85 Ellis St

New Britain, CT 06051

$325,000B-

4 bd · 2.0 ba · 2,002 sqft · Built 1880 · MultiFamily · Under Contract · 14 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $3,395/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$1,704
• Tax + insurance: −$610
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$713
• Net cashflow: $368/mo
• Annual: $4,414/yr
• Cap rate: 7.65%
• Cash-on-cash: 4.85%
• DSCR: 1.22
• 1% rule: 1.04%
• Cash to close: $91,000

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $325k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $368 ($4k/yr) — positive. Per door: $184/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($3k rent vs $325k).
• Only 14 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• In year one you build about $35k of equity ($2k loan paydown + $32k 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: New Britain High School (math 10% / reading 31%, grade F, #162 of 194 statewide, top 83%, 2,331 students, 71% FRL) — zoned schools at 71% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: built in 1880 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: Rents soft (-0.6%/yr); 63 active listings in the ZIP; 8 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals at typical pace (median 16d on market — plan ~3-4 weeks tenant-placement turnaround); 1,867 units permitted in Capitol Planning Region in 2024 (1,399 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 3 sale attempts since 16y 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 $125k; list at $325k implies a 160% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 0.0% rent growth), your $91k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 2, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$56k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Cap rate 7.7% vs local median 4.4% 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 $3,395/mo this rent would consume 80% of the median local household income ($51k/yr) (locally 2100% of renters already pay >50% of income on rent) — very limited rent-growth headroom before tenants either downsize or default.

Questions for listing agent

• 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 1880 — 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.
• What's the recent tenant-quality profile in this submarket — average credit score on applications, eviction rate, late-payment / NSF rate, and stable-employment percentage? A property-management company in the area should have these aggregated.