Buying In Dover, NH
Sell Your Commercial Property In Dover, NH
From Downtown Dover to Durham, we buy Dover multifamily and commercial apartment properties of 5+ units in every condition. Owners and agents get a straight answer on fit, usually within two business days.
- Clear feedback on your deal, typically within 48 hours
- 5 to 100+ units, stabilized or distressed, listed or off-market
- Owners, agents, and brokers welcome — every conversation is confidential
We buy:Tired landlordsEstate & trust sales1031 exchangesDeferred maintenanceHigh vacancyPartnership splits
Areas We Target: Downtown Dover · Somersworth · Durham · Madbury — Strafford County, NH
The Dover Market
What Drives Rentals In Dover
Dover, New Hampshire has 33,364 residents in ACS 2020-2024, and renters occupy 47.3% of its homes. Median gross rent is $1,607 a month, and the rental vacancy rate is 2.0%, per the Census housing profile. This is Dover in Strafford County, on the New Hampshire Seacoast, not the Delaware capital.
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital anchors local jobs with more than 3,650 employees, per Mass General Brigham. The University of New Hampshire sits in the separate town of Durham, and Spaulding Turnpike exits 6 through 9 serve Dover, per NH Employment Security.
For owners who want to sell commercial property in Dover, NH, three local facts shape value. The 2025 tax rate is $19.68 per $1,000, per the City of Dover. Buildings with five or more units hold 32.2% of the housing stock, and over half of all homes predate 1980. Each section below links to the official source behind its figures.
Wentworth-Douglass Hospital
Mass General Brigham lists Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover with 178 beds and more than 3,650 employees, a year-round source of renters among clinical and support staff.Spaulding Turnpike commuter access
NH Employment Security lists Spaulding Turnpike exits 6 through 9 serving Dover, and ACS 2020-2024 shows 56.0% of working Dover residents commute to jobs outside the city.UNH in nearby Durham
The University of New Hampshire is in the separate town of Durham, not Dover. Its Durham campus counted 13,360 degree candidates in fall 2024, per UNH institutional research.Our Buy Box
What We Buy In Dover
Asset Type
Multifamily, 5+ Units
Apartment buildings and income-producing residential.
Size
5 – 100+ Units
Sweet spot: 15–25 units.
Condition
Stabilized To Distressed
Value-add, mismanaged, and high-vacancy properties welcome.
Deal Types
Listed Or Off-Market
Direct-to-owner, pocket listings, portfolios.
Local Market Data
Dover Apartment Market
Figures gathered October 2026 from public market data.
Who rents in Dover
Renters occupy 47.3% of Dover's homes, or 7,121 of 15,042 occupied households, in ACS 2020-2024 tenure data. Statewide, New Hampshire's renter share is 27.2% in the same Census table. Strafford County as a whole sits at 32.9%, per the county tenure table.
Dover's median household income is $94,829 in ACS 2020-2024, close to the state median of $99,031. Much of the workforce leaves town each day: 56.0% of working Dover residents hold jobs outside the city, per Census place-of-work data.
Dover rents and affordability under HUD's FY2027 fair market rents
Median gross rent in Dover is $1,607 a month in ACS 2020-2024, $116 above the New Hampshire median of $1,491. HUD places Dover in the Portsmouth-Rochester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area for its FY2027 fair market rents, effective October 1, 2026.
| Unit size | HUD FY2027 FMR |
|---|---|
| Efficiency | $1,489 |
| One bedroom | $1,600 |
| Two bedrooms | $2,093 |
| Three bedrooms | $2,494 |
| Four bedrooms | $2,813 |
The two-bedroom FMR of $2,093 sits $486 above Dover's ACS median rent. Cost pressure is real: 48.0% of Dover renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent, per ACS table B25070. Another 25.1%, or 1,789 households, pay half or more.
Supply is tight. Dover's rental vacancy rate is 2.0% in the ACS 2020-2024 housing profile, against 4.0% statewide and 5.1% for Strafford County. For an owner selling commercial property in Dover, low vacancy supports the rent roll a buyer will underwrite.
Dover's apartment stock
Buildings with five or more units hold 4,962 of Dover's 15,433 housing units, or 32.2%, in ACS units-in-structure data. That is about double the statewide share of 15.5%. The 50-plus unit tier alone counts 902 units.
The rest spreads across mid-size buildings. Dover has 1,703 units in 5-9 unit buildings, 699 in 10-19 unit buildings and 1,658 in 20-49 unit buildings. That mix gives buyers of every size a local comparable set.
Most of the stock is older. Homes built before 1980 make up 54.8% of Dover's housing, and 25.9% predate 1940, per ACS year-built data. The median year built for Dover housing is 1976.
Buyers price building age into their offers through capital reserves for roofs and heating plants. Owners who plan to sell commercial real estate in Dover, NH can answer those questions early with a record of recent capital work.
Property taxes in Strafford County: Dover's rate and a $2 million example
Dover's 2025 tax rate is $19.68 per $1,000 of assessed value, per the City of Dover tax rate notice. The state certified it on December 5, 2025. It splits into $6.91 municipal, $1.83 Strafford County, $9.78 local education and $1.16 state education. The city rate history shows $18.70 for 2024 and $26.01 for 2015.
The rate equals the $127,421,722 to be raised by taxes divided by Dover's $6,482,774,600 total valuation. Budgets drive the levy, and assessments set each owner's share.
Assessments lag the market. Dover's assessor estimates an 89-90% equalization ratio for tax year 2025, per a City of Dover assessing notice. The office skipped its citywide statistical update that year while moving to a new appraisal system. Dover has run annual in-house updates since 1998, according to its assessing FAQ.
| Worked example, 2025 Dover rate | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tax if assessed at $2,000,000 | $39,360 |
| Tax if assessed at $1,800,000 (90% ratio) | $35,424 |
| Tax if assessed at $1,780,000 (89% ratio) | $35,030 |
| Transfer tax on a $2,000,000 sale, seller share | $15,000 |
New Hampshire's transfer tax is $0.75 per $100 of price under RSA 78-B:1, and RSA 78-B:4 applies it to both buyer and seller. To sell commercial property in Dover, NH at $2 million, each side owes $15,000. An abatement request must be filed by March 1 after the tax notice, under RSA 76:16.
Landlord rules for Dover rentals
A residential security deposit is capped at one month's rent or $100, whichever is greater, under RSA 540-A:6. On a sale, the landlord must turn deposits over within 5 days of the deed and notify tenants by certified or registered mail. Deposits must be returned within 30 days after a tenancy ends, with an itemized list of deductions, under RSA 540-A:7.
Owners of restricted property may end a tenancy only for the reasons listed in RSA 540:2, including nonpayment and other good cause. Nonpayment allows 7 days' notice, and most other residential causes need 30 days under RSA 540:3. A lease of 12 months or longer may end at expiration with at least 60 days' written notice under RSA 540:2.
Locally, Dover's Housing Code authorizes the Housing Standards Board to inspect dwellings and rooming houses, under Chapter 93, section 93-16. Open code orders are worth clearing before a closing.
What it means for a Dover owner
Dover pairs a 2.0% rental vacancy rate with a renter share well above the state's. Its stock skews old, and its tax rate rose to $19.68 for 2025 from $18.70 in 2024. Buyers will weigh all three.
If you plan to sell commercial property in Dover, NH, start with a current rent roll, deposit ledger and three years of tax bills. Those records answer a buyer's first questions on income, tenant transfers and assessment risk.
Skyline Capital Investments buys 5+ unit apartment buildings in Dover and across Strafford County. Run your numbers with our cap rate calculator, then see how we buy apartment buildings for cash when you are ready to sell multifamily property in Dover.
Good To Know
Selling In Dover
More about selling in New Hampshire →Investing in Dover? See apartment syndications in Dover →
- Dover's assessor estimated an 89-90% equalization ratio for tax year 2025, so assessed values across the city average below full market value.
- Owners who sell commercial real estate in Dover, NH must turn tenant security deposits over to the buyer within 5 days of the deed under RSA 540-A:6.
- When you sell your apartment building in Dover, the state transfer tax of $0.75 per $100 of price applies to both buyer and seller.
- Dover mailed 993 property-specific value change notices for tax year 2025 instead of running its annual citywide update while it switched appraisal systems.
Seller Guides
Selling In Dover? Common Situations We Handle
Learn More
Taxes & Rules For Dover Property
The New Hampshire rules that shape any deal in Dover: what a sale costs in tax, how buildings are taxed, what landlords must follow, and how to defer gains.
Dover Seller FAQ
What should I know before I sell commercial property in Dover, NH?
Start with the numbers a buyer will check. Dover's 2025 tax rate is $19.68 per $1,000 of assessed value, and the assessor estimates an 89-90% equalization ratio. Rental vacancy is 2.0% in ACS 2020-2024, and 32.2% of housing units sit in buildings of five or more. Have a rent roll, deposit ledger and recent tax bills ready.
What does it cost to sell commercial real estate in Dover, NH?
The main state cost is the real estate transfer tax under RSA 78-B. It is $0.75 per $100 of price, charged to both buyer and seller. On a $2,000,000 sale, each side pays $15,000, or $30,000 in total. Dover's 2025 property tax rate of $19.68 per $1,000 also shapes the price a buyer can pay.
What do apartments rent for in Dover, NH?
Median gross rent in Dover is $1,607 a month in ACS 2020-2024, including utilities. HUD's FY2027 fair market rents for the Portsmouth-Rochester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area are $1,600 for a one-bedroom and $2,093 for a two-bedroom. About 48.0% of Dover renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent.
How fast can I remove a tenant for nonpayment in Dover?
New Hampshire law sets the notice. Under RSA 540:3, nonpayment of rent allows 7 days' notice, while most other residential causes need 30 days. Owners of restricted property may end a tenancy only for reasons listed in RSA 540:2, such as nonpayment, substantial damage or other good cause. A lease of 12 months or longer can also end at expiration with at least 60 days' written notice.
How is my Dover apartment building assessed?
Dover's assessing office has updated values in-house every year since 1998, though it skipped the citywide update for tax year 2025 while changing appraisal systems. Values reflect conditions on April 1. If an assessment looks high, an abatement request is due by March 1 under RSA 76:16. A lower assessment can help if you plan to sell your apartment building in Dover.
Will you buy a Dover property that needs work or has high vacancy?
Yes. We regularly evaluate value-add, mismanaged, and distressed multifamily properties and underwrite them as they are today — no repairs or lease-up required before selling.
Do you work with Dover brokers and agents?
We do. Agents can bring us listed or pocket-listing deals in Dover, and we keep every conversation confidential.
Is it possible to sell rental property in Dover without evicting tenants?
It is. We buy apartment buildings occupied, and tenants stay on their current leases. Skyline Capital Investments is a commercial real estate buyer of 5+ unit buildings, so occupied properties are the norm for us.
Do I need a broker to sell my apartment building in Dover?
No. You can work with us directly, or your broker can bring the deal to us. Either way, conversations stay confidential.
Submit A Deal
Selling A Building In Dover?
Send the address, unit count, and asking price if you have one. We keep every conversation confidential.
