1155 7th St W

Triplex · 3 units: 2 bed / 1.5 bath ×3 unit split estimated · 2,400 sq ft

Saint Paul, MN · West Seventh – Fort Road (West 7th, Irvine Park) · View the listing ↗

Cash flows

17 photos

Photos, via Realtor.com.

Asking price: $550,000
Monthly cash flow: $1,383
Estimated rent: $6,450/mo
Break-even price: $809,890

Adjust the numbers See the full breakdown

First look

This is a 1888 triplex at $550K with a vacant lot included, and the county record is the first thing to untangle. The tax record shows 'vacant land, lot' with $461 tax and $32K market value, which looks like the split-off lot, not the building. So the real tax bill on the triplex may be much higher than our model assumes. Our underwriting shows $1,383/mo cash flow and a 9.4% cap at ask, but that rests on $2,150 per unit estimated rents and a tax figure I don't trust yet. The listing gives no rents, no lease terms and no expenses, and it has sat 87 days. Get the rent roll, the true tax on the building parcel, and the rental license status before you spend time on a showing.

Things to consider

Taxes may be understated The county record points at the vacant lot at $461 tax. A real triplex bill will be much higher, which cuts cash flow and the 9% cap rate.
Rents are our estimate, not stated We assume $2,150 per unit with no rent roll. If actual rents are lower, cash flow falls fast, and St. Paul caps increases at 3% for sitting tenants.
Rental license and inspection grade A pending license and a C grade mean repair orders and possible delays. Confirm you can legally collect rent.
The lot is a separate value piece You're paying for a buildable lot too. Value it separately so you know what the triplex costs on its own.Listing says: “Lot was recently split to have it's own PID and ready for your new construction ideas!”
Price versus history The seller paid $250K in 2018. At $550K, ask what justifies the jump, and use the 87 days on market to negotiate.

From the photos

Based on 10 of the listing photos. Photos can hide as much as they show; an inspection is the real answer.

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

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: $550,000
Cash to close: $126,500
Price per unit: $183,333
GRM: 7.1

Each month

Cash flow: $1,383/mo
Cash-on-cash: 13.1%
Cap rate: 9.4%
DSCR: 1.47×

Break-even

Price that breaks even: $809,890
Rent that breaks even: $4,654/mo

Long run

Year 30: property vs stocks: $4.58M vs $963K
Cash flow turns positive: year 1

Monthly

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$6,450
Vacancy (6%)	−$387
Collected	$6,063
Property tax Public record	−$38
Insurance Estimate	−$303
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$255
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$516
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$580
Net operating income	$4,311
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$2,927
Cash flow	$1,383
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$372

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$4,581,362

Your equity when you sell: $1,254,894
Rental profits, invested at 7%: $3,326,468

Same money in stocks$962,950

Cash to close, invested at 7%: $962,950

The building comes out $3,618,412 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 $4.58M, stocks $963K. The property wins.

Comparable rentals

Nearby rentals RentCast matched to each unit type, as of 2026-10-05. The estimate above is RentCast's, weighted toward the closest matches.

2 bed / 1.5 bath estimate $2,150/mo · range $1,600–$2,150

Address	Rent	Bd / Ba	Sq ft	Distance	Listed	Match
470 Lexington Pkwy S, Apt 518, Saint Paul 55105 off market	$3,789	2 / 2	1,920	0.7 mi	2026-03-24	92%
1217 Grand Ave, Saint Paul 55105 off market	$1,500	2 / 1	—	1.4 mi	2026-07-06	89%
645 Grand Ave, Unit 1, Saint Paul 55105 off market	$2,500	2 / 1	1,500	1.1 mi	2026-07-13	87%
201 Goodrich Ave, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$1,550	2 / 1	1,500	1.5 mi	2026-05-06	86%
61 Dale St N, Apt 3, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$2,380	2 / 2	1,400	1.3 mi	2026-08-11	86%
33 Avon St S, Saint Paul 55105 off market	$1,795	2 / 1	1,350	1.1 mi	2025-05-23	86%
1135-1137 Goodrich Ave, Saint Paul 55105	$2,350	2 / 1	1,300	1.2 mi	2026-09-04	85%
763 Tuscarora Ave, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$1,549	2 / 1	1,100	0.1 mi	2025-11-17	85%
271 W Sturgis St, Saint Paul 55102 off market	$1,731	2 / 1	1,250	1.4 mi	2026-09-28	84%
717 Smith Ave S Apt B, Saint Paul 55107 off market	$1,675	2 / 2	1,225	1.5 mi	2026-04-02	84%

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

Red flags and opportunities

Watch for

highCounty record shows the vacant lot, not the building. Tax and value in our model may be badly understated. Based on: data: county.tax · AI review
highRental license shows Pending with an expiry date in 2025. The triplex may not be currently licensed. Based on: data: city.rental_license · AI review
mediumFire-inspection grade C: more deficiencies than typical; expect more frequent inspections and repair orders. Public record: St. Paul Certificate of Occupancy – Residential: 1155 7TH ST W, grade/tier=C, status=Pending
mediumNo rents, lease terms or expenses given. Income is unverified. Listing says: Triplex is currently 100% occupied. Buyer and Buyer's agent to verify all information. · AI review
low$529 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 112823420215: special assessments (payable 2026) = $528.88
lowListing agent is tied to the selling company, so the pricing and the lot bundle come from an insider seller. Listing says: Listing agent is affiliated with the selling company, Trio Investments LLC. · AI review

Opportunities

The seller bought for $250,000 in Oct 2018, so they can take a lower offer and still come out well ahead. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 112823420215: last sale 2018-10-01, $250,000
Adjacent lot has its own parcel ID and could be built on or sold separately, which could offset price. Listing says: Lot was recently split to have it's own PID and ready for your new construction ideas! · AI review
Long time on market gives room to negotiate, and the seller paid $250K in 2018. Based on: data: listing.days_on_market · AI review

Questions for the agent

What are the current rents, lease end dates and deposits for each unit? Can I see the rent roll and leases?
What is the property tax on the triplex parcel itself, separate from the vacant lot?
What is the status of the rental license, and what were the grade C fire-inspection deficiencies? Have they been fixed?
What are the special assessments for, and will the seller pay them at closing?
What is the lot worth on its own, and can it be sold separately? Any zoning or utility limits?
How are heat and water metered and paid? Are there separate meters for each unit?

Bottom line

Interesting triplex-plus-lot, but the tax data looks wrong, the license is unclear and there are no rents, so the 9% cap is unproven. AI-assisted summary

What the records say

Where each number comes from

Property tax / yr Public recordRamsey County record, payable 2026 (non-homestead)	$461
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$3,630
Water, sewer, trash / mo Estimateestimate. $85/unit/mo, owner-paid	$255
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 1888: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

Price history Realtor.com

On the market since 2026-07-10 (87 days); last sold for $250,000 on 2018-10-15.

Date	Event	Price
2026-07-10	Listed	$550,000
2018-10-15	Sold public record	$250,000
2014-02-19	Sold	$130,150
2013-12-16	Relisted	$130,150
2013-12-14	Removed	$130,150
2013-11-12	Price changed	$130,150
2013-10-09	Removed	$137,000
2013-09-12	Price changed	$137,000
2013-08-16	Price changed	$142,000
2013-07-12	Listed	$137,000
2013-07-12	Listed	$148,500
2005-04-01	Sold public record	$344,000
2000-08-14	Sold public record	$188,000
1996-05-03	Sold public record	$70,000

County record Public record

Recorded as	residential, vacant land, lot
Living units	3
Year built	—
Market value (2026)	$32,000
Property tax, payable 2026	$461
Special assessments	$529
Homestead	no
Last sale	2018-10-01 · $250,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 3+ Units: 3 unit(s), C, status pending, renews 2025-08-14.

Nearest highway

Shepard Road, about 455 m away.

Crime in West Seventh – Fort Road

635 incidents in the last 12 months (49 per 1,000 residents), +6% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.