189 Western Ave

Kennebunk, ME 04043

$775,000B

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,008 sqft · Built 1999 · SingleFamily · Active · 76 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $11,379/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$4,064
• Tax + insurance: −$847
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$2,390
• Net cashflow: $4,079/mo
• Annual: $48,943/yr
• Cap rate: 12.71%
• Cash-on-cash: 22.92%
• DSCR: 2.02
• 1% rule: 1.47%
• Cash to close: $217,000

Investor read

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $775k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $4k ($49k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($11k rent vs $775k).
• It's been on market 76 days — a 6% lower offer ($728k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $728k (6.0% 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 $23k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 79/100 on livability (#20 in ME, #2,049 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: schools A+, crime A+, employment A+; Watch: cost of living D+, amenities F, commute F.
• RSU 21 (rural): math 91% / reading 94% proficiency, ranked #13 of 112 in ME (top 12%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical; only 16% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $66/mo.
• Market conditions: 132 active listings in the ZIP; 1 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; 1,386 units permitted in York County in 2024 (338 in 5+ unit buildings).
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $217k cash investment doubles in ~6 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: severe flood risk; major wind risk, 71% chance of damaging wind over 30y — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 12.7% vs local median 3.2% in Kennebunk — 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 76 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 6% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• What's the actual annual flood-insurance premium (NFIP or private), and is the property in a SFHA with mandatory coverage?
• 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 A-rated — typically a magnet for longer-tenancy family renters. What's the average tenant stay here, and is there a school-zone premium baked into asking?
• 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.
• How much new for-sale + rental construction is in the pipeline within 1–3 miles? Heavy new supply typically softens prices + rents 12–24 months out; constrained supply supports both.