1529 E 5th St

Overpriced

25 photos

Photos courtesy of RE/MAX Results, via Realtor.com.

Asking price: $620,000
Monthly cash flow: −$925
Estimated rent: $4,600/mo
Break-even price: $446,249

Adjust the numbers See the full breakdown

From the listing

Impeccably maintained four unit multifamily property featuring extensive updates and strong investment appeal. Each of the four identical units showcases refinished hardwood floors, preserved original woodwork, and an updated faux clay roof that enhances the building's architectural character. All units include two exits for convenience and safety. The lower level offers a large tuck under garage with two dedicated parking stalls per unit, each equipped with its own opener. Shared amenities include a coin operated washer and dryer located adjacent to four private storage rooms, providing valuable tenant convenience. Major mechanical improvements include electrical and plumbing updates and a full conversion from fuel oil to natural gas, supporting efficiency and long term reliability. Exterior features include a durable brick facade, seamless gutters, and a repaired architectural eyebrow accent at the roofline, reflecting consistent care and maintenance. This property is a turnkey, well updated asset offering historic charm, modern improvements, and stable rental potential.

Listing courtesy of RE/MAX Results (Reisa Varin). Description from Realtor.com, MLS #6126728. Believed reliable but not guaranteed; confirm with the listing agent. View on Realtor.com ↗

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: $620,000
Cash to close: $142,600
Price per unit: $155,000
GRM: 11.2

Each month

Cash flow: −$925/mo
Cash-on-cash: −7.8%
Cap rate: 4.6%
DSCR: 0.72×

Break-even

Price that breaks even: $446,249
Rent that breaks even: $5,786/mo

Long run

Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.69M vs $1.52M
Cash flow turns positive: year 14

Monthly

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$4,600
Vacancy (6%)	−$276
Collected	$4,324
Property tax Listing	−$449
Insurance Estimate	−$364
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$340
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$368
Capital reserve (8% of rent)	−$368
Net operating income	$2,375
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$3,300
Cash flow	−$925
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$420

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

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,504,903
Minus 6% selling cost	−$90,294
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $558,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$111,426 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$146,183
What you'd walk away with	$1,560,791
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($80,600) invested at 7%	$613,548
Monthly shortfalls ($167,560 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$879,382
What you'd walk away with	$1,492,929
Building minus stocks	$67,862

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,504,903
Minus 6% selling cost	−$90,294
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $558,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$19,765 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$21,823
What you'd walk away with	$1,436,432
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($80,600) invested at 7%	$613,548
Monthly shortfalls ($298,073 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,360,360
What you'd walk away with	$1,973,908
Building minus stocks	−$537,476

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,480,630
Minus 6% selling cost	−$88,838
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $549,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$120,791 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$160,714
What you'd walk away with	$1,552,506
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,300) invested at 7%	$603,652
Monthly shortfalls ($155,100 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$824,300
What you'd walk away with	$1,427,952
Building minus stocks	$124,554

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,480,630
Minus 6% selling cost	−$88,838
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $549,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$24,076 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$26,963
What you'd walk away with	$1,418,755
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($79,300) invested at 7%	$603,652
Monthly shortfalls ($280,559 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$1,295,887
What you'd walk away with	$1,899,539
Building minus stocks	−$480,784

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,504,903
Minus 6% selling cost	−$90,294
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $496,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$185,963 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$272,110
What you'd walk away with	$1,686,719
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($142,600) invested at 7%	$1,085,508
Monthly shortfalls ($76,862 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$429,835
What you'd walk away with	$1,515,343
Building minus stocks	$171,376

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,504,903
Minus 6% selling cost	−$90,294
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $496,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$59,052 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$72,586
What you'd walk away with	$1,487,195
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($142,600) invested at 7%	$1,085,508
Monthly shortfalls ($172,124 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$835,649
What you'd walk away with	$1,921,156
Building minus stocks	−$433,961

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,480,630
Minus 6% selling cost	−$88,838
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $488,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$197,255 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$293,180
What you'd walk away with	$1,684,973
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($140,300) invested at 7%	$1,067,999
Monthly shortfalls ($68,994 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$390,574
What you'd walk away with	$1,458,573
Building minus stocks	$226,400

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,480,630
Minus 6% selling cost	−$88,838
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $488,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$65,808 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$82,137
What you'd walk away with	$1,473,929
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($140,300) invested at 7%	$1,067,999
Monthly shortfalls ($159,720 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$784,868
What you'd walk away with	$1,852,867
Building minus stocks	−$378,938

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,504,903
Minus 6% selling cost	−$90,294
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $465,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$231,743 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$360,513
What you'd walk away with	$1,775,121
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($173,600) invested at 7%	$1,321,487
Monthly shortfalls ($48,395 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$284,454
What you'd walk away with	$1,605,942
Building minus stocks	$169,179

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,504,903
Minus 6% selling cost	−$90,294
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $465,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$87,399 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$114,081
What you'd walk away with	$1,528,689
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($173,600) invested at 7%	$1,321,487
Monthly shortfalls ($126,224 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$643,360
What you'd walk away with	$1,964,847
Building minus stocks	−$436,158

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,480,630
Minus 6% selling cost	−$88,838
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $457,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$243,718 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$385,060
What you'd walk away with	$1,776,852
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($170,800) invested at 7%	$1,300,173
Monthly shortfalls ($42,407 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$252,441
What you'd walk away with	$1,552,614
Building minus stocks	$224,238

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,480,630
Minus 6% selling cost	−$88,838
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $457,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$95,183 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$126,140
What you'd walk away with	$1,517,933
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($170,800) invested at 7%	$1,300,173
Monthly shortfalls ($116,045 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$598,859
What you'd walk away with	$1,899,032
Building minus stocks	−$381,099

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 $1.69M, stocks $1.52M. The property wins.

Comparable rentals

The closest rental listings with each unit's bedroom count, as of 2026-10-04. 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 $1,150/mo · range $1,075–$1,300 · 10 rentals within 0.75 mi

Address	Rent	Bd / Ba	Sq ft	Distance	Listed	Type
1807 E 3rd St Apt 18, Duluth	$1,095	1 / 1	513	0.3 mi	—	Apartment
1807 E 3rd St Apt 5, Duluth	$1,050	1 / 1	495	0.3 mi	—	Apartment
1501 E 1st St, Duluth	$1,050	1 / 1	400	0.3 mi	2026-03-12	Apartment
1321 E 1st St, Duluth	$1,335	1 / 1	528	0.3 mi	2025-04-30	Apartment
1910 E 4th St Apt B, Duluth	$1,095	1 / 1	—	0.3 mi	—	Apartment
1509 E Superior St, Duluth	$1,245	1 / 1	602	0.3 mi	2024-05-02	Apartment
1431 E Superior St, Duluth	$1,050	1 / 1	900	0.3 mi	2026-09-29	Apartment
926 932 E 4th St, Duluth	$1,150	1 / 1	675	0.5 mi	2026-07-28	Apartment
730 E 2nd St, Duluth	$1,200	1 / 1	600	0.7 mi	2024-04-23	Apartment
715 E 6th St, Duluth	$1,350	1 / 1	—	0.7 mi	2026-09-10	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 1529 5TH ST E

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 Listinglisting, tax year 2026. The tax the listing states. If the seller lives there it may be at the lower homestead rate; an investor owner pays the non-homestead rate, often 20–40% more on the owner's unit.	$5,392
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$4,362
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. base rate	8% / 8%

Status history

2026-07-13New at $620,000

From the listing Listing

Listed as	fourplex
Property tax, 2026	$5,392
County	St. Louis County
Parcel number	010-1480-08610

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 Duluth on rental licensing before you buy.