1724 Malvern St

Overpriced

42 photos

Photos courtesy of Keller Williams Realty, via Realtor.com.

Asking price: $315,000
Monthly cash flow: −$536
Estimated rent: $2,650/mo
Break-even price: $214,310

Adjust the numbers See the full breakdown

From the listing

Have you ever heard of Lauderdale? Many haven't, and that's part of the appeal! Tucked quietly away in one of the most beautiful and historic parts of the Twin Cities, yet convenient to 94 and Hwy 280, Lauderdale is a hidden little gem of a neighborhood. Within walking or biking distance to St. Anthony Park, with it's locally famous and eclectic shops and cafes, this up/down duplex offers a great owner-occupancy or cashflow. Ready for your finishing touches, it has three finished levels, with two distinct owner-occupant options: a large, two-level owners unit with rental income coming from the second floor, or maximizing your return and living affordably in the upper-level two bedroom unit while the bigger main floor unit pays your mortgage. A rare finished basement with family room enhances the main unit, and a third bedroom could easily be added with an egress window. This just might be one of the most affordable entry points into one of St. Paul's most wholesome neighborhoods. This property is your chance to get the keys to Lauderdale, the unofficially cutest nook in the heart of St. Paul! **BONUS: Lauderdale is not St. Paul, so this property is NOT subject to the St. Paul rent control ordinances.**

Listing courtesy of Keller Williams Realty (Paul Olson). Description from Realtor.com, MLS #7143583. 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: $315,000
Cash to close: $72,450
Price per unit: $157,500
GRM: 9.9

Each month

Cash flow: −$536/mo
Cash-on-cash: −8.9%
Cap rate: 4.3%
DSCR: 0.68×

Break-even

Price that breaks even: $214,310
Rent that breaks even: $3,337/mo

Long run

Year 30: property vs stocks: $797K vs $841K
Cash flow turns positive: year 17

Monthly

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$2,650
Vacancy (6%)	−$159
Collected	$2,491
Property tax Listing	−$512
Insurance Estimate	−$185
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$212
Capital reserve (8% of rent)	−$212
Net operating income	$1,141
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,677
Cash flow	−$536
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$213

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	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $283,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$27,745 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$33,563
What you'd walk away with	$752,276
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($40,950) invested at 7%	$311,722
Monthly shortfalls ($109,048 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$537,409
What you'd walk away with	$849,131
Building minus stocks	−$96,855

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $283,500 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	$718,712
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($40,950) invested at 7%	$311,722
Monthly shortfalls ($209,294 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$852,573
What you'd walk away with	$1,164,295
Building minus stocks	−$445,583

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$740,315
Minus 6% selling cost	−$44,419
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $274,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$35,139 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$43,900
What you'd walk away with	$739,796
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($39,650) invested at 7%	$301,826
Monthly shortfalls ($94,615 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$478,132
What you'd walk away with	$779,958
Building minus stocks	−$40,162

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$740,315
Minus 6% selling cost	−$44,419
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $274,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$51 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$51
What you'd walk away with	$695,948
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($39,650) invested at 7%	$301,826
Monthly shortfalls ($187,520 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$783,011
What you'd walk away with	$1,084,837
Building minus stocks	−$388,889

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $252,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$57,695 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$78,402
What you'd walk away with	$797,114
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($72,450) invested at 7%	$551,508
Monthly shortfalls ($55,048 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$289,869
What you'd walk away with	$841,377
Building minus stocks	−$44,263

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $252,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$4,439 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$4,744
What you'd walk away with	$723,457
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($72,450) invested at 7%	$551,508
Monthly shortfalls ($129,783 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$564,939
What you'd walk away with	$1,116,447
Building minus stocks	−$392,990

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$740,315
Minus 6% selling cost	−$44,419
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $244,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$67,222 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$94,320
What you'd walk away with	$790,216
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($70,150) invested at 7%	$534,000
Monthly shortfalls ($45,413 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$245,456
What you'd walk away with	$779,456
Building minus stocks	$10,760

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$740,315
Minus 6% selling cost	−$44,419
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $244,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$7,635 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$8,429
What you'd walk away with	$704,325
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($70,150) invested at 7%	$534,000
Monthly shortfalls ($113,818 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$508,293
What you'd walk away with	$1,042,292
Building minus stocks	−$337,967

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $236,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$77,300 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$112,103
What you'd walk away with	$830,816
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($88,200) invested at 7%	$671,401
Monthly shortfalls ($36,930 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$204,794
What you'd walk away with	$876,195
Building minus stocks	−$45,379

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$764,588
Minus 6% selling cost	−$45,875
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $236,250 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$11,606 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$13,243
What you'd walk away with	$731,955
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($88,200) invested at 7%	$671,401
Monthly shortfalls ($99,227 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$454,660
What you'd walk away with	$1,126,061
Building minus stocks	−$394,106

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$740,315
Minus 6% selling cost	−$44,419
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $228,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$87,784 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$131,532
What you'd walk away with	$827,428
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($85,400) invested at 7%	$650,087
Monthly shortfalls ($29,451 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$167,662
What you'd walk away with	$817,748
Building minus stocks	$9,680

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$740,315
Minus 6% selling cost	−$44,419
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $228,750 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$16,213 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$19,091
What you'd walk away with	$714,987
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($85,400) invested at 7%	$650,087
Monthly shortfalls ($85,871 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$403,948
What you'd walk away with	$1,054,035
Building minus stocks	−$339,048

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 $797K, stocks $841K. Stocks win.

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.

2 bed estimate $1,325/mo · range $1,275–$1,650 · 10 rentals within 1.5 mi

Address	Rent	Bd / Ba	Sq ft	Distance	Listed	Type
1611 Pleasant St, Lauderdale	$1,600	2 / 1	925	0.2 mi	2025-04-01	Apartment
1622 Carl St, Lauderdale	$1,270	2 / 1	928	0.3 mi	2025-01-03	Apartment
1365 Eustis St, Saint Paul	$1,369	2 / 1	804	0.8 mi	2026-08-31	Apartment
1845 Larpenteur Ave W, Falcon Heights	$1,220	2 / 1	770	1.3 mi	2025-06-21	Apartment
1099 15th Ave SE, Minneapolis	$1,300	2 / 1	—	1.4 mi	2024-07-26	Apartment
2280 Priscilla St, Saint Paul	$1,263	2 / 1	755	1.4 mi	2025-01-03	Apartment
1034 14th Ave SE Unit 2, Minneapolis	$1,650	2 / 1	975	1.4 mi	—	Apartment
1313 Como Ave SE Apt 103, Minneapolis	$1,645	2 / 1	1,100	1.5 mi	2025-12-03	Apartment
1750 Larpenteur Ave W, Falcon Heights	$2,175	2 / 2	1,023	1.5 mi	2026-04-27	Apartment
2044 Brewster St, Saint Paul	$1,300	2 / 1	726	1.5 mi	2025-01-03	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 1724 MALVERN ST
mediumAsking is $100,690 above the price where cash flow breaks even ($214,310) at the default scenario. Based on: Derived: price $315,000 vs. break-even $214,310

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.	$6,142
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,214
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. base rate	8% / 8%

Status history

2026-09-13New at $315,000

From the listing Listing

Listed as	duplex up and down
Property tax, 2026	$6,142
County	Ramsey
Parcel number	172923330067

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 Lauderdale on rental licensing before you buy.

Nearest highway

MN 280, about 160 m away.