1259 Charles Ave

Saint Paul, MN · Hamline – Midway · Find the listing ↗

Overpriced

Asking price: $381,425
Monthly cash flow: −$682
Estimated rent: $3,000/mo
Break-even price: $253,257

Adjust these numbers in the calculator See the full breakdown

The numbers

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

Estimated rent per unit Estimate

3 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,650 $1,400–$1,900
2 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,350 $1,150–$1,550

Rough screening estimate from bedroom count only ($750 + $300 per bedroom, ±15%). Not comparable-rental data; a RentCast estimate replaces it for the top candidates. Confidence: low.

Rent rules: Capped at 3%/yr for sitting tenants.

Price: $381,425
Monthly cash flow: −$682
Cash to close: $87,728
Cap rate: 4.2%
Cash-on-cash: −9.3%
DSCR: 0.66×
GRM: 10.6
Price per unit: $190,712
Price that breaks even: $253,257
Rent that breaks even: $3,886/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 17
Year 30: property vs stocks: $957K vs $1.05M

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$3,000
Vacancy (6%)	−$180
Collected	$2,820
Property tax Public record	−$495
Insurance Estimate	−$237
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$240
Capital reserve (9% of rent)	−$270
Net operating income	$1,348
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$2,030
Cash flow	−$682
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$258

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: this property vs. the same money in stocks

This propertyStocks at 7%

Year 30 (loan paid off): property $957K, stocks $1.05M. Stocks win.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$925,819
Minus 6% selling cost	−$55,549
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $343,282 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$30,704 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$36,696
What you'd walk away with	$906,966
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($49,585) invested at 7%	$377,456
Monthly shortfalls ($140,373 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$683,788
What you'd walk away with	$1,061,243
Building minus stocks	−$154,277

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$925,819
Minus 6% selling cost	−$55,549
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $343,282 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$0 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$0
What you'd walk away with	$870,269
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($49,585) invested at 7%	$377,456
Monthly shortfalls ($254,565 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,041,877
What you'd walk away with	$1,419,332
Building minus stocks	−$549,063

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$901,546
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,093
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $334,282 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$37,577 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$46,049
What you'd walk away with	$893,502
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($48,285) invested at 7%	$367,560
Monthly shortfalls ($125,420 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$623,527
What you'd walk away with	$991,087
Building minus stocks	−$97,585

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$901,546
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,093
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $334,282 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$151 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$151
What you'd walk away with	$847,604
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($48,285) invested at 7%	$367,560
Monthly shortfalls ($232,890 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$972,415
What you'd walk away with	$1,339,974
Building minus stocks	−$492,370

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$925,819
Minus 6% selling cost	−$55,549
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $305,140 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$65,120 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$87,054
What you'd walk away with	$957,324
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($87,728) invested at 7%	$667,806
Monthly shortfalls ($73,136 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$380,113
What you'd walk away with	$1,047,919
Building minus stocks	−$90,595

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$925,819
Minus 6% selling cost	−$55,549
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $305,140 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$6,174 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$6,624
What you'd walk away with	$876,893
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($87,728) invested at 7%	$667,806
Monthly shortfalls ($159,086 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$694,468
What you'd walk away with	$1,362,274
Building minus stocks	−$485,381

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$901,546
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,093
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $297,140 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$74,184 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$101,774
What you'd walk away with	$949,227
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($85,428) invested at 7%	$650,298
Monthly shortfalls ($63,040 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$334,502
What you'd walk away with	$984,799
Building minus stocks	−$35,572

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$901,546
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,093
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $297,140 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$9,443 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$10,402
What you'd walk away with	$857,855
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($85,428) invested at 7%	$650,298
Monthly shortfalls ($143,193 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$637,915
What you'd walk away with	$1,288,213
Building minus stocks	−$430,358

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$925,819
Minus 6% selling cost	−$55,549
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $286,069 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$87,846 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$125,097
What you'd walk away with	$995,366
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($106,799) invested at 7%	$812,981
Monthly shortfalls ($50,184 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$274,332
What you'd walk away with	$1,087,313
Building minus stocks	−$91,947

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$925,819
Minus 6% selling cost	−$55,549
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $286,069 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$15,135 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$17,309
What you'd walk away with	$887,579
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($106,799) invested at 7%	$812,981
Monthly shortfalls ($122,369 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$561,329
What you'd walk away with	$1,374,311
Building minus stocks	−$486,732

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$901,546
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,093
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $278,569 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$97,839 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$143,013
What you'd walk away with	$990,466
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($103,999) invested at 7%	$791,667
Monthly shortfalls ($42,214 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$235,687
What you'd walk away with	$1,027,354
Building minus stocks	−$36,888

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$901,546
Minus 6% selling cost	−$54,093
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $278,569 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$19,758 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$23,183
What you'd walk away with	$870,637
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($103,999) invested at 7%	$791,667
Monthly shortfalls ($109,029 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$510,643
What you'd walk away with	$1,302,310
Building minus stocks	−$431,673

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.

Red flags and opportunities

Watch for

medium$1,244 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 342923130051: special assessments (payable 2026) = $1,243.54
mediumAsking is $128,168 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($253,257) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $381,425 vs. break-even $253,257

Opportunities

Long time on market: room to negotiate. Based on: Listing data: 140 days on market

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)	$5,938
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,846
Water, sewer, trash / mo Estimateestimate. $85/unit/mo, owner-paid	$170
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 1912: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1912
Market value (2026)	$272,800
Property tax, payable 2026	$5,938
Special assessments	$1,244
Homestead	no
Last sale	—

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

Residential 2 Units: 2 unit(s), B, status renewal due, renews 2023-10-01.

Nearest highway

I 94, about 656 m away.

Crime in Hamline – Midway

1,218 incidents in the last 12 months (101 per 1,000 residents), −3% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-05-15New at $381,425