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852 Ashland Ave

Fourplex · 4 units: 2 bed / 1 bath and 1 bed / 1 bath ×3 unit split estimated · 3,262 sq ft

Saint Paul, MN · Summit – University (Rondo, Cathedral Hill) · Find the listing ↗

Far off
Asking price
$675,000
4 units · $169K per unit
Monthly cash flow
−$1,824
at 20% down, 7%
Estimated rent
$5,100/mo
medium confidence · 12 rentals within 0.75 mi
Break-even price
$332,304
where cash flow hits $0

Adjust the numbers See the full breakdown

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
$675,000
Cash to close
$155,250
Price per unit
$168,750
GRM
11.0

Each month

Cash flow
−$1,824/mo
Cash-on-cash
−14.1%
Cap rate
3.1%
DSCR
0.49×

Break-even

Price that breaks even
$332,304
Rent that breaks even
$7,469/mo

Long run

Year 30: property vs stocks
$1.54M vs $2.70M
Cash flow turns positive
not within 30 years

Monthly

Monthly breakdown

Rent$5,100
Vacancy (6%)−$306
Collected$4,794
Property tax Public record−$1,354
Insurance Estimate−$405
Water, sewer, trash Estimate−$340
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)−$408
Capital reserve (9% of rent)−$459
Net operating income$1,769
Mortgage (principal + interest)−$3,593
Cash flow−$1,824
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)$457

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$1,540,098
Your equity when you sell
$1,540,098

Sells for $1,638,402 (value up 3% a year), minus 6% selling cost ($98,304). Rent paid down $540,000 of loan.

Rental profits, invested at 7%
$0

$0 of cash flow over 30 years, plus what it earned invested.

Same money in stocks$2,701,767
Cash to close, invested at 7%
$1,181,803

$155,250 put into an index fund instead of the down payment and closing costs.

Monthly shortfalls, invested
$1,519,964

$388,434 you'd have paid in while the building lost money, invested instead.

Stocks come out $1,161,669 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 $1.54M, stocks $2.70M. Stocks win.

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 $1,650/mo · range $1,400–$1,775 · 12 rentals within 0.75 mi

AddressRentBd / BaSq ftDistanceListedType
913 Ashland Ave, Saint Paul $1,600 2 / 1 1,150 0.1 mi 2026-09-05 Apartment
874 Selby Ave, Saint Paul $1,250 2 / 1 620 0.2 mi 2026-09-28 Apartment
826 Selby Ave Apt 2, Saint Paul $1,700 2 / 1 1,200 0.2 mi — Apartment
874 Selby Ave Apt 3, Saint Paul $1,250 2 / 1 650 0.2 mi 2026-09-20 Apartment
180 Milton St N, Saint Paul $1,650 2 / 1 1,105 0.2 mi 2025-10-02 Apartment
755 Selby Ave, Saint Paul $1,500 2 / 1 1,003 0.3 mi 2026-02-18 Apartment
228 Victoria St N Apt 2, Saint Paul $1,695 2 / 1 1,000 0.3 mi 2026-09-01 Apartment
651-655 Portland Ave, Saint Paul $1,449 2 / 1 1,100 0.4 mi 2026-07-01 Apartment
655 Selby Ave, Saint Paul $1,300 2 / 1 842 0.5 mi 2026-09-24 Apartment
640 Dayton Ave, Saint Paul $1,900 2 / 1 1,080 0.5 mi 2026-09-26 Duplex triplex

1 bed estimate $1,150/mo · range $1,125–$1,300 · 21 rentals within 0.75 mi

AddressRentBd / BaSq ftDistanceListedType
755 Selby Ave, Saint Paul $1,300 1 / 1 — 0.3 mi 2026-02-18 Apartment
894 Grand Ave, Saint Paul $1,090 1 / 1 650 0.3 mi 2026-03-28 Apartment
702 Holly Ave, Saint Paul $1,099 1 / 1 700 0.3 mi 2026-07-01 Apartment
908 Grand Ave, Saint Paul $1,075 1 / 1 650 0.3 mi 2024-03-04 Apartment
719 Hague Ave, Saint Paul $1,075 1 / 1 650 0.3 mi 2026-08-18 Apartment
203 Grotto St N, Saint Paul $1,195 1 / 1 875 0.3 mi 2026-09-23 Apartment
711 Grand Ave, Saint Paul $949 1 / 1 750 0.4 mi 2026-08-31 Apartment
935 Goodrich Ave, Saint Paul $1,199 1 / 1 700 0.4 mi 2026-03-03 Apartment
655 Selby Ave, Saint Paul $1,150 1 / 1 628 0.5 mi 2026-09-24 Apartment
643 Grand Avenue-643 Grand Ave, Saint Paul $1,600 1 / 1 700 0.5 mi — 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

  • mediumAsking is $342,696 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($332,304) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $675,000 vs. break-even $332,304
  • low$865 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 022823130067: special assessments (payable 2026) = $865.00

Opportunities

None found.

Questions for the agent

  • Can we see the current leases and a rent roll, with move-in dates?
  • What did water/sewer/trash, heat and electric cost the owner over the last 12 months?
  • How old are the roof, boiler or furnaces, water heaters and electrical panels?
  • Is the building licensed as a rental for this many units, and when was the last city inspection?
  • Any special assessments pending, and will the seller pay them off at closing?

Standard questions worth asking about any building.

What the records say

Where each number comes from

Property tax / yr Public recordRamsey County record, payable 2026 (non-homestead)$16,243
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote$4,857
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 1909: +1 pt capital reserve8% / 9%

Status history

  • Price increase at $675,000 (was $625,000)
  • Price cut at $625,000 (was $665,000) · from listing history
  • New at $625,000

County record Public record

Recorded asapartments 4-6 rental units
Living units4
Year built1909
Market value (2026)$774,400
Property tax, payable 2026$16,243
Special assessments$865
Homesteadno
Last sale2026-04-16 · $605,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 3+ Units: 4 unit(s), B, status pending, renews 2025-12-08.

Nearest highway

I 94, about 876 m away.

Crime in Summit – University

1,066 incidents in the last 12 months (59 per 1,000 residents), −13% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.