All Forum Posts by: Jaylan Archer

@Kevin Laddon They've been great to work with. Easy. I've done a few with them now. Those closing costs seem slightly high. Are you paying any points? 

Might be worth asking if your lender has a period of time after closing that they would refinance you again for free in the event rates drop significantly. 

Hey Kevin!

This does seem reasonable to me and I am currently working on a refinance myself with Camden National Bank.

I think a big part of this is that you are only taking out an LTV of 60% which is favorable from the bank's perspective. Is it also strictly an investment property or do you owner occupy it?

Hey there! 

Congrats on being bitten by the real estate bug — and even better that you’re thinking strategically about multifamily investing this early on. As a realtor who’s helped many first-time investors and house hackers throughout the seacoast, I can tell you that you’re on a smart path. 

The Seacoast region, especially Portsmouth, has seen significant appreciation over the last 5–10 years. Inventory is tight, and demand remains high, which makes single-family homes nearly impossible to cash flow unless you’re bringing a large down payment or looking long-term or perhaps even Airbnb. That’s where small multifamily comes in.

Portsmouth: Duplexes and triplexes and fours here are in short supply and high demand. The price per door tends to be higher, but so are the rents. If you can land something in the West End or slightly outside downtown, you may find a hidden gem. Expect competition, though. I think three or four unit is your best financial bet. 

Dover: A strong alternative. Still close to Portsmouth but more attainable. Dover has a growing downtown, solid tenant pool (UNH, hospital workers, commuters), and multifamily stock that’s more approachable for first-time buyers. House hacking here is much more viable from a numbers standpoint.

Somersworth: Often overlooked, but worth considering if cash flow is your priority. Prices are lower, and you can still find properties under $400K. Rents won’t be as high as in Dover or Portsmouth, but your mortgage might be significantly lower — which helps with net cash flow and affordability.

Hampton: Tricky. There are opportunities, especially inland, but you’ll run into more seasonal rental dynamics the closer you get to the beach. Not the easiest for year-round house hacking unless you’re comfortable managing short-term rentals.

I'd encourage you to start looking at what's currently for sale and running numbers on each and seeing where the deals are to hone in on location. 

Hey Jakob! 

Let's connect. Send me a message and would be happy to see what interests you in the seacoast market. 

That's exciting. Both Maine and NH markets are strong for STR's. If you are looking to stay in Southern Maine, I would recommend some of the more coastal communities such as Ogunquit, Kittery, Kennebunk. They have high average daily rates and very strong occupancy during the summer months, but do slow down quite a bit in the winter.

In New Hampshire, it seems like more demand is around the mountains and lakes so a bit further up. Towns like Conway, Bartlett, and Lincoln are consistently among the top STR markets, especially for their proximity to the White Mountains and year-round tourism. Wolfeboro and Meredith also benefit from lakefront appeal and minimal regulatory barriers. Hampton along the coast is another closer location to you with great STR appeal.

I own and operate in this market and happy to help if I can. 

Very nice! I am personally more on the seacoast market, but have heard and seen great things in the Manchester market. Where did you build the contractor storage and how did those work out for you? I have seen them built here and sold off as individual condo units, rather than kept as rentals. 

Hey Steve! Cool to hear about the contractor storage. Can I ask which markets you have been operating in?

Hey Courtney,

I think some context might be helpful here. Are you just starting out or do you already have significant equity, net worth and assets that require protection? 

Typically investors over complicate things when starting out. 

That's exciting Aaron! 

Can I ask what price point you are looking to be in with your build? 

You definitely have options, but if you are looking to stay on the more affordable side of things, you might be better off purchasing an existing plan and tweaking that rather than working with an architecture firm from scratch. 

@Jaycee Greene Lebanon, Maine is definitely still considered southern Maine. It's in York County which is the southern most county in Maine and is also a border town to NH. Are you working on something in Lebanon?