St. Paul › Frogtown

274 Lafond Ave

Saint Paul, MN · Frogtown (Thomas-Dale) · Find the listing ↗

Overpriced

Asking price: $450,000
Monthly cash flow: −$506
Estimated rent: $3,300/mo
Break-even price: $354,894

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
3 bed / 1 bath (est.)$1,650 $1,400–$1,900

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: Likely exempt (built after 2004); confirm the first CofO date.

Price: $450,000
Monthly cash flow: −$506
Cash to close: $103,500
Cap rate: 5.0%
Cash-on-cash: −5.9%
DSCR: 0.79×
GRM: 11.4
Price per unit: $225,000
Price that breaks even: $354,894
Rent that breaks even: $3,949/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 10
Year 30: property vs stocks: $1.37M vs $969K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$3,300
Vacancy (6%)	−$198
Collected	$3,102
Property tax Public record	−$256
Insurance Estimate	−$199
Water, sewer, trash Estimate	−$170
Lawn care ($120 × 6 mo ÷ 12)	−$60
Repairs (8% of rent)	−$264
Capital reserve (8% of rent)	−$264
Net operating income	$1,889
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$2,395
Cash flow	−$506
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$305

Cash flow each year

Rents +3%/yr, 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 $1.37M, stocks $969K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,092,268
Minus 6% selling cost	−$65,536
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $405,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$145,501 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$209,458
What you'd walk away with	$1,236,190
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($58,500) invested at 7%	$445,317
Monthly shortfalls ($82,555 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$466,962
What you'd walk away with	$912,279
Building minus stocks	$323,911

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,092,268
Minus 6% selling cost	−$65,536
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $405,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$55,075 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$68,367
What you'd walk away with	$1,095,099
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($58,500) invested at 7%	$445,317
Monthly shortfalls ($151,515 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$760,135
What you'd walk away with	$1,205,451
Building minus stocks	−$110,352

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,067,995
Minus 6% selling cost	−$64,080
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $396,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$157,716 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$231,620
What you'd walk away with	$1,235,536
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($57,200) invested at 7%	$435,421
Monthly shortfalls ($72,945 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$419,511
What you'd walk away with	$854,932
Building minus stocks	$380,604

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,067,995
Minus 6% selling cost	−$64,080
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $396,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$62,979 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$79,708
What you'd walk away with	$1,083,623
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($57,200) invested at 7%	$435,421
Monthly shortfalls ($137,593 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$701,862
What you'd walk away with	$1,137,283
Building minus stocks	−$53,660

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,092,268
Minus 6% selling cost	−$65,536
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $360,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$212,992 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$341,759
What you'd walk away with	$1,368,491
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($103,500) invested at 7%	$787,868
Monthly shortfalls ($30,117 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$181,580
What you'd walk away with	$969,448
Building minus stocks	$399,043

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,092,268
Minus 6% selling cost	−$65,536
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $360,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$101,066 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$139,539
What you'd walk away with	$1,166,271
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($103,500) invested at 7%	$787,868
Monthly shortfalls ($77,577 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$413,624
What you'd walk away with	$1,201,493
Building minus stocks	−$35,222

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,067,995
Minus 6% selling cost	−$64,080
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $352,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$226,604 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$371,241
What you'd walk away with	$1,375,157
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($101,200) invested at 7%	$770,360
Monthly shortfalls ($24,569 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$150,731
What you'd walk away with	$921,091
Building minus stocks	$454,066

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,067,995
Minus 6% selling cost	−$64,080
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $352,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$110,890 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$156,260
What you'd walk away with	$1,160,176
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($101,200) invested at 7%	$770,360
Monthly shortfalls ($68,240 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$370,014
What you'd walk away with	$1,140,374
Building minus stocks	$19,802

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,092,268
Minus 6% selling cost	−$65,536
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $337,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$252,656 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$430,558
What you'd walk away with	$1,457,290
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($126,000) invested at 7%	$959,144
Monthly shortfalls ($15,892 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$100,698
What you'd walk away with	$1,059,842
Building minus stocks	$397,448

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,092,268
Minus 6% selling cost	−$65,536
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $337,500 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$130,050 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$190,427
What you'd walk away with	$1,217,159
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($126,000) invested at 7%	$959,144
Monthly shortfalls ($52,671 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$294,831
What you'd walk away with	$1,253,975
Building minus stocks	−$36,816

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,067,995
Minus 6% selling cost	−$64,080
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $330,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$266,857 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$464,592
What you'd walk away with	$1,468,508
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($123,200) invested at 7%	$937,830
Monthly shortfalls ($12,130 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$78,171
What you'd walk away with	$1,016,001
Building minus stocks	$452,507

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$1,067,995
Minus 6% selling cost	−$64,080
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $330,000 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$140,722 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$210,453
What you'd walk away with	$1,214,368
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($123,200) invested at 7%	$937,830
Monthly shortfalls ($45,380 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$258,296
What you'd walk away with	$1,196,125
Building minus stocks	$18,243

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

mediumNo rental certificate (CofO) on file in the city's data. Ask whether the building is licensed as a rental and when it was last inspected. Public record: St. Paul Certificate of Occupancy – Residential: no record for 274 LAFOND AVE (dataset last updated mid-2025)
mediumBought for $290,000 in Dec 2025; asking is 55% more 9 months later. Ask what was done to justify the jump. Public record: Ramsey County parcel 362923120222: last sale 2025-12-19, $290,000
low$432 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 362923120222: special assessments (payable 2026) = $432.50

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)	$3,072
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,390
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%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	2021
Market value (2026)	$252,000
Property tax, payable 2026	$3,072
Special assessments	$432
Homestead	no
Last sale	2025-12-19 · $290,000

Source: Ramsey County parcel records.

City rental certificate (CofO)

No record in St. Paul Certificate of Occupancy – Residential (dataset last updated mid-2025).

Nearest highway

I 94, about 1026 m away.

Crime in Frogtown

828 incidents in the last 12 months (53 per 1,000 residents), −26% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-08-16New at $450,000