393 Geranium Ave E

Saint Paul, MN · Payne – Phalen (Railroad Island) · Listing office ↗ · Find the listing ↗

Overpriced

Asking price: $329,900
Monthly cash flow: −$502
Estimated rent: $3,000/mo
Break-even price: $235,570

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: $329,900
Monthly cash flow: −$502
Cash to close: $75,877
Cap rate: 4.6%
Cash-on-cash: −7.9%
DSCR: 0.71×
GRM: 9.2
Price per unit: $164,950
Price that breaks even: $235,570
Rent that breaks even: $3,652/mo
Cash flow turns positive: year 15
Year 30: property vs stocks: $863K vs $826K

Monthly breakdown

Rent	$3,000
Vacancy (6%)	−$180
Collected	$2,820
Property tax Public record	−$613
Insurance Estimate	−$213
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	$1,254
Mortgage (principal + interest)	−$1,756
Cash flow	−$502
Principal paid down (equity, not cash)	$223

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 $863K, stocks $826K. The property wins.

How those totals add up

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$800,754
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,045
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $296,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$41,580 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$52,585
What you'd walk away with	$805,294
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($42,887) invested at 7%	$326,467
Monthly shortfalls ($97,108 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$496,098
What you'd walk away with	$822,564
Building minus stocks	−$17,270

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$800,754
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,045
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $296,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$71 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$71
What you'd walk away with	$752,780
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($42,887) invested at 7%	$326,467
Monthly shortfalls ($200,495 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$838,369
What you'd walk away with	$1,164,836
Building minus stocks	−$412,056

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$776,481
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,589
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $287,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$50,232 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$65,513
What you'd walk away with	$795,405
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($41,587) invested at 7%	$316,571
Monthly shortfalls ($83,934 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$439,413
What you'd walk away with	$755,983
Building minus stocks	$39,422

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$776,481
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,589
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $287,910 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$1,048 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$1,066
What you'd walk away with	$730,959
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($41,587) invested at 7%	$316,571
Monthly shortfalls ($179,646 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$769,751
What you'd walk away with	$1,086,322
Building minus stocks	−$355,363

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$800,754
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,045
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $263,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$77,791 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$110,766
What you'd walk away with	$863,475
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($75,877) invested at 7%	$577,595
Monthly shortfalls ($45,397 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$248,071
What you'd walk away with	$825,666
Building minus stocks	$37,809

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$800,754
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,045
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $263,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$8,460 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$9,367
What you'd walk away with	$762,075
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($75,877) invested at 7%	$577,595
Monthly shortfalls ($120,963 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$541,457
What you'd walk away with	$1,119,052
Building minus stocks	−$356,977

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$776,481
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,589
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $255,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$88,464 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$129,918
What you'd walk away with	$859,811
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($73,577) invested at 7%	$560,087
Monthly shortfalls ($36,910 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$206,892
What you'd walk away with	$766,979
Building minus stocks	$92,832

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$776,481
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,589
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $255,920 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$12,596 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$14,392
What you'd walk away with	$744,284
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($73,577) invested at 7%	$560,087
Monthly shortfalls ($105,938 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$486,151
What you'd walk away with	$1,046,238
Building minus stocks	−$301,954

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$800,754
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,045
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $247,425 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$100,723 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$153,165
What you'd walk away with	$905,874
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($92,372) invested at 7%	$703,159
Monthly shortfalls ($28,823 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$166,075
What you'd walk away with	$869,234
Building minus stocks	$36,640

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$800,754
Minus 6% selling cost	−$48,045
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $247,425 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$17,900 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$21,159
What you'd walk away with	$773,868
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($92,372) invested at 7%	$703,159
Monthly shortfalls ($90,895 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$428,854
What you'd walk away with	$1,132,013
Building minus stocks	−$358,145

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$776,481
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,589
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $239,925 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$112,320 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$176,343
What you'd walk away with	$906,235
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($89,572) invested at 7%	$681,845
Monthly shortfalls ($22,457 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$132,692
What you'd walk away with	$814,537
Building minus stocks	$91,698

	Year 30
If you buy this building
Sale priceValue grows 3% a year from the price	$776,481
Minus 6% selling cost	−$46,589
Minus loan still owedTenants' rent paid down all $239,925 of principal by year 30	$0
Plus rental profits, invested at 7%$23,479 of profit by year 30, before investment growth	$28,682
What you'd walk away with	$758,574
If you put the same money in stocks
Cash to close ($89,572) invested at 7%	$681,845
Monthly shortfalls ($78,512 total by yr 30) investedThe money you'd have put into the building while it lost money	$379,816
What you'd walk away with	$1,061,661
Building minus stocks	−$303,087

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 393 GERANIUM AVE E (dataset last updated mid-2025)
medium$3,020 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 292922220046: special assessments (payable 2026) = $3,020.42

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)	$7,354
Insurance / yr Estimateestimate. from units, square feet and age; get a quote	$2,561
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 1917: +1 pt capital reserve	8% / 9%

County record Public record

Recorded as	two family dwelling - up/dwn
Living units	2
Year built	1917
Market value (2026)	$359,700
Property tax, payable 2026	$7,354
Special assessments	$3,020
Homestead	no
Last sale	2020-09-23 · $300,000

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 35E;US 10, about 364 m away.

Crime in Payne – Phalen

1,694 incidents in the last 12 months (51 per 1,000 residents), −10% vs. the year before. St. Paul police incidents, excluding proactive visits and community events.

Status history

2026-07-27New at $329,900