9 Birch St

Berlin, NH 03570

$85,000B+

3 bd · 1.0 ba · 1,008 sqft · Built 1890 · SingleFamily · Active · 361 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $1,620/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$446
• Tax + insurance: −$245
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$340
• Net cashflow: $589/mo
• Annual: $7,063/yr
• Cap rate: 14.60%
• Cash-on-cash: 29.68%
• DSCR: 2.32
• 1% rule: 1.91%
• Cash to close: $23,800

Investor read

• This is a 3-bed/1.0-bath single-family listed at $85k. Condition is rated poor.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $589 ($7k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($2k rent vs $85k).
• It's been on market 361 days — a 12% lower offer ($75k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $75k (12.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• In year one you build about $9k of equity ($588 loan paydown + $8k 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 3.0% of price; built in 1890 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 161 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.
• 4 sale attempts since 23y 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 $19k; list at $85k implies a 347% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $24k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 4, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$32k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.
• Cap rate 14.6% vs local median 8.2% in Berlin — 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 361 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 1890 — 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: Kitchen appliances — Appliances are old and need replacement
• Major: Bathroom fixtures — Bathroom is cluttered and needs cleaning
• Major: Exterior cleaning — Exterior is cluttered and needs cleaning
• Major: Flooring replacement — Flooring is worn and needs replacement
• Major: Painting — Painted walls need fresh paint