Menu
Back to St. Paul
St. Paul › Dayton's Bluff

1052 Ross Ave

Fourplex · 4 units: 1 bed / 1 bath ×4 unit split estimated · 2,676 sq ft

Saint Paul, MN · Dayton's Bluff · View the listing ↗

Close
4 photos
1052 Ross Ave, photo 1
1 / 4
1052 Ross Ave, photo 2
2 / 4
1052 Ross Ave, photo 3
3 / 4
1052 Ross Ave, photo 4
4 / 4

Photos courtesy of Creative Real Estate, LLC, via Realtor.com.

Asking price
$274,500
4 units · $69K per unit
Monthly cash flow
−$160
at 20% down, 7%
Estimated rent
$3,700/mo
low confidence · 6 rentals within 0.75 mi
Break-even price
$244,427
where cash flow hits $0

Adjust the numbers See the full breakdown

First look

This is a vacant, boarded-up looking 4-plex of 1-beds in Dayton's Bluff, sold as-is, and the numbers don't work at the ask. Our underwriting shows about -$160/month at $274,500 with a break-even price near $244K, and that is before the heavy rehab the photos suggest. The seller paid $475K in 2022 and the county values it at $369K, so the ask reflects a big loss and distress. Before a showing, get the city's Category 2 vacant building requirements and a repair estimate, because that decides if it is buyable at all. Worth a look only as a deeply discounted rehab, and only if the city's code-compliance plan is manageable.

Things to consider

  1. Category 2 vacant building status The city must approve a sale and any occupancy, and you take on its code-compliance plan. That can add cost and delay before you earn any rent.
  2. Numbers don't work at the ask Our model shows negative cash flow of about $160/month and a 5.7% cap rate at asking, before the rehab. The break-even price is about $244K, and the real number should be lower after repairs.
  3. $11.5K in special assessments These can be added to your cost at closing or the tax bill. Treat them as part of the price unless the seller pays them off.
  4. Heavy rehab on 1910 building Photos show dated kitchens, window AC units and worn finishes, and the description says it needs work. Budget for all four kitchens, baths, mechanicals and possibly electrical.Listing says: “Building is CAT-2, needs work and sale As-is.”
  5. No rental license on file You would need to get the building licensed and inspected before renting, which adds time and cost.
  6. Rents are modest after the rehab Our estimate is about $925 per 1-bed. Four units at that level leave limited room to absorb a large rehab bill.

From the photos

Listing photo 1
1 of 7Concern

Ground-floor windows appear boarded or covered with panels and the entry door looks plain and worn; consistent with a secured vacant building

Listing photo 1
2 of 7Check

Stucco exterior shows staining and patchy texture; check for cracks and moisture behind it

Listing photo 2
3 of 7Check

Bedrooms have older hardwood floors with staining and debris; floors look salvageable but dirty

Listing photo 3
4 of 7Check

Window air conditioners suggest no central AC; baseboard hot-water radiators appear to be the heat source

Listing photo 4
5 of 7Concern

Kitchen looks dated and worn: cabinet doors hang open, mismatched counter and appliances, and the floor looks scuffed. Plan on a full kitchen redo

Listing photo 4
6 of 7Check

Hot-water baseboard heat appears present in the kitchen, so likely a boiler system; its age and condition are unknown

Listing photo 1
7 of 7Check

No photos of the basement, mechanicals, electrical panel, bathrooms or roof, which are the biggest cost items

Based on 4 of the listing photos. Photos can hide as much as they show; an inspection is the real answer.

Condition and repairs

  • neededBuilding needs work; sold as-isListing says: Building is CAT-2, needs work and sale As-is.

AI-assisted first read of the listing description and photos (Claude), checked against public records. Every rent and repair above quotes the listing; verify with the agent, leases and an inspection.

The numbers

Down payment %
Offer $
Management
Interest rate %
Edit rents, costs and assumptions

Default: 20% down (no PMI), offer at asking, self-managed, 7.00% for 30 years, buyer pays closing costs (3%).

The deal

Price
$274,500
Cash to close
$63,135
Price per unit
$68,625
GRM
6.2

Each month

Cash flow
−$160/mo
Cash-on-cash
−3.0%
Cap rate
5.7%
DSCR
0.89×

Break-even

Price that breaks even
$244,427
Rent that breaks even
$3,916/mo

Long run

Year 30: property vs stocks
$899K vs $518K
Cash flow turns positive
year 6

Monthly

Monthly breakdown

Rent$3,700
Vacancy (6%)−$222
Collected$3,478
Property tax Public record−$646
Insurance Estimate−$391
Water, sewer, trash Estimate−$340
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)−$60
Repairs (10% of rent)−$370
Capital reserve (10% of rent)−$370
Net operating income$1,301
Mortgage (principal + interest)−$1,461
Cash flow−$160
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)$186

Cash flow each year

Rents +3%/yr (St. Paul's cap for sitting tenants), costs +3.5%/yr. Red bars are months you'd cover out of pocket.

30 years

How those totals add up

If you buy this building$898,723
Your equity when you sell
$626,307

Sells for $666,284 (value up 3% a year), minus 6% selling cost ($39,977). Rent paid down $219,600 of loan.

Rental profits, invested at 7%
$272,416

$152,658 of cash flow over 30 years, plus what it earned invested.

Same money in stocks$517,827
Cash to close, invested at 7%
$480,600

$63,135 put into an index fund instead of the down payment and closing costs.

Monthly shortfalls, invested
$37,228

$5,697 you'd have paid in while the building lost money, invested instead.

The building comes out $380,896 ahead after 30 years.

Future dollars. At 3% inflation, divide year-30 figures by about 2.4 for today's buying power. Rental profits are assumed invested, not spent.

30 years: this property vs. the same money in stocks

This propertyStocks at 7%

Year 30 (loan paid off): property $899K, stocks $518K. The property wins.

Comparable rentals

The closest rental listings with each unit's bedroom count, as of 2026-10-06. The estimate is the median asking rent of every rental we found nearby (the count is shown for each); houses are left out. Asking rents from Realtor.com rental listings, not signed leases.

1 bed estimate $925/mo · range $900–$975 · 6 rentals within 0.75 mi

AddressRentBd / BaSq ftDistanceListedType
870 E Cook Ave Unit 3, Saint Paul $900 1 / 1 580 0.6 mi — Apartment
940 E 3rd St, Saint Paul $899 1 / 1 500 0.7 mi 2026-06-30 Apartment
1269 Cook Ave E Apt 208, Saint Paul $850 1 / 1 600 0.7 mi — Apartment
1267 Cook Ave E, Saint Paul $850 1 / 1 600 0.7 mi 2025-01-03 Apartment
1272 Magnolia Ave E Apt 104, Saint Paul $850 1 / 1 675 0.7 mi — Apartment
1348 Ames Ave, Saint Paul $1,050 1 / 1 600 0.7 mi 2025-12-18 Apartment

On the maps, this property and comparable rentals. Comparable rentals and rent estimate: Realtor.com rental listings. Rents are asking rents from listings; check them against the actual leases.

Red flags and opportunities

Watch for

  • highOn the city's Vacant Building registry (Category 2). In St. Paul, Categories 2 and 3 can't be sold or occupied without city approval and a code-compliance plan. Public record: St. Paul Vacant Buildings registry: 1052 ROSS AVE, Category 2, vacant as of 05/22/2025
  • highFire/vacant-building status limits sale and occupancy; need the city's code-compliance scope and cost Based on: data: city.vacant_building · AI review
  • highWindows on the ground floor appear boarded up, suggesting the building has sat empty and may have been secured after damage or vandalism Based on: photo 1 · AI review
  • mediumNo rental certificate (CofO) on file in the city's data. Ask whether the building is licensed as a rental and when it was last inspected. Public record: St. Paul Certificate of Occupancy – Residential: no record for 1052 ROSS AVE (dataset last updated mid-2025)
  • medium$11,499 in special assessments on the payable 2026 tax bill (often street, sewer or code-enforcement charges). Ask what they're for, whether they continue, and whether the seller pays them off at closing. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 282922340015: special assessments (payable 2026) = $11,499.24
  • mediumSold as-is: the seller won't fix what the inspection finds. Price that in. Listing says: "parking. Building is CAT-2, needs work and sale As-is ."
  • mediumSpecial assessments of about $11.5K could transfer to the buyer Based on: data: county.special_assessments · AI review
  • mediumAsking price is far above what the rents support; the break-even price is about $30K lower Based on: data: underwriting.break_even_price · AI review

Opportunities

  • Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 63 days on market, 2 price cuts
  • Deep discount potential: 63 days on market, as-is, vacant, and the seller lost money versus the 2022 price Based on: data: county.last_sale_price · AI review
  • Vacant means you can renovate all four units without displacing tenants or facing the 3% rent cap on sitting tenants Listing says: It's vacant and easy to show. · AI review
  • Hardwood floors appear to be in place under the grime and could be refinished Based on: photo 2 · AI review

Questions for the agent

  • What is the Category 2 vacant building file: what violations, what deadlines, and what is the estimated cost to comply?
  • What are the $11,499 in special assessments for, and does the seller pay them at closing?
  • Why has the building been vacant since May 2025, and was there a fire, water or other damage?
  • Is it licensed as a 4-unit rental, and is there a Certificate of Occupancy history?
  • What are the age and condition of the boiler, electrical, plumbing and roof?
  • Has the seller received any offers, and what price would they accept given the as-is condition?

Bottom line

A vacant, distressed 4-plex with a city vacant-building order and $11.5K in assessments; only worth pursuing at a big discount once the city's compliance scope is known. AI-assisted summary

What the records say

Where each number comes from

Property tax / yr Public recordRamsey County record, payable 2026 (non-homestead)$7,749
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote$4,696
Water, sewer, trash / mo Estimateestimate. $85/unit/mo, owner-paid$340
Heat / mo Assumptionassumption. tenants pay heat; confirm with the agent$0
Lawn care / mo Assumptionassumption. $120/mo for 6 months, spread over 12; no snow removal$60
Repairs / capital reserve Rulerule. built 1910: +1 pt capital reserve; "as-is" in the description: +2 pts each10% / 10%

Price history Realtor.com

On the market since 2026-07-04 (93 days, relisted 1×); down $24,500 (8.2%) from the first ask of $299,000; last sold for $475,000 on 2022-01-11; listed for rent at $1,395/mo on 2022-04-26.

DateEventPrice
Price changed$274,500
Listed$279,900
Removed$299,900
Removed$299,900
Removed$377,610
Removed$299,000
Removed—
Rent changed$1,395/mo
Listed for rent$1,795/mo
Sold public record$475,000
Sold public record$228,000
Sold public record$205,000
Sold$205,000
Price changed$214,900
Listed$219,900
Sold public record$172,000
Sold public record$86,000

County record Public record

Recorded asapartments 4-6 rental units
Living units4
Year built1910
Market value (2026)$369,400
Property tax, payable 2026$7,749
Special assessments$11,499
Homesteadno
Last sale2022-01-04 · $475,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

No record in St. Paul Certificate of Occupancy – Residential (dataset last updated mid-2025).

Nearest highway

I 94;US 10;US 61, about 1525 m away.

Crime in Dayton's Bluff

970 incidents in the last 12 months (52 per 1,000 residents), −6% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.