296 E Main St

Clinton, CT 06413

$539,900C+

2 bd · 2.0 ba · 1,808 sqft · Built 1920 · MultiFamily · Active · 101 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $5,191/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,831
• Tax + insurance: −$946
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,090
• Net cashflow: $324/mo
• Annual: $3,882/yr
• Cap rate: 7.96%
• Cash-on-cash: 5.95%
• DSCR: 1.26
• 1% rule: 0.96%
• Cash to close: $151,172

Investor read

• This is a 2 × 2-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $540k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $324 ($4k/yr) — positive. Per door: $162/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• To meet the 1% rule (rent ≥ 1% of price), the offer needs to be $519k (3.9% below list).
• It's been on market 101 days — a 9% lower offer ($491k) is reasonable based on typical stale-listing flexibility.
• Recommended offer: $491k (9.0% below list) — sets the bar for market timing.
• Local home prices are declining (-3.0%/yr); year-one equity from $4k of loan paydown is wiped out by about $16k of value loss. Plan a longer hold.
• Location reads 78/100 on livability (#34 in CT, #2,393 nationally) — a middle-class / working-renter tenant base. Strengths: health & safety A+, crime A-, employment B+; Watch: amenities C-, cost of living C-, commute D+.
• Clinton School District (suburban): math 47% / reading 56% proficiency, ranked #76 of 153 in CT (top 50%) — acceptable for families but not a draw, mixed tenant base, ~2y average lease; only 16% free/reduced lunch — higher-income household profile.
• Zoned schools: Lewin G. Joel Jr. School (math 52% / reading 52%, grade C-, #213 of 553 statewide, top 41%, 549 students, 40% FRL); Jared Eliot School (math 44% / reading 54%, grade C-, #81 of 175 statewide, top 47%, 418 students, 37% FRL); The Morgan School (math 47% / reading 67%, grade C, #52 of 194 statewide, top 31%, 524 students, 30% FRL) — zoned schools average 36% FRL vs 16% district-wide (20 pts higher); higher-poverty schools than district average — tighter screening recommended.
• Watch-outs: flood insurance adds $427/mo; built in 1920 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 83 active listings in the ZIP; 6 comparable units currently listed for rent nearby; rentals lingering (median 46d on market — plan ~5-8 weeks vacancy on turnover, expect pricing pressure); 100% of comp listings sitting > 30 days — soft ceiling on asking rent; 278 units permitted in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region in 2024 (89 in 5+ unit buildings).
• 3 sale attempts since 14y 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 $140k; list at $540k implies a 286% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• Climate carrying-cost: in FEMA flood zone AE (mandatory federal flood insurance); severe wind risk, 80% chance of damaging wind over 30y; extreme-heat days projected 7→18/yr by 2055 (HVAC capex compounding) — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 8.0% vs local median 2.5% in Clinton — 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 101 days. Have you received any prior offers? Is the seller open to a 9% concession, seller financing, or rate buy-down credit?
• Can we see the unit-by-unit rent roll, current vacancy, and any below-market leases? What's the average tenancy length?
• What capital expenditures (roof, boiler, parking lot, exteriors) have been made in the last 5 years, and what's planned in the next 2?
• Built in 1920 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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 B-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?