135 Mt. Forist St

Berlin, NH 03570

$139,900B

5 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,488 sqft · Built 1920 · SingleFamily · Active · 319 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,761/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$734
• Tax + insurance: −$389
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$370
• Net cashflow: $269/mo
• Annual: $3,229/yr
• Cap rate: 8.60%
• Cash-on-cash: 8.24%
• DSCR: 1.37
• 1% rule: 1.26%
• Cash to close: $39,172

Investor read

• This is a 5-bed/2.5-bath single-family listed at $140k. Condition is rated fair.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $269 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $140k).
• It's been on market 319 days — a 12% lower offer ($123k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $123k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $15k of equity ($967 loan paydown + $14k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Location reads 66/100 on livability (#67 in NH) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, crime A-, housing A-; Watch: amenities F, commute F, employment F.
• Berlin School District (town): math 24% / reading 30% proficiency, ranked #91 of 98 in NH (top 93%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Zoned schools: Berlin Elementary School (math 35% / reading 33%, grade F, #188 of 263 statewide, top 71%, 422 students, 62% FRL); Berlin Middle School (math 14% / reading 27%, grade F, #88 of 96 statewide, top 93%, 220 students, 47% FRL); Berlin Senior High School (math 27% / reading 32%, grade F, #82 of 90 statewide, top 91%, 368 students, 39% FRL) — zoned schools at 50% FRL track the district average.
• Watch-outs: property tax is 2.8% of price; built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 138 active listings in the ZIP; lower-income renter base — watch delinquency; 95 units permitted in Coos County in 2024 (0 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Coos County population projected at -19% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• 3 sale attempts since 22y ago; this cycle's ask has dropped $57k (29%) from the opening price — seller is motivated, your offer sets the floor, not the list.
• Current owner paid $50k; list at $140k implies a 180% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $39k cash investment doubles in ~3 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 3, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$38k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• At $1,761/mo this rent would consume 48% of the median local household income ($44k/yr) (locally 16% 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 319 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 12% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Have any recent inspections been done? Can we get a copy of the seller's disclosures and any deferred-maintenance estimates?
• Built in 1920 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• Property tax is high relative to price — has the assessment been appealed recently, and will the sale trigger a re-assessment?
• 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.
• Schools are D-rated, which usually means shorter tenancies and higher turnover. Who's the typical renter profile here, and what's been the actual vacancy rate?
• 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.

Repairs flagged (vision-AI assessment)

• Major: roof — The roof appears to be in poor condition, with visible signs of wear and tear.
• Major: exterior siding — The siding is peeling and the paint is chipping, indicating a need for repainting and possibly repainting.
• Major: flooring — The flooring in the interior appears to be carpeted and in poor condition, with visible wear and tear.
• Major: interior walls — The interior walls appear to be in poor condition, with visible signs of wear and tear.
• Major: HVAC system — The HVAC system appears to be in poor condition, with visible signs of wear and tear.