871 Madawaska Rd · Caribou, ME 04736

$94,900

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 702 sqft · SingleFamily public records · 11 Days on market

Built 1888 1.88 ac lot

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Why this score? — see what drove the C grade

The composite is a weighted blend of 9 inputs, each scored 0–100. Each bar is that input's sub-score; the figure is the points it added to the 100-point composite (weight × sub-score).

• Cash flow +23.0/30.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• DSCR +7.4/10.0
• Schools +6.9/10.0
• 1% rule +6.0/10.0
• Livability +3.7/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0
• Appreciation +0.0/10.0

Listing remarks

Modest interior, modest exterior, and modest price to match but there is nothing modest about the feel of warmth and cheer in this New England farmhouse! Warm and inviting, the eat-in kitchen is farmhouse-style, plain and plenty - lots of cupboard and counter space as well as room for gathering 'round the kitchen table. The room directly off of this can be used as a dining room, this seller doesn't happen to need that, or you can use it as an office or den. From here is the comfortable and spacious living room. There is also a 1st floor bedroom, and the full bath with laundry. So easy, 1st floor living! The 2nd floor offers 2 more bedrooms and two attic rooms, perfect for easy-to-access d

Key facts

• Veggie patch
• Attic rooms
• First floor living

Tags

• EAT-IN KITCHEN
• FIRST FLOOR LIVING
• ATTIC ROOMS
• MUDROOM ENTRY
• ENCLOSED PORCH
• VEGGIE PATCH

Property features AI

Finance

• HOA & community: No pet restrictions

Exterior

• Parking: Gravel parking; Space for 5–10 vehicles
• Utilities: Private well water; Septic system (septic tank; septic design available); Circuit breaker electrical service; Utilities currently on; Electric water heater
• Home design: Single family residence; Built in 1888; Metal roof; Stone foundation
• Construction: Wood frame construction; Composition, shingle, vinyl and wood siding
• Exterior features: Shed(s); Open, level and wooded lot; Near golf course; Rural setting; Paved road access

Interior

• Kitchen: Electric range; Refrigerator
• Bedrooms: Bedroom 1 on the first floor (approx. 12 x 10); Bedroom 2 on the second floor (approx. 12 x 9); Bedroom 3 on the second floor (approx. 13 x 9)
• Flooring: Laminate flooring
• Bathrooms: 1 full bathroom
• Heating & cooling: Forced air heating; Heat pump (also provides cooling)
• Interior features: One-floor living; 1st floor bedroom; Attic; Storage; Internet access available; Six total rooms
• Laundry & utility: Washer; Dryer; Laundry on the main/first level

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $95k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $169 ($2k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $95k).
• Cap rate 8.4% vs local median 3.6% in Caribou — 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.

Location & tenants

• Location reads 74/100 on livability (#46 in ME, #4,849 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D+, schools D, amenities F.
• RSU 39 (town): math 82% / reading 83% proficiency, ranked #79 of 112 in ME (top 70%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Market conditions: 83 active listings in the ZIP; 112 units permitted in Aroostook County in 2024 (45 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $656 of loan paydown is wiped out by about $3k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Aroostook County population projected at -33% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.

Negotiation context

• Only 11 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1888 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $94,900

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1888 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
2. Is there a deadline driving the sale (1031 exchange, divorce, estate, relocation)? That informs how much negotiation room exists.
3. 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?
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.

Investment metrics

• 1% rule: 1.10% ✓
• Cap rate: 8.43%
• Cash-on-cash: 7.65%
• DSCR: 1.34
• GRM: 7.6

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

-3.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: -4.6%
• Equity multiple: 0.83×
• Total profit: $-4,579
• Equity at exit: $14,150

10-year hold

• IRR: 5.1%
• Equity multiple: 1.37×
• Total profit: $9,954
• Equity at exit: $8,205

Cash invested: $26,572 (down + closing). Projections, not guarantees.

Landlord ↔ Tenant lean methodology

• Overall (STATE): 41 Moderately Tenant-Leaning
• State Maine: 41 Moderately Tenant-Leaning · D+2
• County: — inherits STATE
• City: — inherits STATE

Portland has rent control referendum (2020); strong habitability; security deposit caps.

Methodology + full state rankings →

ZIP-level market 04736

• Home prices YoY: -18.6%
• Active inventory: 83
• Price-to-rent: 7.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,039 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$498
• Tax from tax record: −$114 /mo · $1,374/yr
• Insurance: −$40
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$218
• Net cashflow: $169

Break-even live

Break-even rent $825

Max offer price $94,900

Occupancy floor 79%

UW: 25.0% down · 7.5% · 30yr · 1.5% tax · 5.0% vac · 8.0% maint · 8.0% mgmt

Financing live

Cash to close

• Down payment: $23,725
• Closing costs: $2,847
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 2 events

1. 2026-05-15
   status Pending 1977-char remark
2. 2026-05-04
   listed $94,900 Active 1977-char remark

ⓘ Source: listings_history table (triggers on properties + properties_extension) + one-shot backfill from property_details.listing_events for pre-trigger history.

Tax reassessment forecast ME · Partial reset (capped growth)

• Current annual tax: $1,374 · $114/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $1,374 · $114/mo
• Expected delta: $0/yr ($0/mo · 0.0%)

ⓘ Screening estimate from a state-policy table — verify with the county assessor before closing.

Climate risk First Street

• 🌊 Flood 1/10 Low FEMA zone X · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 1/10 Low
• 🌡 Heat 1/10 Low 7 d/yr ≥86°F today · 14 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 4/10 Moderate 10% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 1/10 Low 0 unhealthy d/yr today · 0 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $12,472
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,316
• − Property taxes: −$1,374
• − Insurance: −$474
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$998
• − Management: −$998
• − Depreciation: −$2,761
• Taxable income: $551
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$132
• After-tax cash flow: $1,900/yr

For passive investors: Depreciation is non-cash, so a rental often shows a tax loss while cash-flowing — sheltering income. Rental losses are passive: they offset passive income freely, and up to $25,000/yr can offset ordinary (W-2) income if you actively participate and your MAGI is under $100k (phasing out to $0 by $150k); unused losses carry forward. On sale, claimed depreciation is recaptured at up to 25%, and gains may owe capital-gains tax (a 1031 exchange can defer both). Figures are a year-1 estimate at your 24.0% rate — not tax advice; consult a CPA.

Schools (NCES district)

• District: RSU 39
• NCES district ID: 2314794
• Math proficiency: 82% ▲ 55.00%
• Reading proficiency: 83% ▲ 39.00%
• Median HH income: $38,159
• Composite: 68.6/100
• National rank: #341
• State rank: #79 of 112 in ME

Livability — Caribou

• Score: 74/100
• State rank: #46
• US rank: #4849

Category grades

Amenities F Commute F Cost of living A+ Crime A Employment D+ Housing A+ Health & safety A+ User ratings B-

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Caribou, ME
• City population: 9,107
• Population (ZIP): 9,107

Population outlook (Aroostook County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 61,905 people
• By 2030: 57,815 · -6.6%
• By 2040: 49,240 · -20.5%
• By 2050: 41,386 · -33.1%
• By 2075: 27,664 · -55.3%
• By 2100: 18,974 · -69.3%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (93%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 93% Two or more races 5%
• Common ancestry: Lithuanian 28% Slovak 3% Serbian 1%
• Foreign-born: 3% · Canada
• Languages at home: 92% English-only · French/Haitian/Cajun 7%

Political lean MEDSL · Aroostook

• 2024 margin: Strong R (+26.2) · D 36.2% · R 62.4% · Other 1.4%
• 2008→2024 swing: -35.8pp toward R · 2008: 9.6pp · 2024: -26.2pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+26.2 2020: R+19.9 2016: R+17.3 2012: D+7.7 2008: D+9.6

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▼ -50.06%
• Current HPI: 219.5142
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

2 events — show timeline

• 2026-05-15 Pending — MREIS
• 2026-05-04 Listed $94,900 MREIS

Property tax history

+2.6%/yr

Latest (2024): $1,374 · +9.7% YoY. Source: county tax records.