2-8 Ross Ave

Ware, MA 01082

$549,000C+

12 bd · 4.0 ba · 4,930 sqft · Built 1880 · MultiFamily · Active · 8 DOM

Cashflow @ list (25.0% down · 7.5%)

• Estimated rent: $6,433/mo
• Mortgage (P&I): −$2,879
• Tax + insurance: −$655
• HOA: −$0
• Vac / Maint / Mgmt: −$1,351
• Net cashflow: $1,548/mo
• Annual: $18,574/yr
• Cap rate: 9.68%
• Cash-on-cash: 12.08%
• DSCR: 1.54
• 1% rule: 1.17%
• Cash to close: $153,720

Investor read

• This is a 4 × 3-bed/1.0-bath units multifamily listed at $549k.
• At list price, monthly cash flow is $2k ($19k/yr) — positive. Per door: $387/mo.
• The deal already cash-flows at list — no discount required.
• Meets the 1% rule at list price ($6k rent vs $549k).
• Only 8 days on market — expect competitive offers; lowballing is unlikely to land.
• 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 59/100 on livability (#227 in MA) — a working-class tenant base; expect higher turnover. Strengths: health & safety A+, housing A; Watch: schools D-, crime D-, amenities F.
• Ware (rural): math 21% / reading 37% proficiency, ranked #257 of 302 in MA (top 85%) — low school quality limits family demand, transient renter base, plan for 1-2y turnover.
• Watch-outs: built in 1880 — expect roof / HVAC / electrical / plumbing capex.
• Market conditions: 34 active listings in the ZIP; 349 units permitted in Hampshire County in 2024 (185 in 5+ unit buildings).
• Hampshire County population projected at +5% by 2050 — modest demand growth; plan on rents tracking national, not racing it.
• 4 sale attempts since 26y 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 $270k; list at $549k implies a 103% gain — meaningful room to come down on a strong offer.
• At projected returns (-3.0% appreciation + 3.0% rent growth), your $154k cash investment doubles in ~10 years — after that, you're playing with house money.
• Climate carrying-cost: major wind risk, 27% chance of damaging wind over 30y — expect insurance premiums to compound above CPI over the hold.
• Cap rate 9.7% vs local median 3.9% in Ware — 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

• 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 1880 — when were the roof, HVAC, electrical panel, plumbing, and water heater last replaced?
• 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?
• Crime grade is D in this area — have there been break-ins, vandalism, or insurance claims at this property in the last 3 years? What carrier currently insures it and at what premium?
• 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.