420 6th Ave S

Triplex · 3 units: 2 bed / 1 bath ×3 unit split estimated · 3,056 sq ft

Overpriced

43 photos

Photos courtesy of NRT-Minnesota (CB Burnet), via Realtor.com.

Asking price: $299,900
Monthly cash flow: −$444
Estimated rent: $3,000/mo
Break-even price: $216,563

Adjust the numbers See the full breakdown

From the listing

Charming multi-family property with exceptional curb appeal and income-producing in a convenient downtown St. Cloud location! This well-maintained property offers three levels of living space, making it an ideal addition to an investor portfolio or an owner-occupant seeking supplemental income. The main level is owner-occupied and offers two bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen, dining and living areas, laundry, a front porch, and a 2-stall garage. Potential income $1,700-$1,900 per month. The upper level features three bedrooms, currently rented separately, along with a shared kitchen, living room, stacked laundry, bathroom and balcony. Current monthly bedroom rents total $1,725. The lower level rents for $900/month (Friends living there, Potential $1,000-$1,200) and is configured as a one-bedroom with a walk-in closet and office nook, kitchen, bathroom, living room and laundry/utility room. Additional highlights include six off-street concrete parking spaces, a low-maintenance stucco exterior, updated plumbing (2008) and electrical (2008) throughout all three levels, and dedicated electrical panels for each level. 75 year Architectural shingles were installed in 2005. Each unit has a washer and dryer, thermal-pane tilt-in windows (2008), and solid wood doors in 2010. Excellent location within easy proximity to downtown amenities, Lake George, SCSU, and public transportation. Don't miss this versatile and income-producing opportunity!

Listing courtesy of NRT-Minnesota (CB Burnet) (April March). Description from Realtor.com, MLS #7135800. Believed reliable but not guaranteed; confirm with the listing agent. View on Realtor.com ↗

First look

This is really a house-hack with a rooming-house upstairs, not a clean triplex. The main level is owner-occupied, so the buyer would be taking over a unit with no rent in place, and the upper level is rented by the bedroom ($1,725 total) with shared kitchen and bath. Our model puts cash flow at about -$444/month at the $299,900 ask with 20% down, a 4.6% cap rate and a break-even price around $217K, so the ask is roughly $83K above break-even and it doesn't work at today's rates. Taxes and unit count couldn't be verified, so confirm the legal unit count and rental license before anything else. Worth a showing only if the price comes down or you plan to live in the main level.

Things to consider

Numbers are negative at the asking price Cash flow is about -$444 a month at 20% down, so any vacancy or repair makes it worse. You'd need a much lower price, nearer $217K, to break even.
Only part of the income is real today Rent in place is $1,725 upstairs and $900 downstairs. The owner-occupied main level is only potential income, so the cash flow depends on what you can actually collect.Listing says: “Potential income $1,700-$1,900 per month.”
By-the-bedroom upstairs means turnover and wear Three separate tenants in a shared kitchen and bath will turn over more often and may bring extra licensing rules.Listing says: “The upper level features three bedrooms, currently rented separately”
Unit count and taxes are unverified The address didn't match a county parcel, so legal unit count, tax bill and assessments are unknown. Those affect both underwriting and financing.
Building systems look updated but dated Plumbing, electrical and windows were done in 2008 and the roof in 2005, so some are 17-20 years old. The kitchen looks original.Listing says: “updated plumbing (2008) and electrical (2008) throughout all three levels”

From the photos

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

Rents the listing states

Upper level (3 bedrooms rented separately): $1,725Listing says: Current monthly bedroom rents total $1,725.
Lower level: $900Listing says: The lower level rents for $900/month (Friends living there, Potential $1,000-$1,200)

Condition and repairs

donePlumbing updatedListing says: updated plumbing (2008) and electrical (2008) throughout all three levels
doneElectrical updatedListing says: updated plumbing (2008) and electrical (2008) throughout all three levels
doneArchitectural shingle roofListing says: 75 year Architectural shingles were installed in 2005.
doneTilt-in thermal-pane windowsListing says: thermal-pane tilt-in windows (2008)
doneSolid wood doorsListing says: solid wood doors in 2010

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: $299,900
Cash to close: $68,977
Price per unit: $99,967
GRM: 8.3

Each month

Cash flow: −$444/mo
Cash-on-cash: −7.7%
Cap rate: 4.6%
DSCR: 0.72×

Break-even

Price that breaks even: $216,563
Rent that breaks even: $3,576/mo

Long run

Year 30: property vs stocks: $780K vs $744K
Cash flow turns positive: year 15

Monthly

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$3,000
Vacancy (6%)	−$180
Collected	$2,820
Property tax Estimate	−$525
Insurance Estimate	−$318
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$255
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$240
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$270
Net operating income	$1,153
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,596
Cash flow	−$444
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$203

Cash flow each year

Rents +3%/yr, 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$780,071

Your equity when you sell: $684,260
Rental profits, invested at 7%: $95,811

Same money in stocks$743,863

Cash to close, invested at 7%: $525,071
Monthly shortfalls, invested: $218,792

The building comes out $36,208 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 $780K, stocks $744K. 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.

2 bed estimate $1,000/mo · range $925–$1,125 · 9 rentals within 0.75 mi

Address	Rent	Bd / Ba	Sq ft	Distance	Listed	Type
333 4th Ave S, Saint Cloud	$800	2 / 1	—	0.2 mi	2026-08-18	Apartment
900 7th Ave S Apt 203, Saint Cloud	$1,150	2 / 1	—	0.4 mi	2026-09-25	Apartment
825 9th Ave S, Saint Cloud	$1,000	2 / 1	958	0.4 mi	2025-01-03	Apartment
905 Kilian Blvd SE, Saint Cloud	$835	2 / 1	800	0.6 mi	2026-05-15	Apartment
520 13th St S Apt 4, Saint Cloud	$895	2 / 1	850	0.7 mi	2026-07-27	Apartment
710 13th St S Apt 4, Saint Cloud	$950	2 / 1	900	0.7 mi	—	Apartment
830 13th St S, Saint Cloud	$1,110	2 / 1.5	1,030	0.7 mi	2025-01-03	Apartment
519 14th St S Apt 4, Saint Cloud	$895	2 / 1	850	0.7 mi	2026-07-07	Apartment
28 3rd Ave NE, Saint Cloud	$975	2 / 1	800	0.7 mi	2025-09-26	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

mediumCouldn't match this address to a county parcel record, so taxes and unit count are unverified. Public record: County parcels: no match for 420 6TH AVE S
mediumUpper level is rented by the bedroom with a shared kitchen and bath. That means higher turnover, more wear, and possible rooming-house licensing rules. Listing says: currently rented separately, along with a shared kitchen, living room, stacked laundry, bathroom and balcony · AI review
mediumLower-level rent is to friends, so it may not be a true market rent and there may be no lease. Confirm legal egress and licensing for the lower unit. Listing says: Friends living there, Potential $1,000-$1,200 · AI review
mediumMain level income is only potential. The owner lives there, so no rent is in place today. Listing says: Potential income $1,700-$1,900 per month. · AI review
mediumThe listing doesn't say who pays heat, and the building has radiators, which suggests a shared boiler and a possible owner-paid gas bill. Based on: photo 4 · AI review

Opportunities

Lower unit rent could rise toward the potential range once it's re-let at market Listing says: Friends living there, Potential $1,000-$1,200 · AI review
Six off-street spaces and a 2-stall garage are rare in a downtown-area triplex. Listing says: six off-street concrete parking spaces · AI review
Separate electrical panels let each unit pay its own electric. Listing says: dedicated electrical panels for each level · AI review

Questions for the agent

Is the property licensed as a triplex with the city, and is the lower unit legal with proper egress?
Who pays heat, and is there one boiler or separate systems? What were last year's heat, water, sewer and trash bills?
Do the upper-level bedroom tenants have written leases, and when do they end?
Is the lower-level tenant on a lease at $900, and will they stay after closing?
What are the real property taxes for this parcel, and are there any special assessments?
Can you share the rent roll and the trailing-12 expenses?

Bottom line

A usable house-hack, but at $299,900 the numbers lose money each month, so it only works as an owner-occupant purchase or at a much lower price. AI-assisted summary

What the records say

Where each number comes from

Property tax / yr Estimateestimate. No tax record found; 2.1% of price.	$6,298
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$3,810
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 1905: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

Price history Realtor.com

On the market since 2026-09-04 (31 days); down $19,100 (6.0%) from the first ask of $319,000.

Date	Event	Price
2026-09-23	Price changed	$299,900
2026-09-04	Listed	$319,000

From the listing Listing

Listed as	triplex
Property tax, 2026	$1,016
County	Stearns
Parcel number	82520720000

As the listing states it (NorthstarMLS, via Realtor.com). We don't have county records here yet; check the tax, homestead status and special assessments with the county.

Crime, rental-license and vacant-building records are only available for St. Paul and Minneapolis so far. Check with Saint Cloud on rental licensing before you buy.