,670 units permitted in Middlesex County in 2024 (2,611 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Middlesex County population projected at +20% by 2050 — long-run rental-demand tailwind backs the buy-and-hold thesis.
• 5 sale attempts since 17y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $41k (5%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $650k; 15% above their basis — modest negotiation headroom, anchor on the comps not their cost.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→16/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 8.2% vs local median 3.1% in Lowell — 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.

Questions for listing agent

• It's been on market 120 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% 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 1925 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Why hasn't it sold? Are there any deal-killer items the seller is aware of (foundation, flood, title, zoning, code violations)?
• Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
• Crime grade is F 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.