173 Elm St · Mechanic Falls, ME 04256

$102,500

2 bd · 1.0 ba · 992 sqft · Other public records

Built 1953 0.50 ac lot ↓ 7% since listing

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Why this score? — see what drove the B+ 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 +26.3/30.0
• Appreciation +10.0/10.0
• DSCR +8.9/10.0
• 1% rule +7.6/10.0
• ARV discount +7.5/15.0
• Schools +6.9/10.0
• Livability +3.5/5.0
• Rent growth +2.5/5.0
• Condition / age +2.5/5.0

Listing remarks

Ranch home built in 1953 with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. Needs significant updates and work. Will not qualify for most loan types.

Key facts

• 0.5 acre lot
• Built 1953

What this means for you Summary

Snapshot

• This is a 2-bed/1.0-bath other listed at $102k.

Deal economics

• At list price, monthly cash flow is $264 ($3k/yr) — positive.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($1k rent vs $102k).
• Cap rate 9.4% vs local median 2.4% in Mechanic Falls — 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 69/100 on livability (#78 in ME) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: cost of living A+, housing A+, health & safety A+; Watch: employment D+, schools F, amenities F.
• RSU 16 (rural): math 79% / reading 83% proficiency, ranked #73 of 112 in ME (top 65%) — strong family-tenant draw, lease renewals of 3-5y typical.
• Market conditions: 21 active listings in the ZIP; 358 units permitted in Androscoggin County in 2024 (57 in 5+ unit buildings).

Forward outlook

• In year one you build about $11k of equity ($709 loan paydown + $10k appreciation (10.0% local appreciation)).
• Androscoggin County population projected at -19% by 2050 — secular population decline; favor cash flow + early exit over multi-decade hold.
• At projected returns (10.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $29k cash investment doubles in ~2 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• By year 4, paydown + projected appreciation supports a ~$39k cash-out refi (75% LTV) — recoverable capital for the next deal without selling this one.

Negotiation context

• Only 0 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 2 sale attempts since 7y 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.

Risks & watch-outs

• Watch-outs: built in 1953 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.

Recommended offer $102,500

Questions for the listing agent

1. Built in 1953 — 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 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?
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: 1.26% ✓
• Cap rate: 9.38%
• Cash-on-cash: 11.03%
• DSCR: 1.49
• GRM: 6.6

CMA / ARV

No comps found within radius.

Projected returns pro-forma

10.0% appreciation · 3.0% rent growth · sell at horizon

5-year hold

• IRR: 32.4%
• Equity multiple: 3.53×
• Total profit: $72,673
• Equity at exit: $92,340

10-year hold

• IRR: 28.0%
• Equity multiple: 8.00×
• Total profit: $200,901
• Equity at exit: $199,135

Cash invested: $28,700 (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 04256

• Home prices YoY: 4.0%
• Active inventory: 21
• Price-to-rent: 6.6×

Monthly cashflow live

• Estimated rent: $1,295 medium
• Mortgage (P&I): −$538
• Tax from tax record: −$179 /mo · $2,150/yr
• Insurance: −$43
• HOA: −$0
• Vacancy / Maint / Mgmt: −$272
• Net cashflow: $264

Break-even live

Break-even rent $961

Max offer price $102,500

Occupancy floor 75%

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: $25,625
• Closing costs: $3,075
• Reserves months: —
• Total cash needed: —

Listing history 2 events

1. 2026-06-05
   remarks 126-char remark
2. 2026-06-05
   listed $102,500 Pending

ⓘ 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: $2,150 · $179/mo
• Projected year-2 tax: $2,150 · $179/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 (unshaded) · 0% chance over 30 yrs
• 🔥 Wildfire 3/10 Moderate
• 🌡 Heat 3/10 Moderate 7 d/yr ≥92°F today · 15 d/yr by 30 yrs out
• 💨 Wind 4/10 Moderate 11% chance of damaging wind over 30 yrs
• 🫁 Air quality 2/10 Low 1 unhealthy d/yr today · 1 by 30 yrs out

Taxation est. · year 1

• Rental income: $15,541
• − Mortgage interest: −$5,742
• − Property taxes: −$2,150
• − Insurance: −$512
• − Repairs & maintenance: −$1,243
• − Management: −$1,243
• − Depreciation: −$2,982
• Taxable income: $1,669
• Est. tax owed @ 24.0%: −$401
• After-tax cash flow: $2,764/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 16
• NCES district ID: 2314775
• Math proficiency: 79% ▲ 40.00%
• Reading proficiency: 83% ▲ 29.00%
• Median HH income: $58,651
• Composite: 69.31/100
• National rank: #315
• State rank: #73 of 112 in ME

Livability — Mechanic Falls

• Score: 69/100
• State rank: #78
• US rank: #8822

Category grades

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

Schools grade is shown separately in the Schools card above.

Census & demographics

• Census place: Mechanic Falls, ME
• Population (ZIP): 3,108

Population outlook (Androscoggin County) Hauer SSP2

• Today (2025): 103,965 people
• By 2030: 101,004 · -2.8%
• By 2040: 93,218 · -10.3%
• By 2050: 84,222 · -19.0%
• By 2075: 63,391 · -39.0%
• By 2100: 43,273 · -58.4%

Race, ethnicity, and origin ACS 2023

• Neighborhood character: Predominantly White (78%)
• Race & ethnicity: White 78% Two or more races 16% Black 4% Asian 2%
• Common ancestry: Lithuanian 5% Slovak 3% Romanian 1%
• Foreign-born: 2% · China, Canada
• Languages at home: 98% English-only · Chinese 2%

Political lean MEDSL · Androscoggin

• 2024 margin: Lean R (+6.1) · D 45.9% · R 52.0% · Other 2.1%
• 2008→2024 swing: -21.3pp toward R · 2008: 15.2pp · 2024: -6.1pp
• All cycles: 2024: R+6.1 2020: R+2.8 2016: R+9.4 2012: D+12.8 2008: D+15.2

Not yet ingested

• Civics: —

Market trends

• HPI YoY: ▲ 12.44%
• Current HPI: 327.6966
• Rent YoY: —
• Metro: —
• State GDP YoY: —
• F500 in state: 0

Price history

-6.8% since first listed

3 events — show timeline

• 2026-06-03 Delisted — MREIS
• 2026-06-03 Listed $102,500 MREIS
• 2019-01-08 Listed $110,000 MREIS

Property tax history

+1.6%/yr

Latest (2025): $2,150 · -3.2% YoY. Source: county tax records.